Kevin stood in the middle of the freshly finished restaurant, the smell of new paint and polished wood still lingering in the air. The place looked exactly like he had envisioned a perfect cartoonish Krusty Krab brought to life in Toontownsville.
He gathered SpongeBob and Squidward in the dining area.
"Alright, team. Let's get the menu up," Kevin said, handing Squidward a large printed menu board. "Squidward, can you put this on the main menu board above the order counter? And these smaller menu books place them on the side of the counter so the waitresses can grab them easily for customers."
Squidward took the board with a dramatic sigh. "Yes, Boss. Because nothing says 'fine dining' like a giant boat-shaped counter and barrels for chairs…"
As Squidward climbed the small ladder and hang the menu board.
Kevin stepped back, reading the board as it came together.
[Menu]
[Signature Items]
-Krabby Patty
-Krusty Krab Pizza
-Chum Sticks
[Burgers & Sandwiches]
-Classic Cheeseburger
-Bacon Cheeseburger
-Crispy Chicken Sandwich
-Fish & Chips
[Sides]
-French Fries
-Onion Rings
-Mozzarella Sticks
-Fried Pickles
-Coleslaw
[Desserts]
-Milkshakes
-Brownie à la Mode
-Apple Pie Slice
-Soft-serve Ice Cream
[Drinks]
-Fountain Sodas
-Milkshakes
-Lemonade / Iced Tea
"Not bad," Kev muttered.
Before he could say anything else, the sound of a truck pulling up echoed from the back.
"Perfect timing," he said. "Supplies are here."
______
Backdoor
A large truck had parked behind the Krusty Krab, its doors swinging open to reveal crates stacked high with ingredients.
"SpongeBob, with me," Kev called.
"Aye aye, boss!" SpongeBob beamed.
The two quickly got to work, carrying boxes inside, fresh produce, packaged goods, strange ocean ingredients, all carefully sorted.
"Keep the cold stuff separate," Kev instructed. "Organization saves time."
"Yes, sir!"
They moved efficiently, stacking and arranging everything in the storage area.
Just as they finished the last crate, Squidward appeared at the doorway.
"Boss, there's a girl at the front. Says she's here for the chef interview."
Kev paused.
"…Already?"
He checked the time."3 PM…"
A slow smile spread across his face. "Looks like one of the serious ones showed up early."
Many applications had come in, but Kevin had carefully selected the strongest candidates, especially for the chef position. He was genuinely surprised when he saw one familiar name on the resume: Colette Tatou, formerly of the legendary Gusteau's.
He stepped out of the kitchen and saw her standing politely near the cashier station.
Colette Tatou was a striking woman in her late 20s with a sharp black bob haircut that framed her face neatly. She wore a formal black blazer over a crisp white button-up shirt, a knee-length pencil skirt, and sensible black heels. A simple silver necklace and minimal makeup gave her a professional yet elegant look. Despite the formal attire, her posture was confident, though her eyes showed the quiet fatigue of someone who had been through a lot recently.
Kevin raised his hand with a warm smile. "Hi, I'm Kevin Harlan, the owner. Nice to meet you."
Colette shook his hand firmly, a slight flush coloring her cheeks when their eyes met. She quickly composed herself. "Colette Tatou. Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Harlan."
Kevin gestured toward the stairs. "Let's talk in my office."
They went upstairs to the Krusty Krab-style office. Kevin sat behind the sea-trunk desk while motioning for Colette to take the barrel chair opposite him. He opened her resume on the computer and began the interview.
"So, Colette… I see you worked at Gusteau's. That's impressive. Can you tell me about your experience there and what kind of dishes you specialized in?"
Colette sat up straighter. "I started as a commis chef and worked my way up to sous chef. I specialized in French technique, sauces, precise plating, and creative seafood dishes. I was responsible for developing several seasonal menus before… the closure."
Kevin nodded. "What do you think makes a great fast-food kitchen run smoothly, especially one with high volume and some… unique items?"
"I believe consistency and speed are key," she replied confidently. "Even in fine dining we had rush hours. The most important thing is respecting the ingredients while working efficiently. I can adapt to any menu as long as the standards are high."
Kevin asked a few more standard questions, how she handled pressure, her experience with team coordination, and whether she was comfortable learning new "signature recipes" that might be unconventional. Colette answered every question clearly and professionally, showing both skill and passion.
After about fifteen minutes, Kevin smiled and extended his hand across the desk.
"Welcome to the Krusty Krab, Colette. You're hired."
Colette's face broke into a genuine, relieved smile as she shook his hand. "Thank you. I won't let you down."
Kevin slid a simple contract across the desk. She read it quickly and signed with a steady hand.
"Great. Come with me. I'll show you the kitchen and introduce you to the team. We'll go over the menu together."
They headed to the kitchen, SpongeBob and Squidward were busy organizing the newly delivered ingredients.
Kevin clapped his hands to get their attention. "Everyone, this is Colette Tatou our new chef. Colette, this is SpongeBob, our fry cook and kitchen enthusiast, and Squidward, who handles the front counter and… general morale."
SpongeBob bounced excitedly, offering a big handshake. "Hi Colette! I'm SpongeBob! I love cooking! We're gonna have so much fun flipping patties together!"
Squidward gave a slow, deadpan wave. "Charmed. Try not to blow up the kitchen on your first day."
Kevin chuckled. "Alright, let's get started. Colette and SpongeBob, I'll teach you our signature items first."
He gathered SpongeBob and Colette around the main grill station and began demonstrating with clear, detailed instructions.
"First, the Krabby Patty. This is our star item. The buns are made with a special seaweed flour mix." He took a seaweed bun and placed it on the counter.
He then picked up the mixture base. "Patty starts with a blend of chum for structure, breadcrumbs for binding, and seasoning." He shaped it evenly and seasoned the patty with salt, turmeric, and a touch of seaweed paste, then placed it on the hot grill.
As he flipped the patty with a spatula, he continued, "Grill medium to well-done depending on the order. The secret sauce is Sea Horseradish mixed with a bit of chili peppers."
He assembled one perfectly while explaining "Bottom bun… patty… sea lettuce… sea cheese… sea onion… sea tomato… sea ketchup… sea mustard… sea pickles… top bun. That's the exact order. Every time."
Next, he moved to the Chum Sticks.
"These are our signature side. Mix jellyfish squeezings, whale blubber, and seahorse snouts into a smooth batter. Shape them like corn dogs on sticks, roll in a light breadcrumb coating for that savory crunch. Fry until golden. They taste much better than the name suggests, crispy outside, savory inside."
Finally, he showed them the Krusty Krab Pizza. Kevin wiped his hands, then reached for a fresh ball of dough.
"Alright," he said, glancing at Colette. "This one's about technique."
He placed the dough onto the counter and lightly dusted it with flour. "First rule don't fight the dough. You guide it."
Instead of grabbing a rolling pin, he pressed his fingertips gently into the center.
"Start from the middle," he explained. "Push the air outward."
His fingers moved in small, controlled circles, press, turn, press, turn, creating a flat disk while leaving the edges slightly thicker. "The edge becomes your crust. Never flatten that part completely."
SpongeBob leaned in, eyes wide.
"So that's how it gets puffy?!"
Kev nodded."Exactly."
He lifted the dough slightly, letting it hang. "Now gravity does the work."
He rotated it between his knuckles, letting the dough stretch naturally. It slowly widened, becoming thinner and more even.
"See this?" he said. "No tearing or rushing. If it resists, let it rest."
Then with a quick, smooth motion he tossed the dough into the air.
It spun once... twice. Perfectly controlled.
SpongeBob gasped. "WOOOAAAH!!"
Kev caught it effortlessly, now a near-perfect circle.
"That's for speed and even stretching," he said casually. "But only if you know what you're doing."
He laid it flat on the counter.
"Now we build."
He spread the the special Krabby Patty sauce as the base instead of tomato sauce. "Add cheese, seven pepperonis, mushrooms, and crumbled Krabby Patty bits on top." He slid it into the oven. "Bake until the edges are crispy. It's the best of both worlds."
Kevin walked them through the other menu items as well , how to prepare classic cheeseburgers, crispy chicken sandwiches, fries, onion rings, mozzarella sticks, and the desserts. SpongeBob took enthusiastic notes while Colette watched carefully, asking smart questions about timing, temperature, and plating.
By the time they finished the training session, the kitchen smelled amazing and Colette looked both impressed and excited.
Kevin wiped his hands and grinned at his new team.
"Alright. We open for a soft test run tomorrow. Let's make this place the best restaurant in Toontownsville."
SpongeBob cheered while Colette smiled with quiet determination.
The Krusty Krab was ready.