Sammy laid her food on a tray and garnished it. The vegetables looked like a work of edible art and the sliced tofu looked a lot like meat. She had tasted her dish and everything was to her liking. The seniors and head chefs who were to taste and judge her food were already seated in the cafeteria area set up for them.

Usually, when she felt pressure to please, Sammy would become an uncoordinated mess but she felt proud of the calm that washed over her. Her steady hands ...