With fifteen minutes until lunch, Arvin realized he would need plates and serving utensils. He left the kitchen and walked through the store to Fang Chou's office.
Knock knock.
"Come in," Fang Chou called.
Arvin entered to find Fang Chou and Christina working on paperwork that spread across the desk.
They looked up with expectant smiles, assuming he was coming to ask for help with the cooking.
"Need some assistance?" Fang Chou said with a slight grin. "Cooking for one hundred people is no joke. We can help however you need."
Christina laughed. "Don't tease him, dear."
"Actually," Arvin said, "I am finished cooking. I need plates for serving. Do you happen to had some plates that are free?"
The two adults stared at him in stunned silence.
"Wait... what? You're done?" Fang Chou exclaimed. "Already?"
Christina gasped. "But it's only been just over an hour!"
Arvin smiled, "Yes, the cooking is done. I need plates now, please."
Fang Chou and Christina exchanged looks. They had expected the cooking to take at least two hours, possibly more for someone preparing that much food alone. This was surprising for them like the time the heard about Arvin strength and endurance from Hendrick and Henrietta. They know he was strong as he could carry Jeremy by himself but it doing that for more than three hours? That was another matter. Though, the don't press him to tell how he do it as they thought it was because the martial training that Arvin had told them.
The shook their head and focused back on the topic.
"Right, plates," Christina said, coming back to her senses. "We could use disposable plates."
"No," Fang Chou cut in. "If we're going to do this long-term, disposable plates was not cost effective. We'll use the melamine plates from warehouse storage. They're gathering dust in there anyway. The workers can wash their own plates and help clean up, since Arvin's the one doing all the cooking."
Arvin said he didn't mind cleaning, but Christina wouldn't hear of it. "We're not discussing this. You've already done enough by cooking for everyone."
Knowing the familiar tone that he heard from time to time, Arvin nodded. "Okay. Thank you."
The three of them walked back to the warehouse together. Workers stopped what they were doing when they saw the couple, as it was a rare occasion for Fang Chou and Christina to be in the warehouse during regular work hours.
They found Hendrick taking inventory near the storage area.
"Hendrick, can you get a few people to move about one hundred and five melamine plates?" Fang Chou asked. "They need to be washed and brought to the break room for lunch."
"Alright." Hendrick nodded and called over a few workers.
"Is Arvin finished cooking already?" Henrietta asked, coming up to them. "I was about to offer my help, but that seems unnecessary."
"Yes, he's done," Christina confirmed, still in shock.
Henrietta looked at Arvin with new respect. "You cooked for all of us in just over an hour?"
Arvin nodded. "Food is ready. I hope you will like it."
The workers quickly washed the plates at the utility sink near the break room. The melamine plates were perfect for daily use and could withstand repeated washing.
As they finished cleaning the plates, the lunch alarm sounded throughout the building.
Beep beep beep.
Workers from throughout the warehouse and store gathered outside the break room. The frontline cashiers would take turns for lunch breaks to keep the store running.
A buzz of excitement filled the air as people lined up. The incredible aromas had been tantalizing them for the past hour, and anticipation was high.
Hendrick and Henrietta, as warehouse supervisors, entered the break room first along with about twenty other workers. The space could only accommodate thirty people comfortably, so they would need to eat in shifts.
Inside, they saw rows of clean plates beside the massive rice cooker and two enormous woks filled with the most appetizing-looking stir fry any of them had ever seen.
"Help yourself to rice," Arvin announced, "but please be mindful that others need to eat too."
Hendrick and Henrietta approached the rice cooker first, filling their plates with them. The grains were fluffy and separate, not sticky or mushy like some restaurant rice.
They moved to where Arvin stood with serving ladles beside the two woks.
"Two different tastes," Arvin explained. "One balanced, one more sweet. You get half and half today, so you can try both. Next time, you can choose which one you prefer."
He served generous portions onto their plates, the colorful stir fry aromatic and visually appealing. The vegetables retained their bright colors, and the chicken looked perfectly cooked.
The first group found seats while the next wave of workers entered. The process repeated smoothly as everyone received their food and either found space in the break room or took their plates to other areas.
After everyone was served, the woks still contained about half their original contents, ensuring that even the last workers would get full portions.
Hendrick and Henrietta sat at a table with the Fang couple, who had come to observe the reactions to Arvin's first large-scale meal.
"Why aren't you eating?" Henrietta asked, seeing their hands were empty.
"Arvin made sure we got some first," Christina said. "We wanted to see how everyone else liked it before we tried it."
"Well, here goes nothing," Hendrick said.
He took a bite of the balanced version, and his eyes widened. The chicken was tender and flavorful, the vegetables had soaked up the sauce but retained their texture, and it was all seasoned to perfection. "This is amazing," he said. "This chicken actually tastes good, not like the dry stuff we usually get."
Henrietta tried the sweeter version and smiled. "The bok choy isn't even bitter. And the carrots are delicious."
Around the room, similar comments were heard. People who had expected basic cafeteria food were getting restaurant quality dishes that far surpassed anything they'd had from takeout.
"The meat isn't overcooked," one said. "How did he get it so tender?"
"The seasoning is perfect," another said. "Not too salty like most takeout we've had."
"I can't believe this is supposed to be the same stir fry we used to eat. It's better than the greasy stuff we usually get."
The carrots in particular were a hit. Arvin had chosen the sweetest ones. They were cooked perfectly, and their natural sugars of adding to the overall flavor.
As people tried both versions, they began to pick and choose their favorites. About half liked the balanced version, while the other half preferred the sweeter. But everyone agreed that both were excellent.
"This is the best lunch I've had at work in five years," Hendrick said to the room, and received nods of agreement.
The good reviews continued as each shift of workers came through. By the time everyone had eaten, the consensus was overwhelmingly positive.
Fang Chou watched the reactions with amazement. He had expected the food to be good based on his family's experience, but the workers' genuine enthusiasm was beyond his expectations.
When a worker who had finished eating came to help serve the remaining groups, Fang Chou pulled Arvin aside.
"Look at them," he said, gesturing to the conversations happening throughout the warehouse. "They're actually excited about lunch. I've never seen anything like it."
Arvin beamed. The positive response validated his decision to start a cooking service and made all the effort worthwhile.
"Come on," Fang Chou said, picking up two large bowls. "Let's get our lunch before it's all gone."
Christina grabbed rice bowls, and the three of them made their way through the crowd of satisfied workers. Several stopped to thank Arvin personally or compliment the meal.
"Kid, that was really high quality food," one worker said, shaking Arvin's hand. "Thank you."
"Best lunch break I've had in years," another added.
They reached Fang Chou's office, where Jeremy and Cynthia were already waiting with drinks and napkins.
"Finally!" Jeremy said as they entered with the food. "I've been smelling that incredible cooking for the past hour and my stomach is killing me."
"How did it go?" Cynthia asked.
"Huge success," Christina reported, setting down the rice. "The workers absolutely loved it."
Jeremy reached for his bowl. "Of course they did. I've been eating Arvin's cooking for months and it never gets old. Besides, now Mom doesn't have to cook much anymore since Arvin does most of it."
The moment he said the words, he realized his mistake. An eerie silence fell over the office as Christina's smile turned dangerously sweet.
Fang Chou and Cynthia both shook their heads, recognizing that Jeremy had just stepped in it. Arvin, still focused on serving the food, missed the sudden tension in the room. "Oh really?" Christina said. "Since I don't cook much anymore, perhaps you should learn to cook for yourself, Jeremy. After all, didn't you ask Arvin to teach you?"
Jeremy reached for his bowl. "Of course they did. I've been eating Arvin's cooking for months and it never gets old. Besides, now Mom doesn't have to cook much anymore since Arvin does most of it."
The moment the words left his mouth, Jeremy realized his mistake. An eerie silence fell over the office as Christina's smile became dangerously sweet.
Fang Chou and Cynthia both shook their heads, recognizing that Jeremy had stepped directly into a landmine. Arvin, still focused on serving the food, completely missed the sudden tension in the room.
"Oh really?" Christina said, her voice carrying a distinctly threatening undertone. "Since I don't cook much anymore, perhaps you should learn to cook for yourself, Jeremy. After all, didn't you ask Arvin to teach you?"
Jeremy's face went pale as he remembered his cooking disaster from two weeks earlier. "Uh... well... that was before we discovered I'm... uh... not compatible with kitchens."
"Not compatible?" Cynthia said helpfully. "You mean when you nearly burned down the house trying to make some sunny side up?"
Fang Chou chuckled despite himself. "I still don't understand how you managed to burn the pan."
"I didn't burn it!" Jeremy protested weakly. "The pan was just really hot when I forgot to add the oil first."
Arvin finally looked up, confused by the laughter and Jeremy's embarrassed expression. "It was... very surprising. I never see someone make fire alarm go off before."
"See?" Jeremy said desperately. "Arvin can confirm I should never be allowed near a stove again. For everyone's safety."
Christina's dangerous smile turned into a real smile. "Alright, but no more comments on my cooking habits, young man."
"Deal," said Jeremy, looking visibly relieved.
The family ate with laughter, and the tension was gone. The stir fry was every bit as good as the workers had said. It was a complex mix of flavors and textures.
"You've really outdone yourself," Fang Chou said between bites. "I think this is the best I've had of this dish."
"It tastes better when the workers are happy," Arvin said contentedly.
As they finished their meal, the family felt a sense of accomplishment. Arvin had truly become a part of their lives, from stranger, to family member, to contributor.
"Same time tomorrow?" Fang Chou asked Arvin.
"Yes. Tomorrow I make nasi goreng," Arvin replied with confidence.
"Perfect. I think you've got some very happy workers out there."
Through the office window, they could see workers reluctantly returning to their tasks, many still discussing the exceptional meal they had just experienced. The success of Arvin's first large-scale cooking effort marked another milestone in his remarkable journey in this strange new country.