The Zero

A Fictitious Non-Eatery

©️GeraldineBanks2024

It was a calorie-less idea. Norm, a young thirty something millionaire chef, had started The Zero as a joke.

It had all begun as the takings from his triple Michelin Star Restaurant in Edgbaston,a suburb of Birmingham, had taken a dive. The old restaurant could no longer support him and his growing family.He had two great children and a pregnant wife. He did not want to let them down ,he knew he had to move fast to avoid getting into debt.

As the building lease was about to be renewed,he terminated it and told his wife that they were moving to London.It was short notice, but Monica was used  to Norm’s ways.She knew whatever he was doing,it would be for the best.

He managed to rent a house for them from a fellow chef who was moving to Australia. Norm worked evenings , cooking for celebrities,it was good money and almost seven days a week.

The personal chef dinners he made for his celebrity clients were inspirational.None of them wanted to eat anything with fat,oil, or starch in it. He would present a meal,but most of it wasn’t eaten.His speciality ,no calorie spritzer, was a great hit with the diners.It was a special recipe that Norm had devised and he wouldn’t divulge to anyone. Yes ,it was no calorie,but it had a rare mushroom in it,known to lift the spirits without I’ll effect.

After a few months of working every evening and looking for premises for his new “Zero” restaurant.Norm found the perfect location.It was a trendy bistro in Soho that, like Norm’s old place  was finding it impossible to make ends meet.

After a fair negotiation,where Norm agreed to take on the remaining five year lease. Norm refurbished the restaurant and with his mate Connor from Birmingham as Maitre D,he set up in business.

Norm knew every no calorie recipe in the book and knew how to combine herbs and gels to make the most amazing dishes.His mushroom spritzer was a real hit and was analysed by the Enviromental Health people from the council and given full approval.People would come in to solely  drink a glass of his spritzer.

There was not a calorie in sight,and Norm expanded his network of “Zeros”. As an aside,he would also buy normal restaurant supplies and do meals for low income and homeless people. After all, it was all tax deductible, and he didn’t want to lose his ability to cook. Still, the money was in the no calorie stuff.