Totsuki Academy Autumn Elections
In other words, the next Elite Ten
will emerge from among those who make it through the preliminaries.
Of the sixty candidates in the preliminaries,
Group A
only the top four ranking candidates from Groups A and B
may advance to the main tournament.
Group B
That makes it a total of eight!
28 points!
31 points!
6 points!
Unbelievable...
All the dishes were very refined, too!
Sadatsuka Nao, 84 points!
So, what is Arato Hisako's score?
92 points!
Finally, a score in the 90's!
No small wonder, since she's been acknowledged by Erina-sama as a chef!
Now, we have Hojo Miyoko!
Now, what is her score?
Here it comes!
87 points!
She has pushed Sadatsuka Nao aside to take second place!
Arato Hisako Hojo Miyoko Sadatsuka Nao
Fragrant with spices and pineapple,
her Boluo Gali Chaofan is something I can't forget!
Boluo Gali Chaofan
The sweetness of the fruit and the saltiness of the stir-fried rice fill your mouth.
It's not dissimilar to sweet and sour pork,
another Chinese dish made using pineapples.
She finished the dish by putting the stir-fried rice into a hollowed pineapple,
sealing it with with a rind "lid,"
then baking it in the oven!
She salted the sides of the pineapple dish in contact with the rice
to control how sweet the rice would become.
So that allowed her to transfer just the refreshing fragrance to the rice
and prevent the rice from drying out.
This dish has advanced Chinese cuisine.
Invincible and indomitable...
She is like a kung fu master cloaked in a dragon of flame!
Iron
She is the Iron Fire Dragon Girl!
Fire Dragon Girl
No wonder she's the heir to the oldest establishment in Chinatown.
The dish is an item that puts men to shame...
Or should I say, a blow?!
Wow, I didn't know that was a possible curry dish.
The One Who Surpasses the Ordinary
Hurry! The judging's about to begin!
Yeah.
Hall A
I bet there's a huge uproar going on in here, too—
Huh?
Group A Judging in Progress
What's going on?
It's too quiet.
Huh?
Zero points?
What's going on?
What's it even mean to have zero points?
Hall B
86 points!
Talk about a dark horse candidate!
Candidate Yoshino Yuki has advanced to third place!
Arato Hisako Hojo Miyoko Yoshino Yuki
The current rankings have Candidate Arato Hisako as the top runner
by a wide margin at 92 points,
with Candidate Hojo in second place,
Candidate Yoshino in third place,
Heh heh heh heh heh
and Candidate Sadatsuka in fourth place.
Wow, I must say!
Your Wild Game Curry was delicious beyond my wildest dreams!
Kita Osaji Sponsor, Kita Gastronomy Club
Thank you!
From the fond you made from sauteeing spices in duck fat,
duck was everywhere in your dish!
It'd usually make the dish way too gamy,
but somehow, you made it very fresh!
And yet, it is full of unique wild flavor!
And to top it all,
you gave us a fried duck cutlet!
Sendawara Orie Prelims Group B Chief Judge COO, Howbee Foods
The gaminess has been well-countered by turmeric and orange.
In French cuisine, it's traditional to pair duck with orange sauce.
Right!
I added orange fruit and zest into the roux, as well.
They pair well with my custom garam masala mix!
Ando Shingo Food Culture Writer
I see...
Autumn is the season for game meat, that's for sure.
But acquiring such high-quality game in time for these prelims
requires good connections with hunters...
Miss!
I'll invite you to my gourmet club next time!
Oh, really?
You're so generous!
Don't worry about it!
Is it her natural good cheer that changes people?
Yuki, your cheerful, open smile attracts everyone,
and your cooking pierces right through people's hearts.
One might call you...
...the Little Red Riding Hood of the Forest of Wild Beasts!
Little Red Riding Hood of the Forest of Wild Beasts
Finally!
It's the highly anticipated sibling face-off in Group B!
It's the Aldini Brothers!
First up is the younger Aldini, Candidate Isami!
Guess I'm first.
Yeah.
Please taste it before it gets cold.
Oh!
Is this a calzone?
A calzone is pizza dough folded in half and stuffed with filling.
They can be baked or fried,
existing in a variety of forms throughout Italy.
It typically has mozzarella cheese
and other toppings used on pizzas, doesn't it?
That means...
Ah!
There's curry inside!
So this is an Italian version of curry bread?
It's rather different from the previous dishes!
How interesting!
Well, let's dig in!
Splash!
T-Tomatoes?
The curry's overflowing with the rich, juicy flavor of tomatoes!
Inside is curry made only using the liquid from the tomatoes themselves.
Ah, you didn't add any other liquid?
Right.
If you heat tomatoes tightly packed together at the bottom of a pan,
they release a surprising amount of liquid.
I added a special spice mix that pairs well with the tomatoes' acidity.
It resulted in a rich curry full of the tomato's umami.
As for the dough,
I used the yeast we have at home.
The surface is crisp!
Yet when you bite into it, it's chewy and sweet.
It's a perfect match for the rich curry.
Wonderful!
You incorporated the Japanese curry bread concept into Italian cuisine
to make something totally new!
The younger brother, doomed to stay in his older brother's shadow...
Many have thought of Isami Aldini that way.
But that is not the truth.
He is also an adventurer in a foreign land,
pursuing new culinary horizons on his own two feet!
Adventurer in New Culinary Horizons
I want to defeat Bro, this time for sure!
Isami's score is 87 points!
He is now in second place!
He got the same score as Hojo!
Arato Hisako Hojo Miyoko Isami Aldini Yoshino Yuki Sadatsuka Nao
That means Sadatsuka Nao won't make it into the main tournament...
She's laughing, for some reason.
Heh heh heh heh
Wait, was it that big of a shock that she fell to fifth place?
Hisako-oneesama...
What a tight race!
What passion! How fitting for a gourmet food festival!
Now for Candidate Takumi Aldini!
Buon appetito.
Oh?
So a pasta dish's next?
I guess we're getting Italian cuisine twice in a row!
Bacon, green bell peppers, and mushrooms...
The toppings indicate spaghetti Napolitan,
but he used curry instead of ketchup.
The pasta's shaped like fettuccine.
Otherwise, nothing really stands out.
Hmm...
Given how interesting how the calzone was earlier,
this doesn't look very promising...
Wh-What?!
What is this rich depth of flavor?
I feel struck to the core of my being!
The stock's made from beef flank and chicken,
and seasoned with fennel and green cardamom.
The curry sauce is wonderful in the way it tickles your nostrils!
It coats the thick noodles well.
What?!
Is soy sauce the secret ingredient?
No...
It's tamari soy sauce!
It's manufactured primarily in the Tokai region.
It has more concentrated umami than normal soy sauce,
and it's known for having a sweet, mellow flavor.
I'm also tasting a mild cheese flavor.
Allow me to explain.
Please observe the cross-section of the pasta.
Wh-What's this?!
The pasta has three layers.
I incorporated turmeric in the outer layers,
and Parmesan cheese in the middle layer.
I see!
The tamari soy sauce and Parmesan combined to create this much depth.
S-Still, with the cheese in the dough,
the heat from boiling the pasta would—
So that's why there are three layers!
By sandwiching the cheese layer between two layers,
he prevented the cheese from melting and leaking out!
The curry sauce's depth of flavor is enhanced by the tamari soy sauce.
And when you swallow,
the rich flavor of the Parmesan cheese spreads in your mouth
as though to deliver a finishing blow!
Marinating cream cheese in soy sauce is a well-known technique,
but who would've guessed that Parmesan and tamari soy sauce would pair so well?
Italian and Japanese cuisine have achieved a new harmony
Japanese Cuisine
within the format of this curry dish!
Takumi Aldini...
He is yet another pioneer in the world of food!
Pioneer in the World of Food
They're both skilled cooks,
but maybe Takumi is a tad more sophisticated.
I'd like my main course to be made by Takumi today. Is that all right?
I can do it, too!
Isami!
Why did you alter a finished dish?!
That diluted its taste!
Do you want us to lose our customers' trust?!
Bro, I'm sorry.
I ruined your cooking.
I wanted to show them that I'm good, too.
I didn't want to become a burden to Takumi.
Mezzaluna...
The blade named for the half-moon.
Don't you think it's perfect for us?
When two halves of a whole come together, perfection is born.
Aldini needs both of us, Isami!
I will move forward with every step you take!
Then, one day, our restaurant will become the best in all of Italy!
Buon giorno!
Welcome to Trattoria Aldini!
Ciao, Aldini brothers!
Let us have the best possible food today, too!
We're counting on you!
On a daily basis, he's someone you can always tease,
but he's a totally different person once he puts on his chef's coat.
Guess I couldn't catch up with him today, either.
My brother's amazing.
Takumi Aldini's score is 90 points!
Grazie!
Whoa!
Arato Hisako Takumi Aldini Hojo Miyoko Isami Aldini Yoshino Yuki
Another score in the nineties!
He surpassed Hojo!
Heh heh heh heh
Group B is in the final stretch!
Who's left?
Here you go!
She's serving them without permission!
Hey, don't ignore me, bitch!
I just got tired of waiting!
Wh-Wh-Wh-What is this?
You've got to be kidding.
Is this really food?
I put a lot of effort into this.
Please enjoy.
Curry Princess
Sweet and Full of Love
More than 70 billion sold! Howbee Foods
Record-breaking Bestseller in the Ready-made Curry Industry!
The twins on this packaging are us.
It takes me back!
It's us in the 90's.
I feel like they'll know how old we are.
Maybe we should change the packaging design?
Wha?
What is this dish?
Is it really curry?
Is that amazing arch a garnish?
The sauce is a weird green color, too.
I don't see the roux anywhere...
Oh, just listen to yourself.
Everything on this dish is curry.
What's going on?
The judges had so much to say until now,
but now they're frozen in place!
U-Um...
How's the taste?
Um, I am not sure how to describe this...
There's warmth... and something cold...
The veterans of gourmet are all tongue-tied.
Does that mean that dish is beyond even their comprehension?
The curry sauce is foamy, and ever so slightly warm.
It melts in your mouth...
The tomato mousse is c-cold, and...
I added spices
and solidified it with sodium alginate.
Huh?
There's a mousse made from turmeric and frozen, and powdered fois gras.
Mousse of Turmeric and Fois Gras
The white object in the center
Puree of Potatoes and Six Types of Cheese
is a puree of potatoes and six types of cheese.
Its ingredients have been flash-frozen,
so it will melt in your mouth.
Once you feel its coldness inside your mouth, enjoy the flaky pie crust.
Spice-Flavored Pie Crust
Flavored with coriander and other spices,
the pie crust will cleanse your palate.
"Thermal sense."
It's one of the principles in molecular gastronomy,
where you create a dish from components that consist of different temperatures.
This dish embodies that principle.
S-So, does it taste good, then?
Of course it's delicious!
But... I don't have the words to express how delicious it is in full!
Not even a gifted writer can describe how it tastes?
With spices at its core,
this dish manipulates texture and temperature and makes them shine.
It revolutionizes the entire field of cooking!
Indeed... if I were to name her,
she would be a Global Innovator!
Global Innovator (Innovator of the World of Food)
N-Ninety-five points?!
Nakiri Alice has received the highest number of points, and is now in the lead!
Oh, it wasn't 100 points?
How unexpected.
But, I suppose...
Look, I received higher marks than Secretary-chan.
Secretary-chan
Wh-Who're you calling Secretary-chan?!
Wow!
Every judge gave her 19 points!
That's almost a perfect score!
I can't believe those gourmands did that...
I haven't seen such a high score in a while.
Nakiri Alice Arato Hisako Takumi Aldini Hojo Miyoko Isami Aldini
Candidate Nakiri Alice is in first place,
followed by Candidate Arato, then Candidate Takumi.
Candidates Hojo and Isami are tied for fourth place!
Only four may advance from Group B to the main tournament!
Isami Aldini 87 pts Hojo Miyoko 87 pts
That would mean judges need to vote as to which of the two should advance!
Well!
That dish was quite interesting— worthy of being the last one!
Indeed.
It was difficult to distinguish between all the dishes.
This year was a close race, like usual.
So, let us proceed with the votes.
Excuse me...
M-My curry... is still waiting.
She's the one who butchered the monkfish.
Huh?
She was still here?
Ugh...
Ugh, and here we were all revved up, ready to go into the finale.
I'm sorry!
So sorry!
Gloooooom
Here it comes!
It's Megumi's turn!
Congrats on a Good Catch!
Megumi!
Everyone?!
What're you doin' here?!
We left fishin' to the young'uns today!
We wanted to see you up on the big stage!
O-Oh, c'mon!
Hey, guess those scary guys seem to really like her.
Who is Tadokoro Megumi, really?
All right, then! Candidate Tadokoro, please hurry!
Oh.
Go, Megumi!
Show 'em!
Yeah!
Okay!
P-Please teach me!
I want to help at home!
Please!
I'm begging you!
It's... Monkfish dobu-jiru curry!
Dobu-jiru...
That's a hot pot dish where monkfish is the main ingredient, right?
Yes.
It's a dish passed down by fishermen in Ibaraki and Fukushima prefectures for generations.
Monkfish in curry?
What's she thinking?
Whew...
I see. So this is why you used monkfish...
The main characteristic of dobu-jiru hot pot
is that monkfish liver is sauteed, then slowly dissolved!
Miso and sake are added to the dissolved liver
to form the base of the broth, but...
This girl added spices to that mix,
effectively creating a liver curry miso paste.
The deliciousness just seeps into you... How addictive!
The unctuous, deep flavor of the liver
is a surprisingly good complement to the spices!
Still, I must say...
After the previous dish, it's all the more apparent to me that...
How to say it?
It's a very "human" dish.
The ingredients are monkfish meat, skin, and fin, and...
Hm?
Kogiku pumpkin, Tachikawa burdock root, and Akasuji daikon!
Kogiku Pumpkin
Tachikawa Burdock Root
Akasuji Daikon
Y-Yes!
They're all ingredients that are local to my hometown.
I wanted to highlight their strengths, so I've been experimenting a lot.
Curry is very assertive,
so it was difficult to make it work with the sweetness
and bitterness of other vegetables.
But I realized I could use dobu-jiru with monkfish liver,
to take advantage of the spices and use the broth
to bridge the gap between them and the flavor of the vegetables.
I wanted to make the kind of curry
where you can almost grasp how it feels to be in my hometown!
What?
Megumi really made this?
Yes!
No one here can beat her at cooking anymore!
I heard there's a famous culinary school in Tokyo.
Would you like to go?
What?
Educational Institution Totsuki Teahouse Culinary Academy Entrance and Transfer Information
I hear many of their graduates go on to awe the world.
B-But Mom, I want to help out at the ryokan when I'm old enough.
If that's your final decision, that's fine.
I'd be happy to have you.
But before you make that choice,
I want you to catch a glimpse of a bigger world, at least once.
What?!
How can Megumi's dish only score in the teens?!
I told you!
The five judges' scores all add up to a hundred, old man!
Good job!
That's our Megumi!
Here, a good luck charm to help you stay focused and study.
Tokyo, huh.
It'll get lonely around here.
But we can't let Megumi's talent go to waste here, either.
Good luck, Megumi.
Megumi might become our biggest fish to come outta these parts!
Charm for Academic Success
Final Notice Third-Year, Junior High Division Tadokoro Megumi If the individual specified above fails or receives a rating of E in a course, the individual will be expelled, as per policy.
Rating: E
Megumi...
How's school?
Mom, um...
It's going fine.
I'm having a lot of fun in classes, too!
Megumi, you know you're amazing.
Do you want to come practice cooking again?
We'll keep you company.
Oh, okay!
Thanks for the offer.
But I think I'll practice on my own today.
Your time's finally come, Tadokoro-chan.
It's time for you to leave the tiny world you first started in...
...and fly away into the sky.
Candidate Tadokoro Megumi has 88 points!
Nakiri Alice Arato Hisako Takumi Aldini Tadokoro Megumi Isami Aldini
She's in fourth place!
She passed the preliminaries!
Hojo Miyoko lost the prelimins!
This is a major upset.
Megumi! You did it!
Megumi!
Takumi Aldini Tadokoro Megumi Isami Aldini
Megumi!
I thought my only choice was to shut the men up by force.
Can I make a place like that happen the way I am now?
Charm for Academic Success
Okay, this is no good.
How can I rate a dish like this?
Sasaki Yua Group A Hostess
U-Um, wh-what is the score?
Didn't you hear me the first time?
I said it's no good.
Th-The total is 19 points...
Sendawara Natsume is still only offering zero points.
She's already judged more than ten,
and hasn't given even a single point.
All the dishes looked pretty good, too.
Wh-What the hell's going on here?
Maybe the judges for Group A are way more strict.
Very well, n-next up is Candidate Kurokiba Ryo!
Come up, please!
To Be Continued
Preview
Next time on Food Wars, the twenty-third dish.
Ryo-kun, say something!
Menu The Competition of the Blossoming Individuals
"The Competition of the Blossoming Individuals."
I will be the one at the top!
Isn't that too much?
A Girl's Convictions Made a Miracle Happen! A Heartwarming Tale for Everyone...
No way.
It's how these things go.