[SOMA] All right!
Fluffy souffle omelets, cooked up hot and fresh!
No one's touched the ones I already put out!
Aw man! Now they've all fallen!
Crap! At a buffet, there's no guarantee the food you put out
will get eaten right way.
That's way different from what I'm used to at our shop.
The food gets to the customers quickly and at just the right temperature.
But here at the buffet...
it's up to the customers to decide what to eat, and when.
The key to a souffle's texture is eating it right after it's made!
Otherwise, it deflates before anyone has a chance to eat it!
I can keep putting them out all I want,
but if they collapse before the customers eat them, it won't make any difference!
This is bad!
And what's worse...
I'm right next to the "Queen of Eggs Benedict!"
I'm looking like an amateur!
[GIN] Erina Nakiri! You have served two hundred!
Soma Yukihira, it seems you get it.
For a buffet, nothing's more important than appearance and flavor retention.
Put simply, you chose the absolute worst dish to make for this challenge.
I guess this is where we must say goodbye.
Feel free to gaze at my incredible creation until time runs out. (Laugh)
(Opening Song in Japanese)
[GIN] The main ingredient is eggs.
Dishes must gain the approval of both the producers and our skilled staff.
Also, guests must eat at least 200 plates within two hours.
The standard for passing isn't easy.
This, truly, is the most crucial stage.
It is a genuine fight to survive!
Dammit!
I haven't gotten a single customer since the 150th plate!
We have more!
Over here, no pushing to the front please.
[GUEST 1] What is that?
[GUEST 2] She said there's more!
Ever since her first customer,
she's gotten more and more busy.
She's even started poaching people from other tables!
Those can't be normal eggs.
To think, her dish could hold such a powerful a secret...
(Shiver)
This... This isn't a raw egg!
The "whites" are a gel馥 of diluted seawater.
The "yolk" is salmon roe that's been firmed up with gelatin!
Huh? At first glance, this looks like a hard-boiled egg...
But the "whites" are a mousse of white asparagus,
and the yolks were used as a base for a hollandaise sauce.
Balancing the richness of the eggs
with the slight bitterness of the asparagus is exquisite!
[WAITRESS] So then, what's this egg gonna be?
I'm so glad you asked that...
Watch!
She stabbed it!
It's a milkshake you drink with a straw.
[ALICE] I emptied the shells,
then mixed eggs, milk, and caramel to create a drink that is piped back into the shell.
I-it's delicious!
It's so smooth, with a lingering aftertaste.
It's like she's recreated a brisk morning!
There you go! All together...
it's eggs prepared in three of its most glorious forms.
This dish is astonishing!
Each egg opens the door to an unexpected world!
On a single plate...
The ocean...
the forest...
the plains...
the deliciousness of all three are condensed right here!
[GIRL 1] I wanna try that! [GUY 1] Me, too!
[GIRL 2] And me! Me! Me!
[GIRL 3] Me, too, please!
Is that girl for real?!
At this pace,
She'll end up clearing more than 300 plates, easy!
[GIN] Takumi Aldini! You've served two hundred!
Yes! Hm?
Soma!
Man, what is he doing?!
[GIN] Megumi Tadokoro! You've served two hundred!
(Sigh)
What's with Soma?!
Guh... Lack of sleep has caught up with me.
Miss Erina's over there taking all the customers away from me.
I'm done for!
Calm down... Calm down...
[JOICHIRO] We have two more guests!
Soma, get them some appetizers and hot towels.
Table 3 needs to be bussed. And get Table 4 their check.
Ugh! You can't just say that all at once!
The appetizers, appetizers...
Uh, wait. Huh?
How do I prep those?
My mind's all over the place.
What do I do?
I don't remember how to do anything!
Ow!
What was that for?!
Listen up, Soma.
If you're ever freaking out in the kitchen, you need to start over.
Just picture what you need to do and attack it one thing at a time until it's all done.
(Chuckle) Aw, isn't this a shame...
Well that's just the difference between your skill level and mine.
Oh, I'm sure you've figured that out.
Um. Huh?
No way. Is he asleep?
There's about 30 minutes left.
Just get the customers attention.
Cooking an omelet on one side takes less than a minute.
Then, cover and cook for a minute and a half.
With this number of burners...
Ingredients and preparation time...
What are you babbling about?
It's gonna be tight!
Don't tell me...
He's going to try to 200 dishes in a half hour!
That is ridiculous!
'Kay!
[GIN] There's not much time left.
Looks pretty hopeless out there.
So, what're you gonna do, Soma Yukihira?
First, just one.
Get just one customer.
And work from there...
Woah! These look awesome!
I wanna eat 'em all!
I hear they're called "Eggs Benedict."
Ah!
Huh?
C'mon over here!
Young lady, feast your eyes on this!
I'm gonna cast a magic spell on these eggs!
Mmmm...
Smells good!
Order up!
(Giggling)
It's like jello!
It's great!
It melted just like soft, fluffy foam!
So are you some sort of food wizard?
Just like magic, right?
Huh? What's this?
Looks like a regular omelet.
Even if he can rope in a customer or two,
at this point, it won't be enough.
Order up!
Ohh!
(Fluffy moans)
Oh my God?!
It tastes like an omelet,
but the texture is like a softly enchanted dessert souffle!
Yeah! I was just gonna say
that the outside is cooked
while the inside is still fluffy like foam!
so when you press it with a spoon, it just bounces back!
It's so springy!
What's all this then?
Hey, let's take a look over here.
Please, help yourselves!
Dig in!
All right, I've got customers.
I can't let this chance slip by!
He still has over 100 plates to go.
[ERINA] And there are only 30 minutes left.
It's impossible.
[GIN] You've served two hundred!
You've served two-hundred!
Oh, my, what a shame.
I've used up all my ingredients that I prepared for today.
I never thought so many people would be brave enough to try a dish so innovative.
M'kay. You can call it quits then.
Thank you very much, Sir!
(Alice humming)
Toodle-loo.
I don't believe it!
She's already finished?
That tramp cleared 380 friggin' plates!
Now I don't have anything to do.
Maybe I could peep in on Her Majesty's table.
Come to think of it...
I wonder what happened to him?
Mister Soma Yukihira?
Cover up the pans,
and while they're cooking, get the next round of ingredients ready.
He's fast!
This kid's got some skills!
All right...
Whip up the egg whites,
then add fresh cream, salt, and pepper to the yolks.
Taste test... Good!
They should be about done.
(Beep)
(Hup! Hup!)
Garnish...
Special tomato sauce and parsley...
Order up!
Wooaahh!
Hey, the food at the next table looks pretty awesome.
Let's go take a look!
My customers!
[SENA] Even though he's taking on that much work,
his cooking pace is getting faster.
Each time he finishes a round,
his technique actually improves.
He's refining it on the fly.
This is so good!
It melts in your mouth!
I am loving this.
How can it be so fluffy?
He's fast.
And attracting more and more of a crowd.
Word is spreading around the floor.
Great for this style of contest. I love "live cooking."
[GIN] Raw ingredients are brought to the table.
Chefs and cooks prepare everything in front of the customer.
This increases the anticipation,
creating excitement as ingredients are transformed into a completed dish.
Woah!
Awesome! He keeps making more and more!
Look how fast he is!
He's cool...
[GIN] Soma is capturing the hearts of the audience...
by putting on an elaborate demonstration of skills.
By using his talents and highlighting the cooking experience,
he's turning the tables around...
Hmph!
[GIN] Ryoko Sakaki! You've served two hundred!
(Sigh)
[GIN] Yuki Yoshino! You've served two hundred!
I did it.
[AOKI and SATO] Yeah!
RAAAAR! We rocked it, bro!
I wonder how Takumi is doing.
[GIN] There are five minutes remaining.
Soma...
Come on, Soma!
Impressive!
[GIN] Soma Yukihira! You've served two hundred!
(Buzzer) [GIN] That's it!
Utensils down!
(Sighs and moans)
Oh whatever. Don't even give me that look.
Just barely making it is nothing to brag about.
That was a shocker!
I didn't think you had a chance to even
get past eight plates.
Although still, using showy tactics did seem a bit cheap.
Huh?
That was some surge of momentum, wouldn't you say?
Yes. He understood the most important aspect, which was to quickly assess the situation.
Mm-hmm. And most importantly...
it's key to have a clear idea in mind.
One will need to have a strong knowledge in service,
so as to anticipate the needs of a hotel breakfast presented buffet style.
There is one more thing:
An ability needed when faced with the whims of a kitchen,
where the unexpected is almost sure to happen...
The skill to adapt. When a major blow has been dealt to your menu, you must move forward.
And he did that perfectly.
He's a bit unrefined, but he's an interesting specimen.
On the other hand...
What about Nakiri's four hundred and seven?
[SENA] Erina Nakiri was the only student to clear the 400-plate mark.
And then there was the girl who used all her ingredients, serving 380 plates.
But if you rely on gimmicky cooking like that,
you'll never make it to the top.
What you need is an approach that's built on the latest advances in cooking theory.
For example, cooking that's revolutionary.
Mine!
I should really introduce myself...
My name is Alice Nakiri.
That's a name with far more prestige than any of you.
Remember it well.
Alice... Nakiri?
Nakiri?!
Yes.
She is my unfortunate cousin.
I lived in the same mansion as her till I turned five.
Huh?
[ALICE] Ah, perfect timing!
Hey... Why don't you tell Soma here
about my privileged culinary background?
Oh, well, uh...
Mistress Alice happens to be Miss Erina's cousin.
I already unveiled that revelation! Oh...
Never mind! I will tell him myself!
My father is sentimental.
He chose my mother's hometown in Denmark
as the prime location for his innovative company,
Nakiri International. You may've heard of it.
There they research cutting-edge cooking techniques based on molecular gastronomy,
with the study of mechanisms of taste and smell, and even cerebral physiology.
It's a top-notch research center, unlike any culinary facility on Earth.
I stayed there till I was 14 years old.
And then, I came to Tohtsuki Academy...
To face my dear sweet cousin,
and ultimately take her place as the queen of the school!
Right... As if I could lose to some silly novelty chef with "cutting edge" methods.
But it's cute that you allow yourself to have such a big dream.
Gah! 'Course you'd say that!
You've always been that way!
When I was three, you'd steal all my favorite toys.
When I was four, I spent all day making a cake. Remember what you said?!
It's stinks.
[ALICE] I mean who does that?!
And I will never forget what you did when I was five!
Oh shut up, none of that has anything to do with anything!
And as for you, Mister Big Deal, Soma Yukihira.
You sure talked a lot of talk at opening ceremony...
But the days when people can get by on nothing but showmanship are at an end.
As proof of that, you were down to the wire for a challenge that only required 200 plates.
HAHAHAHA!
Right, I was totally getting worried!
I almost didn't make it outta there.
I really messed that up, didn't I?
But hey...
I gained the kind of experience that comes from messing up.
You're really annoying.
Whatever, I'm not going to lose to any of you!
I'm looking forward to beating you all and taking the top spot at the Academy.
Yeah, you don't say. I feel like I've heard that one before.
I'm sure you have.
Well, till next time!
[TAKUMI and MEGUMI] Soma!
Ohmigosh! I was so worried about you!
You had no game plan whatsoever, did you?!
Oh, uh, sorry?
[GIN] Attention, everyone who cleared 200 plates:
Get some rest because, your next challenge will take place in four hours.
He's kidding, right?!
No... No, no, no, no!
That gives us just over three hours to sleep!
I like training camp. This is fun.
[SCHOOLGIRL] It isn't over yet!
Uh! I can't take it anymore!
My legs won't even move!
I just wanna lie down...
I'm so exhausted.
What is this? I don't know what we're doing here, but I don't like it.
Well there's nothing written in the camp itinerary.
Huh? Wait just a minute!
This pattern is looking familiar...
Don't tell me we have to stay up all night again!
[GIN] Very well...
It seems you're all here.
Please! Not this again!
Just a few words before we get started.
So far, 352 students have failed,
leaving 628 remaining.
Though it may seem cruel,
this is a taste of what it's really like to be a working chef.
You must keep your cool in unfamiliar situations,
always retaining a "dialogue" with your ingredients.
If you become a chef in the real world, you'll face far greater pressures than this.
There will be nights where you will have to endure anxiety and indecision,
while dealing with various situations.
Being a chef is like living in a wasteland,
and having to brave the storms and trials all by yourself.
The longer you endure it, the more difficult it becomes...
and you can lose sight of your goal.
Even when you've reached the summit, you may very well forget the way back.
However!
I want you to remember this:
Know that there were comrades here at Tohtsuki,
who left tracks in that wasteland with you.
You traversed it together.
And that fact should comfort you when you one day set foot on your own.
From the bottom of my heart, I wish you the best as you fight on.
Now then, let's begin the final segment of this training camp's program.
Dude!
Why do they hate us so much?!
Welcome!
The final act is to congratulate you on completing your training,
and offer you this humble meal.
(Ending Song Begins)
Please enjoy
a full-course dinner
served up by our highly esteemed graduates.
To all of the 628 who remain standing with us:
You've cleared the challenges of this camp! Congrats!
Enjoy your dinner everyone!
(Cheers)
For real?! No friggin way, bro!
[SATO] There's nothin' "humble" about this!
No way. This is something no one else
in the world but us will get to eat!
What a day to be aliv-
He's kicked the bucket!
Please, have a seat, My Ladies.
Thank you very much.
(Squeals)
Fantastic!
So... good... yum!
There's no need to cry, Yuki.
Cooking school?
Why would I need to go to someplace like that?
This is dumb.
Payin' some yahoo to teach me to cook is just stupid.
Are you doin' okay over there?
Yeah... I'm good.
I was just thinking,
this school is more interesting than I thought it would be.
Huh? What d'ya mean?
Oh uh... don't worry about it.
C'mon, let's eat.
Sure!
[SENA] This is a very exciting year.
So the matter we discussed...
Yes. I am looking forward to it.
The grand stage where a select few
will battle with everything they have....
The coming Fall Selection.
[SOMA] I'm gonna go see a chef that's better than I am!
[ERINA] BAAAAAA!