Papa Chimp’s Kitchen

Papa Chimp was the finest jungle chef anyone had ever known.

Every morning before sunrise, delicious smells drifted through the trees.

Fresh banana bread.

Blueberry muffins.

Berry pancakes.

Warm jungle soup.

Animals came from all over the forest just to watch Papa Chimp cook.

Harry watched every single day.

Papa Chimp believed every recipe had one secret ingredient.

Not bananas.

Not blueberries.

Not cinnamon.

Love.

“If you cook with love,” Papa Chimp always said, “people can taste it.”

Harry remembered those words forever.

Papa Chimp patiently taught Harry how to stir soup…

how to whisk pudding…

how to decorate cakes…

and how to clean up afterward.

Harry wasn’t very good at that last part.

In fact, cleaning up usually created an even bigger mess.

Papa Chimp would simply smile.

“Every great chef starts somewhere.”

Harry smiled back.

One day, he promised himself, he would have a restaurant of his own.