Chapter 103

Chapter 103

Operation Plan

Anyway the place I arrived was the Carlton Hotel.

A while ago Mr. Doyle after long deliberation moved lodging from Savoy to here.

Celebrities of that level usually carefully moved even one hotel.

Usually renting hotel rooms long-term and using like a villa, because instead of the bother of managing a house receiving the hotel's customized service was much more efficient.

Staying at one place like that thanks to employees who grasp taste and lifestyle pattern one can stay comfortably, and preferential service of course and occasionally even surprise gifts like wine. From the hotel's position if a celebrity stays long recognition rises so mutual win-win.

Mr. Doyle gave up all that and moved to the new hotel Carlton, solely for the reason of being able to continuously taste Mr. Escoffier's dishes.

That person originally lives making delicious food the greatest pleasure of life.

Of course Mr. Escoffier's French cooking also reservation competition fierce, even if a guest one couldn't eat as wanted and at best only one or two times a week level...

That was also the reason Mr. Doyle keeps appearing at my restaurant even after moving lodging! If coming to me I feed something!

Anyway when trying to ask Mr. Doyle's room number at the hotel counter, far away a person waving arms from the lobby sofa caught my eye.

Wondering who, it was Mr. Doyle himself.

"Teacher Durand! Why here? By any chance received another French course dish invitation from the chairman?"

"Wait, how did you recognize it's me?!"

I also didn't notice Mr. Doyle was sitting here?!

"Haha, to make Holmes's description more realistic... Occasionally if head doesn't unravel I sit here and observe passing guests. There's fun matching where came from, what doing with just attire and simple appearance. For example in the case of that gentleman over there, high possibility of remarriage. Looking at the old ring mark on the left ring finger and the ring currently wearing subtly mismatching. And in the teacher's case it's easier. You wear clothes stylishly, right?"

"Wear stylishly? Me?"

Never thought such in life, and receiving such evaluation from Mr. Doyle was also the first.

In fact attire isn't simple fashion. Because a symbol reflecting class and culture, era trend properly dressing also becomes the proof of social success.

So lately paying a bit more attention to combination, but still bothersome to repair custom suits every time so what currently wearing was also just simple ready-made.

"Clothes usually if not tailored at a specialty store somehow one part doesn't fit. Pants length remaining, shoulder line part pushed... But in my view at least the teacher seems to avoid such clothes."

"Well... it is so."

Aha, such sound.

No matter what I'm a modern person so fashion sense couldn't collapse to that degree. A body that rolled long in the entertainment industry in my own way?

Moreover whether a blessed body there wasn't much matter of separately repairing length or thigh width.

If the era was pushed back a bit I might have been doing model not chef.

But unfortunately in the current period fashion industry was almost none. No clothing brands either, and what there is as brand was only about famous tailor shop logos.

By the way I didn't know Mr. Doyle was examining my appearance so meticulously.

By any chance trying to secretly embed my appearance in the novel again...

Startled I decided to change the topic and immediately enter the main point.

"Here I came to find Mr. Doyle. Because there's a request."

"Request? Just in time good. There's a publisher meeting but still time left and was bored. What request?"

Again have to explain one by one.

This time I unfolded the explanation more carefully. Even if close if asking to change the content of one's novel to my taste one could get angry, so sufficient persuasion was needed.

So Mr. Doyle also reached the conclusion immediately without particular counter-question.

"Changing the novel content of the next episode...? And that putting a new kitchen tool? Changing a few lines is no particular problem. Printing work also just entered so, if only deciding within today the publisher has nothing to lose. But to bother them a clearer reason will be needed."

Fortunately he didn't get unpleasant. Just asked the reason with a curious gaze.

I briefly pondered whether to talk about the metric system to him, then decided not to.

The moment putting even one word meter in the novel saying to revive plausibility, that was an act the same as stepping on my foot.

Just proceeding as persuaded Chairman Balfour and Sir Samuel was better.

"Anyway aren't you trying to describe the best chef? Within next year I plan to distribute the cooking method using that tool all over London. But if the supporting character in the novel falls behind that flow it would be troublesome, right? Rather match my plan and steps. Mention that tool in the novel too, and separately introduce and promote together with Jean-Paul Durand's special recipe in the magazine. Then won't people immerse more?"

"Matching steps with each other? Hmm. It'll become a good collaboration."

I coolly spat the plan.

"In November put a scene using that kitchen tool, and distribute that as free gift in the December issue Strand Magazine. For now thinking of printing about 100,000. Mutual promotion so good, right?"

"1-100,000?! You won't be able to bear that cost!"

Strand Magazine I heard sells about 200,000 copies a month at most. Has its own distribution network, and all people including housewives buy, so even releasing for one month one could sufficiently scatter all over London.

That is, a strategy of naturally spreading utilizing the bookstore distribution network.

The problem was as expected the unit price of the free gift.

The price of one Strand Magazine is 6 pence.

Obtaining 1 shilling worth of fun and information paying 6 pence was the main slogan of that magazine.

But the measuring tool I'll make, no matter how cheaply catching the unit price at least 3 pence per piece. To produce 100,000, cost alone at least 1,250 pounds.

Tremendous huge money enough to hold large-scale pizza festivals two times and more!

Inserting a 3 pence free gift in a 6 pence magazine was absolutely loss.

Moreover the magazine company wouldn't bear that cost either.

Of course I also had calculations.

"Ah, I'm not thinking of scattering all that. Distribute only 20,000 as first-come free gift from Strand Magazine, and plan to hand over the remaining 80,000 to other companies."

"Other companies...?"

"Yes. Anyway fakes will come out, right? Planning to lend the mold in advance and say do as you like."

"Yes?!"

The real plan I didn't even pour out to Chairman Balfour and Sir Samuel was like this.

First stimulate the desire for scarce items. About 20,000 would sell out before morning even passes.

Then people who couldn't obtain would stamp feet, right? Among them those saying even fake is fine so I'll buy would come out.

Anyway fake sales can't be blocked. Popular and sufficient demand? Clearly someone will follow even similarly.

But roughly clumsily followed fake products, ultimately would perfectly ruin my grand plan of introducing a separate weights and measures.

Those guys whether use inches, or roughly stamp scale intervals by sense, or even omit a few scales how know?!

So I wasn't even thinking of filing a patent at all. No, from the start planning to encourage fake production, and have factory owners match the blank paper together!

If opening the original from the start and making anyone able to make matching the standard, they'll produce and distribute and even promote on their own.

Unless producing fakes all over the world like the previous life, anyway if limited to Britain there would obviously be only a few factories with facilities enough to produce that.

My role is just enough to raise the atmosphere and blow wind so this new tool can well settle in British kitchens.

So receive a bit of subsidy from the government, receive a bit of help from Strand Magazine too, if there are people matching the intention receive a bit of donation too, and collect a bit of back money from companies producing my fakes...

If doing so the calculation was one could produce about 20,000 without loss.

Modern limited edition marketing, there open source strategy.

Sufficiently likely to work?

Of course variables remained. Whether magazine and government cooperation. But the government is already the path of executing and coming.

And Mr. Doyle, unhesitatingly readily nodded.

"Good. Thanks to Teacher Durand a very fun idea came to mind. The next episode Holmes story people will be surprised!"

Persuasion success!

Success right? A bit anxious what he'll write.

Now remaining, matching feet with the magazine company?

"Just in time today the Strand Magazine president decided to visit directly so was waiting. So stay here and talk together."

"Ah, still okay?"

"Of course. This month's magazine sells out as soon as it comes out so heard the president is pondering whether to increase the issue. If Teacher's idea is included increasing the issue would also be no problem. If borrowing Teacher Jean-Paul Durand's name and promoting it will sufficiently succeed."

"Hey, how can I even follow Holmes's toe?"

"Not at all! In fact this big success I think the role of that new supporting character following the teacher was very big. So thinking of writing a cooking detective gourmet novel reviving that supporting character for the next novel. Lately ideas overflowing."

A full-fledged cooking detective novel written by Arthur Conan Doyle?!

What on earth did you imagine?!

To his worries far beyond the era, I had no choice but to respond with a hollow laugh.

And stopping the conversation, Mr. Doyle decided to continue new proofreading work of the manuscript, I decided to continue pondering about the item to make after the tablespoon.

With only 15ml tablespoon and 20cm ruler clearly insufficient.

If according to plan 'Durand Spoon' craze occurs, next is 250ml measuring cup.

But that production cost would be a lot so have to adjust the quantity, right. Utilize scarcity marketing as is? Encourage fake production more?

If having thermometer here the completion of the three divine tools of kitchen measuring tools, but unfortunately supplying thermometer was realistically impossible. Expensive too, and consumable.

Still if just giving the standard to distinguish high fire, medium fire, low fire it would be okay...

Scale? Unify teaspoon too?

While immersed in worries then, suddenly a man in chef attire was seen at the end of the corridor.

He approached my side with big steps. It was Mr. Auguste Escoffier!

"Teacher Durand! Moved! To meet so quickly! In the meantime really wanted to meet, but reservations piled up so hard to make time. By any chance visiting to discuss my demi-glace again...?"

Looking at the lobby surroundings murmuring, probably high possibility someone among the employees recognized me and directly informed Escoffier.

London's best chef Jean-Paul Durand and London's best novelist Arthur Conan Doyle sitting together drinking tea!

The meeting of the era's best influencers!

Content sufficiently gossip even to hotel people.

In fact although occasionally going for walks with Mr. Doyle, it wasn't exposed to the degree of blatantly sitting in the hotel lobby everyone sees.

Seeing Mr. Doyle and Mr. Escoffier exchanging greetings with eye gestures, seemed they knew each other's faces to some degree, and he unhesitatingly naturally joined our table.

Ah, wait a moment. Writing a recipe book alone is bothersome, didn't this person already make all the cooking guide?

Besides haute cuisine, if asking to pick a few low-cost foods easy to make at home wouldn't it work?

Anyway only the measurement method is missing, right? If asking to put accurate measurement method there with that immediate publication is possible, right!

This was a quite okay idea. Moreover just collaborating with a famous figure like Mr. Escoffier one could considerably soothe the backlash of existing chefs.

If pulling into my plan, right now.

So I showed my design drawing to him too. And as befitting the god of cooking, Mr. Escoffier immediately noticed my hidden intention.

Introduction of a unified measurement method for cooking, by chefs, only for cooking.

A tool designed solely aiming for measurement for that, in fact something that didn't exist even in France.

"Ah, this...! Oh, oh God! To come up with such an idea! Hmm, even with only this one the level of French home cooking will definitely change! You directly designed it? By any chance can I see the prototype?"

Uncle, why so surprised?! Was it that shocking? But I thought they'd be roughly making and using tools of that degree, surely this side also was just doing measurement by eye?!

But what he was surprised wasn't simply because of the tool. The fact that the unit he used all his life is the metric system also contributed.

"Teacher, but this, this has no unit but clearly made with meter—"

"Shh!"

"Ahem!"

"Haha, Mr. Escoffier, if making too loud noise in the hotel lobby it's troublesome. You know, right?"

I quickly covered his mouth!

No, what superhuman are you? Seeing the omitted unit at a glance and immediately matching?!

Like I accurately match the weight of gram units with both hands, he also must have reached the realm of freely matching the length of objects with eyes!

And as a Frenchman living in Britain, he also seemed to have realized at once how politically sensitive introducing the metric system in Britain is. Because it was a matter close to impossible.

The problem was there was another genius sitting in front of us.

Mr. Doyle briefly rolled his eyes, then soon opened them round.

"Somehow the unit in the drawing seemed something strange, meter? Teacher Durand, you really—"

"Shhhh!!"

"...Tired of being surprised anymore. What revolution are you trying to plot in Britain?"

As soon as the word 'meter' came out, Mr. Doyle already grasped all the whole story.

Inevitably I had no choice but to pour out my real intention to Mr. Escoffier and Mr. Doyle. Because these two people's cooperation was really needed more than others.

Abandoning the imperial unit system and changing the measurement standard of British cooking to the metric system.

How to promote, why needed now, what resistance will be encountered in this process, and how I'll trap that resistance.

The two people who heard all the plan couldn't close their mouths wide open for a while until the publisher president arrived.