Well, sorry to spring this on you,
but I need you to show me how much you've grown...
...or not grown.
Let's have our first cooking contest in a long time...
...Soma.
The Demon
I was wondering why you randomly came back.
Is this why, Dad?
So? Are you gonna do it or not?
Of course I will!
The Chef Who's Crossed a Thousand Leagues
The Previous Night
Who would've guessed that Soma-kun
was the son of a former Elite Ten member?
Of course you wouldn't have.
I only trained Soma in diner cooking techniques.
He must stand out from all the elites here.
You're right.
But from the very first time I had a face-off with Soma-kun,
I knew he would stir things up here.
Oh?
Match
Well, then. As for the theme...
Hey, Judge.
What do you want to eat?
Judge?
I guess the love of competition runs in the family.
You two are birds of a feather.
Fumio-san.
Joichiro asked me last night to oversee this match.
Well, this will be quite the spectacle.
Don't scare me!
Why are you here, Isshiki?
I smelled an interesting match in the air
on my way back from my morning fieldwork.
Unfortunately for you, you can only observe.
There can't be an even number of judges... hm?
T-Tadokoro?
Oh, Soma-kun.
Morning.
Whoa, what happened?
You have huge dark circles under your eyes.
Yeah, I'm tired,
but I just can't sleep when I think about the camp.
We have to catch fish and start cooking!
Hey, you're in the way!
Oh, no, what should I do?
I'm so sorry!
I'm surprised I made it.
It's all over now,
so you should really get a good night's rest.
Oh, but this is good timing.
Come here.
Huh?
So this means there are three judges.
I assume this is fine by you?
Yeah.
'Kay.
I'm no spring chicken.
I can't eat anything heavy in the morning,
and we have a girl here who pretty much pulled an all-nighter.
Let's see... the theme should be...
...serve us a dish that'll charge us up and get us ready to start the day!
Rice
You can use anything you can find in this kitchen.
Panko Breadcrumbs (Soft)
You have one hour!
Now... begin!
Nothing heavy... easy to eat,
and... yeah, something nutritious...
Okay!
Huh?
Uh...
Why are they competing against each other?
G'morning, Tadokoro-chan.
Guess you're finally awake.
Huh?
What?
Why?
Wha?
S-Soma-kun, your father was an Elite Ten member, right?
You can't possibly win!
Oh, but this is nothing new for us.
I think my first face-off was in sixth grade.
Facing an adult as an elementary school student?
I guess I can see Soma-kun doing that, but...
Wait, have you ever won?
Oh, I don't remember.
Nah.
Don't bluff.
I think you're at about 500 losses right now.
500 Losses
No! It's 489!
So you do remember.
A cooking match?
Yeah. I'd like you to be the judge.
Well, I'll get to see a match involving you for the first time in a very long while.
I'm fine being the judge.
But you'd better not take it easy on your opponent,
just because he's your son.
No worries there.
I've never pulled my punches with Soma.
Huh? An apple...?
Soma-kun...
He may be your father, but you're facing the former second seat of the Elite Ten.
Yet you look really confident.
I see...
So this is how he got started.
Soma-kun never backs down from a challenge,
no matter how insurmountable it may seem.
And now I know why.
He's been trying to surpass
a father who far exceeds his own abilities...
0 Wins, 489 Losses
...even after 489 losses.
So who'll finish first?
Thank you for waiting!
What's that?
An apple risotto.
Go on, have a taste!
A risotto?!
It's true.
There are finely diced apples in here.
Fruit in a risotto?
He likes surprising us, doesn't he.
A sweet-sour, refreshing fragrance...
Maybe he also used lemons in there?
Yeah.
The dish has a wonderful crispness to it.
The fragrance alone is shaking my leaden stomach awake
and rousing my appetite!
It's enough to vanquish any sleepiness.
An apple risotto...
Well, let's see how it actually tastes.
The apples lend a crisp texture
and a mellow sweetness.
The onions have been simmered till they impart a silky texture to the risotto.
The crunchy bacon pieces serve as accents
for the gentle apple flavor infusing the entire dish.
It's as though it's...
...gently waking up my body from sleep.
Such a gentle kiss...
...from the prince of apples...
It's delicious!
Please try black pepper on it if you wish!
It changes up the flavor in a good way.
Let's see...
The subtle sweetness of the apples and onions...
...contrasts with the peppery bite of the black pepper!
The black specks on the white dish...
....creates a contrast in both taste and appearance.
It's like a waltz in black and white!
I think I'm going to melt!
It feels like it just melts into my sleep-deprived body!
You're getting vitamins, fats, and carbohydrates.
The rice's on the soft side, so it's gentle on your stomach.
It's perfect for eating right after you wake up.
But there's something I find puzzling.
What's that?
The rice and onions have been infused with the flavor of apples,
but if the apples had been cooked that long,
they should've become mush.
Instead, they still have a crisp texture.
You're right.
How's that possible?
About that...
Apple Juice
I used this!
Apple juice?!
When I was simmering sauteed rice and onions,
I gradually added apple juice as the dish simmered down.
The diced apples were added later and only cooked long enough to warm them.
That's why they retain their raw texture.
I see.
What an innovative idea!
The flavor of apples permeates the dish,
and apple juice was behind it!
Even though the topic was presented to him on the fly,
he was able to produce a dish that was spot-on.
How deep do his abilities go?
The apple risotto was an excellent response to the assignment!
I can hardly imagine a better dish.
What a terrifying man.
I can just sense
how he might be able to surpass
this near-perfect dish by Yukihira Soma with ease!
Thank you for waiting.
Now, please eat.
Erina the Taster
Ack! I'm so sorry!
This is horrid!
It tastes as though 50,000 blue crabs just crossed an idyllic farmland!
Just horrid!
The dishes he cooked yesterday
were all meticulous and polished.
What would he make for a contest?
I'm honored to witness a dish
made by a predecessor in the Elite Ten.
During his time here, Joichiro was well-known for making surprising dishes.
Take a long, hard look!
Have a taste.
It's Joichiro's Special Rich Ramen.
R...
Ramen?!
Ramen in the morning?!
Wow... The broth looks really rich...
There are regions where ramen is eaten in the morning,
but from the looks of it,
it's a thick seafood-based broth.
Rich Thick
This dish is a tad much for the sleep-deprived Tadokoro-chan,
Float...
and the elderly Fumio-san...
Joichiro!
Your pursuit for the element of surprise goes too far!
You've always been this way!
Shokugeki
You served untested recipes and bizarre ingredients
without a second thought at a Shokugeki!
That's why you used to suffer random defeats in Shokugekis from time to time!
Rant
I was pretty ornery back then.
As if you've changed at all!
Sniff Sniff
Hm?
Fumio-san, the broth may look rich,
but it smells surprisingly light and mellow.
You're right.
Well, let's get down to judging.
It's... not bad.
These noodles have yuzu citrus kneaded into them.
Even though it's rich, I can just keep going...
Or, rather...
...you...
...just...
...can't... stop!
The broth is a combination of soy milk and scorched miso!
But how would that alone be enough to produce such depth of flavor?
I've added grated ebi-imo taro,
which has a fine elastic texture and a rich taste.
Doing so imparted a creamy depth to the broth.
Warmth
I feel like I'm being warmed from within.
It must be the effect of the chili oil, grated ginger, and garlic.
The mild soy milk masks the bite of those ingredients,
letting them gradually warm you up...
A lot of work and attention to detail went into these toppings, too!
Lotus and burdock roots were thinly sliced and fried to a golden color.
Carrots and turnips were grilled over charcoal until lightly scorched,
then seasoned with rock salt to bring out their natural sweetness!
Just like in French cuisine,
each ingredient was prepared using a method uniquely suited to it
to deepen its flavor.
And to top it off, he used tempeh!
Tempeh?
A fermented soy-based food product originating in Indonesia.
It's made by fermenting soybeans with tempeh mold,
which is found on hibiscus and banana leaves.
It's a traditional food that's been made for more than 400 years.
It's light, but it's very filling.
It's like char siu pork!
The texture is close to that of meat,
so it's used a lot by vegetarians and macrobiotics practitioners,
those who don't eat meat or dairy products.
For this dish, I prepared the tempeh by cooking it in soy sauce and sake.
Could this be... a vegetarian broth?
That's right.
It's made from kelp and shiitake mushrooms. No meat involved!
When I was traveling overseas a long time ago,
I met some priest who was bemoaning the fact
that he had to abstain from meat and fish for religious reasons.
I want to eat something better!
This ramen is based on what I learned
through trial and error making dishes for him.
I see...
The umami components of kelp and shiitake mushrooms
have a synergistic effect when used in combination!
It makes it possible to achieve a solid flavor without using bonito fish...
Wait, Joichiro!
If that's the case, then this ramen...
It achieved this much complexity in flavor without using any meat or fish?
It's easy to use animal products to create umami and depth of flavor.
But this is a rich ramen that uses neither meat nor fish!
Isn't that more interesting?
What a guy!
By multiplying the flavor of the soybeans and other vegetables,
he created a dish that is deeply satisfying!
How many ideas are crammed into this single dish?
It contains a lifetime of knowledge
of a man who's traveled the world!
Even though it leaves quite an impression with every bite,
you can keep on eating without getting overwhelmed!
What a pleasant, perfect spiciness!
I can just feel the energy coursing through my veins!
Ah, I feel such heat inside!
My cells... they're rejuvenating!
Rejuvenating!
Thank you for the food!
That's too much rejuvenation!
Shiny Shiny
Let's get down to the judging, then!
Oh, good, I was just imagining it!
Oh, but you're kind of looking younger!
You're kind of glowing!
Yukihira Soma and Joichiro.
Set forth the dish that was more delicious in front of you!
It's unanimous.
The victor is Joichiro!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Both demonstrated more than sufficient elements of surprise,
innovation, and consideration of the condition of the diner in the morning.
But after tasting that ramen so full of vitality,
Yukihira's dish feels lacking in comparison.
It's a complete victory for Joichiro!
Soma-kun, your dish was delicious as well,
but to me it seemed a bit lackluster.
Though it's morning,
I'd just finished fieldwork.
I guess I wanted something more substantial.
Joichiro-san's dish was perfect.
I see.
The dish I made
was designed to minimize the possibility of not meeting their individual needs.
Minimize
But Dad went for maximizing their satisfaction.
Maximize
But I guess you've grown a bit, at least.
Apple risotto, huh... not bad.
Listen up, Soma.
As long as you're in Totsuki,
you'll have matches.
Until you lose to me again,
don't lose to anyone else.
So they communicate through cooking, huh?
What a pair they are.
In any case!
Yeah?
This is your 490th loss, huh, Soma?
Hey!
Another win for me.
It's not as satisfying when I don't have a single defeat to my name.
Shut up!
I'll show you next time!
Th-They're recording it?!
Have they been recording every single win, all this time?
They're oddly meticulous about things like that.
So you've been facing him all this time, Soma-kun...
You've been up against this amazing father
and experienced frustration many times over...
Soma-kun, I'm going to keep trying, too!
Huh?
Uh... Okay.
Your father's amazing.
I guess that's the power of the second seat!
I guess.
It's not like my goal's changed, though.
I want to see what it's like up at the top, which not even Dad's seen.
I really want to see it now, though!
Soma-kun...
All right!
Let's aim for the Elite Ten together, Tadokoro.
Huh?
What?!
I couldn't possibly...!
Sure you can!
What, leaving already?
Do you ever relax?
You should give him more advice.
I'm laissez-faire about parenting.
He'll figure it out.
Yeah, right.
That match was meant to encourage him, wasn't it?
The Fall Elections are coming up.
Hm?
I just wanted to see my son's crestfallen face again.
You could be more honest, you know.
Well, I'll leave it at that.
Besides, I had an errand to take care of at Totsuki.
An errand?
Oh, nothing important.
Well, later, Fumio-san.
I'll come by sometime to cook for you.
My goodness.
No matter how old you get,
you'll never shake off your wanderlust.
My apologies, Erina-sama.
I'm sure you're tired from the training camp,
but here is the schedule for today.
The owner and head chef of Kishoan will presently arrive to give you their regards.
They'd like you to taste their new menu.
Following that will be a group luncheon with Food Executive Company board members...
Stop the car!
Erina-sama?
No, it's nothing.
What?!
Joichiro-san already left?
When was that?
Just now.
I have no idea where he's off to, though.
He's too footloose.
He should've at least let us say goodbye.
Aw, I wanted to let him try eggs from my Polar Star chickens.
I wanted his advice.
I wanted to thank him for the breakfast ramen...
Ramen?
Yeah...
Soma-kun and Joichiro-san had a cooking face-off this morning.
What?!
How could you?!
You should've called us!
Oh, sorry. Please forgive me!
You're not forgiven!
By the way, Yukihira.
Joichiro left you a message.
A message?
Yeah.
"Air out the restaurant once in a while."
The restaurant?
Why don't you go home for a bit during the next holiday?
Holiday, huh...
Diner Yukihira
I wonder what's going to happen to this shopping district...
To Be Continued
Preview
Next time on Food Wars,
the seventeenth dish is planned.
Menu The Sensuous Karaage
"The Sensuous Karaage."
It's only planned for now.
Joichiro the Wanderer
490 matches, huh... No wonder Soma's grown so big now...
Crap... Not even a single car's come this way.