Page 44 of Timeless: Encore

Holy shit.

My mom has a point. They are like me and Fiona. I’m going to have to unpack this insanity with Fee later.

”I’d like that. I miss Fiona and Mia so much and I don’t want us to ever have this separation again, Zane. You’re my son. You’re my sweet Zaney.” She wipes the tears I didn’t know were falling from my eyes.

And I get it. If Mia avoided me when she was my age, I’d be devastated.

Looks like my new attitude is going to include resetting my relationship with my parents.

It’s probably time.

Chapter fifteen

FIONA

A Month or So Later

Numbersaren’tmything.

I’ve got to make them my bitch though. It’s an expensive proposition opening a fine dining restaurant featuring seasonal, high-end regional food. The investment to take things to the coveted Michelin level is astronomical. From the decor to the food to the staff to the marketing. Zane and I are spending a fortune, and there’s no guarantee we’ll ever make it back.

Emilie’s working hard to keep us on track, but self-doubt is a bitch. I worry that this is a vanity project. I wonder … Gah. I can’t say it out loud.

Is all of this worth it?

God, it is though. Gus could put this region on the map. Seattle has delectable cuisine. World-class restaurants. Celebrity chefs. Hell, I worked for one of the best. Currently, we have no Michelin-Starred restaurants. The Guide doesn’t evencoverthe Pacific Northwest.

This whole endeavor feels like an insurmountable uphill battle.

The Michelin Star situation is so weird, it’s almost hard to believe the story. The Guide originated in France over a hundred years ago. It was a free publication put out by the Michelin tire company for car travelers and featured lists of restaurants, hotels, gas stations, and instructions on how to repair and change tires. Kind of like an old-fashioned paper GPS.

The star rating system for restaurants was implemented when the Guide used a single star to denote restaurants they deemed “fine dining establishments.” A few years later, they expanded the ratings to three stars, which is the best you can get.

Receiving a Michelin Star is a great honor. The rarest of accomplishments in the restaurant world. Le Bernardin, where I worked for many years while in culinary school, has three stars. I truly believe my experience there is the reason I have a chance at accomplishing my dream here in Seattle.

I’m confident I’ll have the service, staff, and food dialed in but it’s crucial to get sufficient publicity to gain the attention of the Michelin Guide team. I suck at marketing and public relations. I need help.

Big help.

Enter my own personal knight in shining armor. Through his rockstar connections, Zane helped me identify the four top hospitality PR firms in the country, arranged for them to pitch me and convinced Jace to sit in on the meetings.

He might be the drummer for LTZ, but his background in marketing helped catapult the band to the top when they were just starting out. He singlehandedly managed all their social media, press, and positioning until the band became too famous for him to keep up.

”So, I’m not up to speed on the Michelin stuff, can you fill me in on the top-level shit before the interviews begin?” Jace reclines in my office chair. His hair is tied back in a low ponytail. He’s wearing gray jeans and a black sweater. Thick black reading glasses. He looks a little like a hipster ad executive, which is perfect.

I hand him four folders containing the presentations of each firm. “Michelin has a secretive process. They select just a few restaurants to be inspected. If Gus makes the cut, multiple reviewers will make reservations and eat here just like any other guests. All reviewers are religious about maintaining anonymity. They go to great lengths to come across like any person eating at the restaurant.”

“Tell me the process.” Jace chews on a pen while perusing a folder.

Using my fingers I count out the criteria inspectors use to determine who receives a star. “There’s five elements they grade on. First, quality of products. Second, mastery of flavor and cooking techniques. Fourth, value for money. Fifth, consistency between the inspectors’ visits.”

He scrunches his nose. “Uh, what’s the third?

“This is the one that’s going to be the death of me.” I suck in a breath. “Thepersonalityof the chef representing the dining experience.”

”Seriously?” Jace cocks a brow. “That’s a criteria?”

“Allfiveare. And I get why you’re skeptical about my personality. I’m a lot. I need the most help with that one.” Fear gnaws at my belly.

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