Scene One

The curtain rises on a young lady named Rosetta holding a suitcase while standing in front of an expensive restaurant which is well known around the country for its rich and luxurious qualities.

Rosetta: (exhales loudly) finally I'm here. the restaurant of my dreams. (thought inwardly with a smile on her face) I can already smell the aroma of richly made meals. (closes her eyes and inhales with a smile on her face) this is your time, go in there Rosetta and show them what you are made of. (she smirks and heads in).

exit's

Scene Two

(in the restaurant)

Rosetta is led by the Assistant manager to the fully furnished kitchen, well design and decorated with standard and quality materials. the kitchen is filled with waiters and cooks moving about busily, putting on aprons, caps and nose marks

Assistant manager: there is our boss (points at a handsome young man in his late 30's who is wearing a white hat on his head and an apron over his expensive looking T-shirt, while cooking)

Rosetta: (stands still in a daze staring at him) Is he the head chef?

Assistant manager: No! that is Mr. duke, the owner on this restaurant, but he loves the kitchen. he practically handles all of the cooking in this kitchen. well I won't blame him, him and his mom ran it together when she was still alive. O Madam Emilia, (puts on a sober look) may God bless her soul.

Rosetta: Wow! I see (smirks, still staring at him) Mr. Duke. (mumbles with a smile)

Assistant manager: you should go on and speak to him.

Rosetta: alright, wish me luck. (exhales as she walks to him)

Assistant manager: (stares at her with pity and exhales) this young lady really needs all the luck she can get. Lord God please save her soul from the deadly gaze of our young master. (shakes his head side to side and exits the kitchen)

Rosetta: (stands beside Mr. duke, but not standing too close to him) Good day sir. i'm Rosetta. (smiles sweetly)

Duke: (Ignores her while dishing out food on a flat plate)

Rosetta: (thinks inwardly) is he deaf? why isn't he responding? maybe he didn't hear me.

(speaks out) sir I'm.....

Duke: (holds up a finger to shush her as he begins to wipe off oil stain from the edges of the plate with a serviette and later puts it on a tray and hands it over to a server) for the customer at table ten. (he says to the server)

server: alright sir (nods and leaves with the tray of food)

Rosetta: (thinks inwardly) don't tell me he is ignoring me intensionally. I won't take that.

(speaks out) sir I'm Rosetta the new executive chef.

Duke: (hits the serviette on his hand to the table as she fidgets. he glares at her with cold eyes.) Who do you think you are to come into my kitchen and Clam to be the executive chef?.

Rosetta: (stares at him with a puzzled expression and Cleared her throat) sir I don't know is you are aware but your company sent an email to me saying that they saw the meals i made and posted online and they want me to be the executive chef of this restaurant. and I gladly accepted, that's the more reason I traveled all the way here from my country.

Duke: (gazes at her in dismal as he thinks inwardly) so dad carried out his threats to get a new chief chef to replace me, I thought they were just empty threats, shoot!. I should have known he meant every single word.

A week ago

in duke's office at the restaurant his father Dr. Roderigo is seated on the office chair as duke walks in.

Duke: (stands in front of the office desk facing his father) My workers said you were in my office and you sent for me. what do I owe this sudden visit? (holds his both hands behind his back)

Dr. Roderigo: (stands up from the seat and walks close to duke as he places his hand on dukes shoulder) My son, you have worked really hard to make sure that this restaurant grows, and your hard work has paid off, this restaurant is now well known around the world as the most biggest, richest restaurant, with the best customer service rendering. Son, the internet recommends this restaurant as the best all thanks to you. your mother will be so proud of you.

Duke: (smiles) thanks dad. it really feels good to hear those words from you. sustaining the quality of this restaurant hasn't really been easy though, but God has been strengthening me.

Dr. Roderigo: (pouts) I know right, you have worked so hard that you don't even have time for your own fiancee. (exhales) that's why I want you to step down and employ someone else to be the executive chef

Duke: (widens his eyes in disbelief and bring down Dr. Roderigo's hand from his shoulder as he frowns) Dad how could you make such a decision without asking if I was okay with it? how do you expect me to step down from handling the affairs of this restaurant?

Dr. Roderigo: (smirks and chuckles) son, who says you won't be handling the affairs of this restaurant. you will, but not in the kitchen, not as a executive chef.

Duke: (frowns) dad how can I monitor the affairs of this restaurant, if I'm not in the kitchen?

Dr. Roderigo: you can do that right here, in your office as the general manager. you staying in that kitchen makes your workers think you are in the same level with them, I don't want that. you will listen to me and step down as executive chef.

Duke: (smirks) I see what this is all about. you are ashamed that your son is a mere chef, while yours friends their sons are engineers and lawyers and doctors, right? (chuckles) you have always wanted me to study law, so I could be called to bar, then eventually become a chief judge. but I refused, cause that's not my thing, I love the kitchen. but you will never understand, because you are so selfish. you know how much mom cherished This restaurant, it was not too big then, she would look at it every morning and say that one day it will grow so big. you were never around. you were always going on business trips. so I and this restaurant became her only joy, and when she died I swore to maintain her joy. now that her dreams have come true. you are here to make me step down for a nobody (glares at Dr. Roderigo) never. I will never. (straightens his suite) now if you would excuse me, I have meals to prepare (turns to leave)

Dr. Roderigo: (speaks out loud angrily as duke walks to the exit door) I went on those business trips just to make life easy for you and your mother. so you have no right to stand there and tell me that I'm selfish. I also helped to grow this restaurant too, you know.(duke exits the office.)

present day

Duke: (glares at the suitcase on her hand and later stares at her) what gave you the right to bring in a suitcase into my kitchen, what if there are smelly rats inside?

Rosetta:(frowns and grit's her teeth angrily) there are no... (hold back her self and grin's) I'm so sorry sir I didn't mean to co....

Duke: (interrupts her) shut up and get out. who even let you in here?

Rosetta: (puts on a sad look while facing the ground) I'm sorry sir. (turns to leave)

Duke: (speaks out loud as she walks to the exit door) if I see dirty, smelly rats in this kitchen, due to that ragged looking suitcase you brought in here, you will be hell dead.

Rosetta: (heads to the exit with a frown as she thinks inwardly) how could he say such things to me in front of all this people (about to cry but holds back her tears as she walks out of the kitchen.)

exit's

The male lead is faced with pain of loosing his mom at childhood and is determined to keep his mother's legacy, which is the restaurant. When the female lead comes into the picture, the male lead hates her instantly. Mysterious things begin to happen, Where by the two become rivals at some point.

Scene Three

(As Rosetta comes out of the kitchen an older lady, madam Bridget walks up to her)

madam Bridget: (smiles) miss Rosetta, I'm madam Bridget the expediter of this restaurant and also, the keeper of the fresh flowers here. Dr. Roderigo informed me of your arrival. would you like me to show you to your room.

Rosetta: (smiles) yes I would love that, thank you.

madam Bridget: (stretches forth her hands to collect her suitcase) let me help you with that, I know you most be stressed out from the long journey.

Rosetta: no ma'am don't bother your self, I can handle this on my own, it's quite heavy. (smiles)

madam Bridget: alright then, please follow me.

(they both exit)

Scene Four

Madam Bridget and Rosetta walks into a fully furnished bedroom which has a Mimi toilet.

Rosetta: (stunned) Wow! this is huge (looks around) can I ask a question?

madam Bridget: (smiles) go on, I'm all ears.

Rosetta: (puts down her suitcase on the bed and looks at her) on our way here we passed other rooms, right?

madam Bridget: (nods with a smile) mmmmhmmm.

Rosetta: this is meant to be a hotel and not a restaurant, don't you agree with me.(puts on a confused look) but why did the boss make it so?

madam Bridget: (comes closer to Rosetta and pulls her gently to the bed as they both sat down) I don't want to sound like a gossip, but since you are now part of us, I think it's your right to know. (looks side to side to observe the area, then placed the edge of her palm on the side of her mouth as she whispers) when master duke's mother, madam Emilia, was still alive, this restaurant you see now, was a small eatery. (puts down her hand and smiles) I was the only one working with her then, I was the dish washer then. most times young master duke would assist me to wash dishes. he loves the kitchen. (smiles) I remember the first time he chopped onions and when the liquid got into his eyes he cried all day, thinking he would get blind.

Rosetta: (laughs) I know that feeling.

madam Bridget: to make him stop crying, his mother made his favorite, bean soup. (smiles) she was such a good cook. (puts on a sober look as tears flows from her eyes) when she died young master duke was 13 years old, he was still so young. he was so broken. (exhales sadly) then he vowed to protect and grow this restaurant.

Rosetta: now I see why he left it as a restaurant, he maintained his mother's legacy. hmmmmm.

madam Bridget: (stands up) I have waisted much time here, I have to go now. please make your self comfortable. your apron and toque blanche will be sent to you tonight.

Rosetta: (confused) pardon? toque what?!

madam Bridget: oooh! "toque blanche" is a french word for white hat.

Rosetta: alright! (nods in confirmation)"toque blanche"

madam Bridget: alright then, have some rest now, so you can resume work strong and healthy tomorrow morning. (exit's the room)

Rosetta: (lays on the bed and thinks inwardly) I know it's not easy to lose a parent at a young age, but must he be that rude to me. the last time I checked, I didn't even offend him in any way. how could he say smelly rats are in my suitcase. (pouts) he's such a dooshbag. (yawns) I'm so tired. (closes her eyes and sleep's off.)

....... Lights out ........