🍽️ Reservation

Mr. Beaumont, a critically acclaimed food critic, was on a tour of Kenyan hotel restaurants. His first stop was Lake Nakuru Lodge as he was an avid climber and had kicked off his itinerary with a hike up the nearby Mount Longonot. Beaumont was tasked with determining the hotel that deserved the Gastronomique 20 Award – equivalent to a Michelin Star – and what place the rest fell on his preferential index. The stakes were high: Tickling Beaumont’s discerning palate meant being written into the annals of Gastronomique greatness, a title that was hard to erase and basically assured a steady supply of patrons throughout the hotel’s lifetime. A failure to impress the meticulous critic was equally indelible for the worst reasons. Food is vital to hotel operations, so a low ranking on Beaumont’s listicle assured the establishment’s decline. Hinga needed a shot to dull his nerves.

On the day of Beaumont’s stop-over, Hinga was deceptively calm. He bopped and bobbed to the classical music in his head as he whipped up the salad dressings: vinaigrette, creamy French dressing, and cocktail sauce. This was light work compared to the Waldorf carrot and pineapple salad, Mexican salad, butternut soup, and rosemary garlic chicken delegated to his able hands. Still, he was grateful Belinda was the head honcho shouldering the major responsibilities. He was also drunk.