Su - Time To Spice Things Up - | Dakota Lovell, J...

"Fine," she said, her heart giving a strange, caffeinated thump. "But if we fail this lab, you’re doing my laundry for a month."

"You’re going to lose a finger," Dakota sighed, swapping the knife for a metal spoon. "Scrape it. Don't hack it." SU - Time to Spice Things Up - Dakota Lovell, J...

The assignment was simple: reinvent a classic comfort dish. Dakota, a perfectionist who dreamt of Michelin stars, had settled on a deconstructed Beef Wellington. Jace, however, had spent the last ten minutes trying to convince her that they should make "Spicy Mango Habanero Tacos" because he’d had them once at a food truck in Austin and they were 'life-changing.' "Fine," she said, her heart giving a strange,

As the timer ticked down, the kitchen smelled like charred citrus and toasted chiles. They plated the tacos on a slate board, the vibrant orange of the mango salsa popping against the deep green of the cilantro. Don't hack it

"It’s... not boring," she admitted, wiping a stray drop of crema from her lip.

Dakota Lovell stood in the center of the University’s main kitchen, her arms crossed over her "Culinary Arts" apron. Beside her, Jace—the golden boy of the track team who was only here to satisfy a mandatory elective—was currently trying to peel a ginger root with a steak knife.