Can't Stand The Heat

Can't Stand The Heat: Is about a female chef of a popular little restaurant in Sydney (Australia). She needs to find a skilled sous chef to help her run the kitchen. Problem being she is fussy, she is picky and she will not take anyone with sub par skills.

Characters:

Grant Mills - Sou Chef ( male who takes the role can fill out his bio)

Annah Kean - Chef of "Sea Shells" Seafood restaurant. She is 29, Single, 5'4" , Australian born and raised she is an only child, and she generally keeps to herself because she is too busy. Has no romantic life, no social life but a booming restaurant business that she now needs help with.

--------------------------Will Start When We Get All Characters---------------------

At age 28, Grant Mills is searching for a new job at one of the exquisite and popular new restaurants around Sydney. He considers himself capable of handling the role of sous chef at any of these places, especially after going to some of the most prestigious cooking schools in America. But Grant soon got tired of the simple food culture in America. He longed to see the world's view on food and cooking. So he set off traveling abroad learning about each visited country's most famous food dishes and culture. Reaching Australia, he knew he had found the perfect place to settle down with his newfound culinary knowledge. Secretly he hopes to be able to start his own major restaurant project after gaining some experience here. Driven by these goals, Grant has found that harboring a social or even romantic life in his new home country is simply impossible

Annah Kean was dressed as you would find most chefs black and white check pants, white chefs shirt, black shoes and her hair tied back. She was busy preparing for the nightly opening of "Sea Shells" Seafood restaurant, her pride and joy her baby. She had opened the restaurant 3 years ago and now business was booming people enjoyed her fresh and full of flavor approach to sea food.

Lately Annah had been run off her feet, and finding business almost too much to handle. She currently had 2 staff members , Hailey the waitress / hostess and Charlie "chuck" the dish hand. But it was becoming clear she was going to need someone else to assist with the cooking and so she had placed an ad in the Sydney Morning Herald asking for a Capable Sous Chef, who had a flair with Sea food.

At present it was just Annah at Sea Shells as she was doing prep work, cutting dicing, shelling, scaling, de boning.........all the tedious jobs that needed to be done every night before opening. The front door to the restaurant was open but it did have the close sign in place, she was expecting Hailey and chuck in about half an hour, and then the night would begin.

Grant Mills had been scanning the local newspaper in Sydney when he had come across the ad. He read it and immediately thought that it was the perfect chance to start off his cooking career here in Australia. That evening he set off towards the address of the restaurant after throwing on a collared button-down shirt and nice pants in order to give a good first impression to the employer.

Arriving at Sea Shells, Grant knocked on the door several times hoping for a response. He checked the door and found that it was unlocked. Slowly stepping in and admiring the place, Grant heard some work going on in the kitchen. He called out as to not completely freak out whoever it was back there with his arrival.

"Excuse me, is there anyone here I can speak to about the hiring of a new sous chef?"

"Excuse me, is there anyone here I can speak to about the hiring of a new sous chef?" Annah heard the male voice calling from the front of the restaurant but did not really make out what he was saying. She didn't place down her prep knife, as she simply hadn't thought of it and made her way into the restaurant knife in hand and a serious look. "Can I help you?" she asked in a none welcoming tone, as her eyes glanced over the strange man and then back to the front door, realizing he must of let him self in.

He was dressed well so she doubted he was here to cause trouble, but she didn't like being caught of guard and she was not very good with strangers. Even good looking ones. Annah placed one hand on her hip and the one holding the knife by her side, clearly impatient an wanting to get back to her prep work, she knew tonight was going to be busy...as it always was.

Grant was momentarily taken aback by the unhappy looking woman staring at him with the large knife in her hand. While slightly unnerved by her cold welcome, Grant couldn't help but noticing that she was quite attractive. Deciding to try and start off on the right foot and explain why he was here, Grant held up the ad that he had cut out from the paper.

"Yes, my name is Grant Mills. I'm here to try out for the wanted position of sous chef?

Annah was stunned for a moment she hadn't expected such an instant response to the advertiement"Oh... right' she step forward and stretched out her hand to shake his "I am Annah Kean, the owner and chef of Sea Shells"she shook his hand feeling a little embarrassed for her abrupt greeting.

"Grant, wasn't it?.....Do you have any restaurant experience? Have you ever been a sou's chef before?" She looked him over as if assessing him. "I have to finish up come into the kitchen while we talk"she didn't wait for an answer she simply walked into the kitchen and continued her prep work, she was currently cleaning baby squid and prepping it for her salt and pepper squid dish.

Grant stepped foward and shook her hand saying "Nice to meet you Annah."

Seeing that she was all business and too rushed for a proper greeting, Grant followed her back into the kitchen as he replied to her questions. He watched her as she worked delicately preparing the food for the opening of the restaurant tonight.

"Well, I think I'm quite experienced when it comes to cooking. You see, I've been traveling the world visiting different countries for a while, constantly learning more about food culture from around the world. I've had a lot of hands-on experience with cooking in the different places I've stayed in but now I'm looking to settle down here and cook. While I've never had time to have an official position such as sous chef, I would definitely know what I was doing back here in a kitchen like this. I think I could offer your restaurant a much wider variety when it comes to international taste."

Grant finished his small speech and nervously waited to see how favorable her response would be.

Annah Kean

Annah listened to him, her hands never stopping as she cleaned and prepared the squid. Then she seasoned the cut squid ready for frying, covering the container of prepared salt and pepper baby squid she returned it to the cool room. Annah came back out dusted her hands on her apron and looked the man up and down. "Alright Mr Mills, I would of course like a chance to check out your previous employment, so I will get you to leave me a resume."

She moved back to her station to prepare some salmon fillets for her Teriyaki Salmon "I will be straight up, I need help here and I need to know that I can leave you to prepare dishes to my standard without my supervision. which is why I want a sous chef and not an apprentice." Annah looked at him "Are you available for a nights free trial, Tonight?"She was testing him as she expected him to hesitate because of his clothes and being unprepared be she did not want a sous chef who was easily flappable.

Annah heard the front door to the restaurant open and close again, but this time she recognized the sounds of Chuck and Hailey arriving for work. Every day it was the same laughter the same back and forth banter as they made their way through the restaurant to the kitchen. Annah rolled her eyes and sighed not comfortable to be so loud, but she waited for them to enter the Kitchen then made introductions "Hailey, Chuck this is Mr Mills, he was just about to let me know if he wanted to try and be our Sous chef for the evening" she waved her hand between them as a form of introduction and then went back to her prep.

Chuck and Hailey greeted Grant in their usually friendly manner, Hailey even winked at Annah as if sharing some joke or secret about Grant Mills, it wasn't until she mouthed "he's cute" that Annah caught on and then looked away. Chuck and Hailey then started to prepare themselves for work. Chuck usually helped with light prep work before business hours so he began fixing salads and Hailey went to front of house to check the bar stock, tables and bookings for the evening.

Grant quickly greeted Hailey and Chuck before turning back to speak with Annah about his "tryout."

"Tonight? Yea I could definitely help out right now and show you what I know. But I do seem to be a bit overdressed. Mind if I just wear my undershirt?"

Meanwhile a list of possible dishes he could prepare that would impress her ran through his head. He couldn't explain it but now that he had met the woman behind this successful restaurant, he became seriously determined to secure a place for himself here.

Annah was impressed the response surprised her. "You can wear what you want as long as its hygienic and you can cook" she looked at him and threw over a clean apron. but Annah's eyes lingered over him and her heart beat did increase a little, as a vision of him cooking shirtless popped into her head....she shook her head to get rid of it....damm Hailey she thought, it was her fault for putting ideas into her head. He was just the sous chef who cared what he looked like.

"You can start by prepping some prawns and making fresh Fettuccine for the Garlic prawns and asparagus fettuccine, its a big seller so it helps to be prepaird......can you handle that? If you need there are recipe cards in the box over there" she nodded to a box on the second work station in the room and continued with her prep work letting him sink or swim.

Grant smiled at her as he took off his dress shirt put on the apron over tight undershirt which slightly showed off his fit frame.

"Sure thing I'll get started on them right away."

He was glad to be getting to work helping her out already and showing her his culinary knowledge. He went over to his station and began shelling the numerous prawns that needed to be prepared for tonight. Then he got to work chopping up the asparagus and garlic before putting them each into their own separate bowls. Then he gathered the flour needed for making the pasta. Looking at the flour already covering his hands and lower arms he could tell this was gonna get messy but he had no problem with that. He cracked a few eggs into the flour and began whisking it. Then he started the process of kneading the dough together carefully. Once the dough weas ready he walked over to the special pasta making machine in the kitchen and began feeding the dough into the machine for a while until it became actual sheets of pasta. He cut these sheets into small strips until he had freshly prepared fettuccine on the table before him.

Grant quickly examined himself and saw that his hands and arms were pretty much completely coated with flour. He looked over at Annah and couldn't help but admire the dedication and passion she had already revealed to be within herself.

Annah had been watching him, not so that anyone would notice but she had been. His every movement was confident and he knew what was needed without a recipe card and he could make pasta from scratch without breaking a sweat. His toned body barely hidden by the tight shirt looked very sexy the more engrossed in his cooking, every movement was quit sensual to Annah.

Every so often she would find her staring at things like his hands when he began to need the dough and she began to wonder what they would feel like........she then mentally slapped herself and murmur to herself about killing Hailey later. Annah focused on her prep work and glanced over as he rolled out and cut the pasta into Fettuccine, She smiled and nodded her approval without saying a word.

The restaurant was starting to fill with customers and it would not be long before first orders arrived and the flurry of activity would be a true test of how good this sous chef could be.

After Grant snapped himself out of staring at Annah he started cleaning up his station. But soon enough his eyes were drawn back to her delicate hands working on the food. He watched her working tirelessly and especially liked it when she bit her lower lip lightly when she was really concentrating on her work.

Soon Grant began mentally preparing himself for the initial rush of customers in the restaurant as he knew that that would be the true test of his abilities in front of Annah. He watched the waiting window eagerly for the first order to come in.

Hailey came up to the window, stuck up a the first of the orders and called out " 2 salt and pepper squid, 2 Oysters natural, 3 Garlic prawns and asparagus fettuccine and 1 Seafood Laksa" and so it began the busy hot dance of a chef at a busy restaurant. She hoped the new sous chef could keep up.

Annah didn't stop not once she would do two orders or three at at time plate them up call "order up" and move onto the next, all night almost right up until close the orders came in steady. She would watch Grant from time to time and as yet he had made no huge mistakes, forgot a garnish she would normally add or did his own twist on a few dishes but all in all she was not unsatisfied with him.......or his looks.

Grant heard the orders being called out and got to work on them. He was familiar with most of them and found it moderately simple to put them together. Ever now and then he even threw in his own special blend of spices on top of the prawns. He divided the work on the Seafood Laksa with Annah, gathering the coconut milk and fish stock together to start working on it.

Grant noted that they worked together well, constantly moving around the kitchen sliding around each other. It was almost as if there was some kind of innate communication between the two of them as they cooked. Often Annah would pass certain ingredients along to him and he would already know what to do with them.

As the night wore on, Grant kept on working hard to show his worth to Annah until ever so slowly the orders began to trickle down.

At the end of service, Annah sighed finally stopped she picked up a glass of water. Tilting her head back and sculled the cold water that Hailey had left for her, she was hot and thirsty as usual. As she lowered the glass she smiled over the rim at Grant "Not bad not bad at all, come sit in the Restaurant with me so Chuck can clean up" she sat the empty glass on the bench took off her apron and headed into the restaurant.

Finding a seat on the opposite side to give them privacy from Hailey who was checking the till float and organizing money for banking. Annah gestured for Gran to sit before she called to Hailey "Can you bring us two glasses of wine Hailey please" she smiled at grant hoping that was OK. He had pleased her, he has talent and they could work together so she was showing her appreciation. Annah took down her pony tail as she usually did at this time of night as it being pulled back often induced a headache, her soft chocolate hair falling around her shoulders.

By the end of the night, Grant was covered in sweat, tired, but still happy as he felt he had done a really good job tonight. When he saw that Annah was starting to relax, he let out a sigh of relieve since his tryout was over. He took off his dirty apron and watched Annah sip a glass of cold water. When she invited him out to talk, he eagerly followed her out to a table and sat down with her. He noticed that she had let her hair down, making herself look even more attractive. He sat back and waited for the wine to come out.

"Well I hope I was able to please you tonight Annah and I'd be happy if you accepted me here as your new sous chef."

Annah took the glasses of wine from Hailey and waited for her to go back to cleanup, then she turned to Grant and nodded toward the glass so he picked it up " To the new Sous Chef of Sea Shells, welcome aboard Mr Mills" and she tapped her glass to his and had a sip. she sighed and leaned back in the chair her body tense and stiff from way to much hard work.

"So tell me, Do you think you will be content here?"she glanced around the restaurant, while it was home to her she was curious as to why someone who had a flair for food and had traveled all around would choose here to settle. She took another sip and loosened a few buttons at the top of her chef shirt.

"Wow really, that's great I'm so happy to hear that. Trust me you won't be disappointed."

He sipped at his wine watching as she kept speaking and loosened her shirt up, which he liked a lot he had to admit. He replied to her question.

"Oh definitely, there's just something about this place that I already love. I mean I've been traveling for so long I guess I was just looking for something special to make me settle down. I can already tell that we're gonna be a great combination back there in the kitchen."

He smiled toasting to her again, so glad that he had made it. Another part of him was glad simply for the chance to simply work so close with this beautiful and dedicated young woman.

Annah smiled and listened to him, she was beginning to think him quite charming and defiantly handsome. Not that she would ever act on either, but she was only human. Hailey finished up and said her goodbyes and left and not long after chuck followed. Annah finished off her wine and poured another for herself and tilted the bottle toward Grant asking if he wanted another.

"I am starving, did you want to go see what we can stir up?" she nodded toward the kitchen "course we will have to clean up after or chuck will kill us tomorrow". she said with a smile and stood up to head to the kitchen.

Grant let her pour him another glass laughing. He loved how much he was already getting along with Annah. He realized that she was going to be a really great boss and the fact that she was such an attractive person was just another plus. But Grant checked himself thinking to himself, you idiot, you've landed the job. Don't ruin it already just because you might have a thing for her. He stood up and follwed her into the kitchen still sipping from his wine glass.

"Sure I think it's about time we actually cook for ourselves. Let's go make something special just for us."

Annah laughed....."I would love to eat something special but after that night, I can do omelette's" she grinned at him "is that okay?" she placed her glass down on the bench. Annah didn't know why but she was in a good mood she was normally far more shy and reserved around people.

Annah normally kept to herself and while she usually had a glass of wine after work, it was normally in the privacy of her own home and alone. She didn't mean to but she let her eyes travel over Grant, he was certainly as Hailey said "cute" although she saw him more as rugged handsome, cute was for preppy looking boys....he was defiantly man. Blushing lightly she tool another sip of wine and tried to ignore her thoughts.

Grant smiled seeing that she was opening up more to him now. She seemed to be enjoying herself more could've sworn that once or twice that he notcied her eyes traveling over his body in his tight t-shirt. He secretly hoped to himself that she would maybe change into something more comfortable after wearing her cook's outfir all night.

"Omelettes sound just fine. I'll grab the eggs."