Page 53 of Sunshine

She grinned at that. “Okay, fine. I am. I just like things to be done...”

“...a certain way.” Luca agreed.

“All the time,” I added.

Julian shook his head in mock horror. “For the love of cheese, save me.”

Sunshine gestured at the bowl of cilantro in front of me. “What are you thinking?”

Julian finished his plate of fettuccine alfredo. “More food, please.”

“Something upscale and nostalgic.” I grabbed Julian’s plate and topped it off, making sure his noodle to sauce ratio was perfect. My omega liked a little bit of noodle with his sauce.

“Ohhh.” Sunshine’s face lit up. “I like it.”

“Nostalgic is good,” Luca said, musing. “You could do surreal things.”

“Like?” I asked, rearranging the bunch of herbs I had left over from the dill and herb salad I’d made as the salad course.

“I don’t know, you’re the chef.” Luca blew me a kiss.

“Something dreamy.” Sunshine bit her lip, looking into the middle distance. She was thinking, always a good sign when we were talking menus.

“What about finger foods?” Julian stole some bread. “I assume they’re going to be walking around, so sitting and having courses might not work?”

“Or they do…” Sunshine trailed off, still staring almost over my shoulder. “I was thinking of breaking up the experiences all over the location, so they could mingle as they wanted. Maybe it’s not just a buffet, or seven course meal, but different foods in different places.”

I perked up. That would be a pain to execute, but it would help center the menu. “Maybe a place for desserts.”

“Chocolate chip cookies.” Sunshine’s face lit up, looking at me. I would have given almost anything to keep her looking at me like that. “Nostalgia. Apple pie. Cherry cheesecake.”

I grunted, trying to get my brain to spin out entrée ideas. Nostalgic desserts were a good place to start but following that to dinner didn’t help. “Pot roast. Meatballs. Meatloaf.” I made a face. None of those entrees were right. “We need upscale.”

“You can upscale anything,” Sunshine said, waving her hand. “Maybe we focus on the food vibes. Like maybe lots of smaller courses that can be enjoyed together or separate.”

That would match up with the dessert idea.

“I keep thinking about blue food, or angel food cake, or something that feels like going to an art show.” Sunshine took another bite out of her pasta.

“Maybe lots of appetizers then,” Luca added with a shrug. “It would be easier to manage them in different locations.”

An idea tickled the back of my mind. “Or it’s part of the discovery. You lead them around the location, discovering different entrees.”

“I have an idea to do a virtual reality room, decorated to look like the sky, to simulate flying. I also want to do a small circus, with maybe a ringmaster and a trained tiger.” Her voice shifted, and she looked down. “It sounds insane, but it makes sense in my head.”

“It sounds great. Like an experience.” Julian put his hand on her forearm. “You could also focus on sound and texture. Like maybe somewhere an orchestra is playing, and then in another location there’s a jazz band playing who will let the guests play alongside them, to give them the feeling of being in a band.”

“That’s a great idea.” Sunshine twirled more fettucine onto her fork. “Maybe the food is part of that. Like a hunt, or surprise. They turn the corner, and find another room, this one serving light soups.”

I nodded, almost there. “Like dim sum. The food comes around, can be eaten separately, but all together.”

“Like Kaiseki,” Sunshine jumped in her seat, clapping her hands together. “There’s your upscale.”

My mind lit up. Kaiseki was the Japanese tradition of an eleven-course meal that focused on flavor, balance of texture, and igniting the five senses. Most kaiseki dishes were light, designed to all be eaten in one sitting, like a rich broth before a vinegar vegetable palate cleanser.

It was as much of an art as a set of recipes, with the chef focusing on fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Energy buzzed through me and I wanted to start cooking, now. “You’re the most brilliant woman I’ve ever met. That’s perfect.”

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