There was a little kitchen set up, all dressed and decorated to perfection. Its pink tiles matched the cookware, fabricating the perfect scene on an otherwise daunting soundstage riddled with bright lights and microphones and cameras.

It felt… surreal. Unnatural, Carmen thought, But this was a big deal, both for him and the restaurant, and that’s not to mention you. The sweetest little celebrity chef, someone Carmen has virtually stalked over the years, watching every reel, every TikTok, liking every post, tweet, story.

Now he got to cook beside you for your show. No big deal, right? Well, it certainly felt like a big deal.