Bon Appetite | Bachelorette Day 3 | Kate&Ben

It's quite overwhelming for Ben, seeing the hoards of cameras and crew, working their equipment in his restaurant. He had a small camera crew in here before but that was for shooting interior shots of his restaurant for a small television advertisement. Hopefully today's episode would be a cheap way to advertise his place, showing the Capitol what he had to offer for them on their plates. And the shots of the interior of his kitchen would prove there was no funny business unfolding behind the kitchen doors. (Like the restaurant across the street.) Unlike them, he knew how to wash his dishes pristinely.

The building where everyone stands, is Ben's life. He had to drag it up from the dirt, without help from anyone. Being the second youngest of five children, he didn't exactly have the help of inheritance to guide him in his adult life. His father poured all of his wealth into his eldest, leaving his four other children to take the path of life on their own. Inspired by the way food brought people together, Ben sought a career in the culinary business, starting off as soux chef for a celebrated chef in the Capitol. Before long, he found himself refurbishing an old rundown restaurant and calling it his own.

Giving Katelyn the choice on what he was to make, he hadn't exactly decided what he wanted to eat. Having a diverse taste, he enjoyed everything. Sweet dishes, sour fruits, the most fiery spicy chillies, anything that tickled his tastebuds, he put into his mouth. Deciding to create something that went well with what Katelyn chooses, he was delighted to hear her choice. A hot dish to turn up the temperature, it really was the heat of the competition. Grinning as she described the dish, he picks up a towel from a counter, rubbing sweat from his brow as if implying the already existing heat. "Mmm, sounds delicious, I am sure I can handle it."

Pondering on what would go well with the hot dish of Katelyn's, an array of desserts would flash through his mind. Something to maybe counteract the heat? Thinking back to the ice-cream sundae they shared in the statue park, he glances to a cupboard, containing a machine that would come handy with his idea. "Banana and cinnamon ice-cream cake. Just like a cheese cake if you've had one. A nice crunchy base and a cold filling to cool us off. But I haven't forgot your taste for spice as the delightful cinnamon will be mixed in with the banana." Gesturing towards a cupboard as he speaks, slowly he begins to forget the cameras are watching them. "There is a machine in there that makes ice cream almost instantly, none of that waiting for hours for it to set in a freezer nonsense. Although I have a tub of vanilla ice cream, if you want to cheat." He'd chuckle at his final words.

Watching as Katelyn tied the apron to herself, he'd admire it with a smile. "Lovely little apron."

Grabbing a wine bottle from the counter where they both stand, he'd pop it open, pouring the contents into two glasses. "Strawberry and elderflower rosé wine, something to keep us quenched while we work."

Collecting together ingredients, he'd whisper to an avox to gather together what Katelyn needs and excitement began to creep inside of him. "All the ingredients are available on the table, bowls and what not are in the cupboard beneath. If you need anything frozen or chilled, everything will be in the middle refrigerator." He points towards the three large fridges behind them.

Picking up a jalapeño, he didn't want to get too stuck into the cooking that he'd forget that Katelyn was there so he got the conversation ball rolling. "What got you into baking? I do love the ingredients that I get from Eleven, I'd love to see the way they're produced."

Rolling up his sleeves, Ben dips his hands into the wash basin, thoroughly washing them. Bubbles build up in the sink as he washes away the bacteria before he handles the food. Drying them off onto a towel, he’d turn back to the counter, deciding how he would begin preparing the chilli that Katelyn requested. Already making his mouth water, the two-course meal sounds a delight. Maybe the date will turn out just as good as the quality of the food. Turning to the assortment of chillis and peppers, he attacks them all with his knife, chopping them up into appropriate sizes.

Listening contently to Katelyn describing how food is produced in eleven, Ben minces a garlic glove, mashing it into paste. Adding half a tablespoon of cumin, salt and chilli powder to the mix, he mixes the mixture into the minced beef in a large bowl. He tries not to lose himself in the preparation, glancing over to Katelyn now and then while she creates the sweet treat. Placing a large pot on a stove, he adds two tablespoons of olive oil into it before turning up the heat. Allowing the meat to cook for five minutes, he’d put half of his attention on Katelyn, occasionally turning over the beef. ”Yes of course, you can call me Ben.” Removing the beef from the pot, he’d place it into a bowl, ignoring it for a couple of minutes. The next step was the puree the chillis with tomatoes, to create the sauce so he adds the anchos, chipotles, adobo, cilantro,two garlic cloves and a pinch of salt into the blender. Attacking the assortment of ingredients with its blades, the blender produces a smooth puree to add to the pot.

Cooking chopped onions and garlic in the pot,Ben reminisces how he got his career, while continuing with the recipe. ”Unfortunately, I wasn’t taught by any of my family members.” Remembering the times where he raided his mother’s cabinets for different ingredients as a youngster, he didn’t exactly have anyone to guide him. ”I always loved how food brought people together like at restaurants, parties, picnics in parks and well…food tastes great too.” Adding spices to the pot as the onions cook, he pours in the puree he blended earlier, allowing it to cook before adding the meat. ”I got lucky though when I was teenager, I was granted the opportunity to work under celebrated chef, where I learnt so much.” Moving his eyes from the pot to Katelyn as he spoke, the presence of the cameras slowly becomes invisible for him. ”Then I bought this place and made it my own.” Grinning, he reunites the beef with the pot along with some water. Raiding his alcohol cupboard once again, he pops open a bottle of beer, pouring some of the liquid into pot. Leaving it to cook, he reminds himself to stir the pan every so often as he turns towards the bread.

Creating the dough for the bread in a bowl, Ben finds a way to allow it to raise, the room temperature being scorchio so it’d likely to double in size in no time. However he places it into one of his cheat machines, trying to take away valuable time that shouldn’t be wasted while watching bread rise. But as he leave the dough and turns to the pot to stir it, Katelyn grants him the questions he had been pondering on since signing up for the show.

Removing his eyes from the pan, he smiles at Katelyn, quickly conjuring up an answer. ”Because you have a lot in common with me and I wanted to get to know someone who is passionate in baking and cooking that isn’t in it just for…” Covering up the microphone that is attached to his chef jacket as he leans his lips to Katelyn ear, he whispers the last of his words.”The money and popularity…like so many here.” Glancing at the cameras, he quickly takes the dough to the counter, flouring the surface before kneading it. ”And you generally seem like kind beautiful woman on the television screens. And well, you are real life too.” Smiling at Katelyn, his eyes are fixated on her. He’d place the kneaded dough back into the raising machine before stirring the pot again. ”And well the dates so far have been a blessing, so I am happy that I did sign up for this.”

Finally he got the bread into the oven; all he had to do now was stir the pot and wait, which made plenty of time to converse with Katelyn. Every question that he had been thrown at throughout the show, he tried his best to think of a reasonable yet winning answer to give but at the same time staying truthful. His words are likely the thing to put him on the line, he’s been known in the past to be a bit too boisterous in a conversation which is probably why he only caters for most parties instead of being the guest.

Checking on the chilli, Ben listens as Katelyn shares her life stories, being rather much exciting to him. Everything in the Capitol is rooted while it seems District life is pretty much unpredictable. Living purely to survive and provide for oneself and others, a lot more of a demanding life compared to a Capitolite. For some reason, it seems like a simpler alternative to the glitziness that Ben’s life has to offer, not having to worry about what everyone else thinks. Camaraderie also appears to be a major aspect while working together is not exactly a thing in the Capitol, every man for himself. Ben just wants to enjoy the company of others while working to better their lives and his own.

Sharing his life as being the chef’s apprentice, he included all the exciting details. Like the time a live crab sent from District Four, fought a great fight to not be placed into a boiling pan, which it ultimately won and spent its days in a tank instead of becoming someone’s platter. And the time he created the greatest lemon meringue pie, that someone demanded that he created them a batch although it was probably the first time he had been greatly praised for his work so it stuck with him, even if he had to whip thirty egg whites afterwards. For so long his father ignored his work in his family kitchen when he was young but as soon as he opened his restaurant, he became happy by just seeing empty plates arriving to his kitchen to be cleaned.

Turning the chilli down to a simmer, his stomach grumbles as the aroma of all the spices fill the room. Earlier on he’d boiled some rice to add to the chilli as an extra condiment, the bubbles in the water of the boiled rice indicating that it is also ready. Ping. At last the timer brings great news, the bread is able to be taken out of the oven.”It seems, the food is ready. Doesn’t it smell delicious?” Removing the bread from the oven, he’d allow it to cool while serving the chilli into dishes for himself and Katelyn. Working on his presentation, he’d place the crescent shaped loaf onto a separate plate. A table had been set up for them both to sit on, cameras pointed at every angle so that they’d pick up every detail. All the silverware already lines the surface, all it’s waiting for is the food and the people. Setting down the plates himself, ignoring the avoxes that he’d been advised to use, he’d pull out a chair for Katelyn. ”Come sit down, it’s time to tuck in.”

Fillings his mouth with the chilli, the taste is just as thrilling as the aroma that fills the room, another perfected meal created in his establishment. Glancing up from his plate as Katelyn eats; he makes sure that she is enjoying it as much as he is. It was created for her after all and it’s her idea, its Katelyn’s opinion he cares mostly about right now. Ben had saved a small portion for the crew to try as they had demanded, behind the scenes of the camera; the plate is passed around a few nods appearing here and there. So these people have actual taste buds then…

Taking a piece of the bread, it accompanies the meal perfectly as he finishes it off. Resting his forearms on the table, he’d be sure not to place his elbows on the surface, a dining etiquette that had been drilled into him since a child. Although seeing Katelyn with her elbow on the table, Ben dares to rest the whole of his left arm as he waits for Katelyn to finish up. ”Indeed, I believe we would.” He answers the surprising question with a slight smile painted on his face. Does that mean something? Is he doing it right? Or is it just something that the producers of the show have told her to say…a part of the act.

An interesting pair. Would they really be though? Ben has so many years on Katelyn but is age such a barrier in these moments? Would everyone approve of such a pairing, he knows for a fact that he likely not the favourite in winning this show. It’s likely the ex gamemaker that the viewers want to see taking her hand or one of the younger women. Ben is sure the show’s producers will likely have a say in the final pairing, after all he bets there will likely be another series of it with another bachelorette victor. But from what he has learned, Katelyn is the only special one out of all the victors…

Pleased with the arrival of the dessert, the avox is finally made to work as they swipe away the plates from the main meal. Tasting a spoonful of Katelyn’s cake, the mix of flavours flail inside his mouth as his taste buds confirm that it is delicious. ”Oh it’s wonderful Katelyn, I love the caramel that you added.”Another smile creeps after his words as he reaches out for a bottle placed on the table. Popping open the bottle of the same wine that they had while preparing the food, he’d offer it to Kateln. ”Would you like a glass to accompany the dessert? There is a jug of juice if you prefer something softer.” He didn’t exactly know how much she had been drinking all day with the other dates, he’s seen people make fools of themselves on television while intoxicated; he’d rather not be a part of it.