"It infiltrates both body and mind—a truly intoxicating delight!"
"The mellow texture of the lamb liver, combined with the unique flavor of the spices, is unexpectedly perfect, making the lamb meat rich and colorful!"
"However, how to put this, this feeling... it's truly a dish full of human warmth."
The Unspecified Judge spoke, exhaling warm air, his eyes filled with nostalgia, as if recalling a time in his childhood when his family gathered together, eating hotpot and singing songs.
"The main ingredients are lamb flank, lamb skin, lamb tripe..."
"And Small Chrysanthemum Pumpkin, Tachikawa Beef East, Red Tendon Radish..."
Flipping through the ingredients of the dish before him, the Unspecified Judge, with his knowledge, began to list them, and surprisingly, he recognized all the ingredients.
"That's right, every single one is an ingredient from my hometown. To fully bring out their deliciousness, I tried many methods. Later, I discovered that mincing lamb liver can perfectly meld the freshness of the vegetables and the flavor of the spices, creating an unparalleled deliciousness. I always wanted everyone to taste the flavors of my birthplace. This is such a dish."
Megumi Tadokoro spoke earnestly, word by word, her eyes filled with fervent passion as she looked at the judges, such as Qianshi Zhijiang, as if telling them how much effort she had poured into this dish.
Below the stage, the uncles in the audience were in tears, clearly moved by Megumi Tadokoro's words.
"This is our Megumi-chan!"
It wasn't in vain that they put down their work and rushed to Totsuki to cheer for her.
"Let's begin scoring."
Looking at the entirely consumed lamb hotpot before them, Ganshi Zhijiang said to the Unspecified Judge beside him. The expressions of the several judges also turned serious.
"What?! Megumi-chan's dish only got a dozen points?!"
The first light lit up, a score of 18.
This number made a certain irritable old man among the fishermen shout loudly, directly standing up and angrily scolding the judges. He was then pressed down by a middle-aged man beside him, who said helplessly:
"That's why, all five people together make a perfect score of 100, old man."
"Well done, as expected of our Megumi-chan!"
The middle-aged uncle clenched his fists. Seeing the high score given by the judges, he couldn't help but cheer. Other spectators also watched intently.
Megumi Tadokoro looked at the judges on the stage, her fists slightly clenched.
Although she didn't think her score would be bad, she still felt nervous before the results were announced. These judges who kept them in suspense were truly mean!
19
The score panel in front of the second judge lit up, making the audience hold their breath, eyes still fixed on it. The next, Ganshi Zhijiang gave 18.
The remaining two also lit up at the same time, scoring 18 and 19 respectively.
18, 19, 18, 18, 19
Total: 92 points.
Ranked second.
"Ninety points! Another one over ninety points!"
"So amazing! I never thought a dark horse would emerge at the last minute!"
"I really didn't expect this unknown fellow to suddenly rush to second place. This is truly big news."
Looking at the name that surged to second place, and the score beside it, the entire venue erupted in an uproar. Everyone looked at Megumi Tadokoro with expressions of extreme astonishment.
Too many shocking things happened today.
First, the transfer students led by Zhang Chen all achieved excellent results, crushing Totsuki's students and advancing. Then, an unknown individual forced their way to second place.
Truly magnificent!
"Dylan-sensei, I did it."
Looking at her score and listening to the cheers from the audience behind her, Megumi Tadokoro's eyes became slightly misty. She still held a talisman for academic success, given to her by her family, and before meeting Dylan, it was the driving force that kept her going.
Thinking of her parents' encouragement before going to Totsuki, everyone's farewells, everyone expected her to go to a wider world.
But she disappointed them.
For three years in junior high, she was always at the bottom.
Every time her mother asked if she was doing well at Totsuki, she countless times wanted to tell her she wanted to go home, but when the words reached her lips, a forced smile would appear on her face, and she'd say everything was fine. Only to cry alone deep into the night.
And then, she met the man who changed her life.
Noticing Dylan watching her from the audience, Megumi Tadokoro broke into an extremely bright smile, as if telling him that she had done it. Even if her past was messy and indistinguishable, now she shone brightly on the stage!
"But if that's the case, with the eighth-place scores being identical, shouldn't there be a live vote?"
Suddenly, someone asked this question.
At the same time, everyone's attention focused on the large screen in the sky, where Ikumi Mito and Subaru Mimasaka's names were flashing. Meaning, the audience present needed to vote to choose one to advance.
"There's even this segment..."
"Identical scores, quite rare in previous years..."
"But it says the audience chooses, how exactly do we choose? Is it voting?! But we haven't tasted the dishes, so how can we vote?"
After understanding the rules, the audience below immediately started a discussion. They hadn't tasted the dishes of the contestants on stage, so they naturally didn't know who to vote for. Was it just a matter of choosing whoever they liked? While not impossible, that would be too much of a game!
"The two of you will remake the dish you just made. Staff will divide it into 21 small portions and distribute them to the first two rows of the audience for the final vote."
Just as the situation reached a stalemate, Dylan's voice suddenly rang out, drawing everyone's attention to him. They curiously observed him as he stepped forward.
"Who is this guy?"
The audience on site was full of questions.
"Dylan-sensei."
Seeing Dylan jump down from the audience and stand in the competition arena, all the students in the arena slightly lowered their heads, respectfully calling his name.
"No need to be so polite. In any case, according to the method I just described, begin a new round of cooking. Let the audience be your judges."
Waving his hand, Dylan didn't like these formalities. He just wanted to know the final advancement results.
Subaru Mimasaka is skilled at imitating and replicating others' dishes. He wondered if this time he would compete himself, or if he had become someone else and entered the competition.
"It's actually gone to a voting round. Looks like I'll have to get a little serious..."
Looking at the figure in the crowd, the focus of everyone's attention, Subaru Mimasaka's eyes deepened. Then he took two steps forward:
"I agree."
"I can accept that too."
Ikumi Mito naturally wouldn't oppose Dylan's decision. Moreover, she didn't think she would lose. Immediately, her face showed a fighting spirit as she looked at Subaru Mimasaka.
"Then let's begin."
With that said, the two returned to their respective cooking stations. Dylan found an empty spot to sit down, his expression calm as he watched everything unfold before him.
"Who is that guy? How did he just come in and decide everything? And he seems to have a lot of prestige among the students."
Ganshi Zhijiang looked at Dylan, curiosity in her eyes. Who was this man? To have so much prestige among the students, he definitely wasn't an ordinary character!
"Never seen him before. Totsuki has so many teachers, it's normal not to know a few. However, I can feel it: he's very strong."
The Unspecified Judge stroked his belly, his gaze deeply fixed on Dylan, sensing an aura unique to strong individuals emanating from him.
"Dylan... Dylan!? I remember before tasting the Whole Lamb Shao Mai, the server who brought the dish said that dish was prepared and gifted by Dylan-sensei."
Recalling the words from the contestants on stage, as if thinking of something, the Unspecified Judge suddenly spoke, a hint of shock flashing across his face.
The five judges suddenly fell silent.
The person they wanted to see was right before their eyes. They had imagined many scenarios, but never thought he would be so young, looking to be just over 20.
Just over 20 and able to create such a dish?
With the lingering taste in their mouths, they carefully memorized his face, preparing to formally visit him after the competition concluded. Suddenly striking up a conversation would be very impolite.
Thinking of this.
The judges focused their attention and looked towards Ikumi Mito and Subaru Mimasaka.
However, if someone were to observe their gazes now, they would notice that more of their attention was directed towards Ikumi Mito. Clearly, her dish intrigued them more.
"Let's begin."
Looking at the remaining lamb ribs and pork loin, Ikumi Mito's face showed a serious expression. Their scores were identical, so she had to perform even better than before to possibly achieve final victory!
She sliced the lamb ribs, pork loin, and beef fat into slices of similar thickness, then layered them alternately and bound them tightly with cotton twine.
She took a large bowl and added minced garlic, minced ginger, onion shreds, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, honey, and cooking wine.
The bound meat was pierced thousands of times with a thin silver needle, then submerged in the marinade. This allowed it to marinate and absorb the flavor most quickly.
"So that's how those few types of meat are combined! No wonder it produces such a wonderful texture!"
Watching Ikumi Mito's operation, Ganshi Zhijiang had a sudden realization. To combine three types of meat into one...
"If the theme this time wasn't lamb, her score should have been quite a bit higher."
Looking at Ikumi Mito's operation, the Unspecified Judge couldn't help but sigh. In the dish she prepared, lamb only accounted for half the proportion. What was valuable was the combination of the flavors of three types of meat, making it exceptionally novel and unique.
As for the other side.
"I didn't expect Mito's opponent to be Subaru Mimasaka. He likes to thoroughly investigate the students he targets, then pick out their weaknesses, and use every means to drag them onto the Shokugeki stage. However, now, probably because Dylan-sensei is present, he doesn't dare to be too reckless. Otherwise, he would definitely have provoked a Shokugeki!"
Also in B Block, Shun Ibusaki spoke slowly, his words revealing a hint of disdain. Clearly, the two of them had known each other for a long time.
"Beer Lamb."
Looking at Ikumi Mito not far away, Subaru Mimasaka uttered four words.
"What?"
Ikumi Mito was puzzled. Why was he saying this to her? Did he want her to go easy?
"A dish Dylan-sensei once demonstrated in class. It uses boneless lamb shoulder, and besides its unique flavor, it also has a certain fat content..."
Looking at Ikumi Mito, since he didn't know she would be his final opponent, he hadn't tracked and researched her beforehand. However, using the dish Dylan taught should be more than enough to deal with her. After all, she was taught by Dylan.
"Dylan-sensei's method is to trim the fat from the surface of the lamb shoulder, mince it and set aside, then cut the lean meat into pieces the size of baby broccoli florets. Place the lamb fat in a cold pan, render the fat over medium-high heat, then add the lamb chunks and stir-fry until browned. Afterward, scoop them out with a slotted spoon and place them in a large pot."
Subaru Mimasaka explained as he cooked. He always remembered the dish Dylan-sensei taught, never forgetting it even now.
"In the small pot, add minced onion and garlic to the remaining lamb fat, stir-fry, then add beer and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper for base flavor. Pour into the large pot, add 5 sprigs of thyme and 5 bay leaves, then simmer on low heat for 70 minutes."
"Then skim off the surface lamb fat, and add an equal amount of starch, stirring evenly."
"Add 250 grams each of potatoes and carrots to the pot, continue to stew for 30 minutes until all ingredients are tender. Add the stirred lamb fat starch to thicken."
The Beer Lamb prepared in this way fully utilized the aroma of lamb fat and beer, requiring no complex seasonings, truly achieving its original flavor.
"This is Dylan-sensei's method. I can't replicate that exact taste. So, I replaced the beer in the Beer Lamb with pineapple beer to enhance the flavor, thereby achieving my own unique, better taste."
After the dish went into the pot, Subaru Mimasaka first looked at Dylan, then at Miyoko Hojo, whose silver teeth were grinding in frustration, a mocking expression on his face.
"Dylan-sensei, I'm very curious about something. Can Subaru Mimasaka really make a dish exactly like yours?"
Hisako Arato looked at Dylan in confusion, her voice tinged with curiosity. He was imitating his dish, yet he showed no reaction at all.
"How is that possible? Even if his tracking and imitation are perfect, he can never make a dish identical to Dylan-sensei's, not even one ten-thousandth as good!"
Dylan hadn't spoken yet, but Alice Nakiri interjected first, her voice full of disdain.
Even if Subaru Mimasaka's imitation ability was strong, he couldn't replicate a Flowing Light Cuisine. Without a special reason, this was a hard gap in skill.
"His ability can only replicate the dishes of mediocre talents. Against truly formidable chefs, he has no power to resist at all."
After watching for a while, Erina Nakiri also spoke.
Don't assume that every step of Subaru Mimasaka's cooking is identical to Dylan's at the time. The cooking and finishing times, and the state of the ingredients used that day, are all crucial factors affecting the final taste of a dish. These minor details cannot be simulated through tracking, unless he possesses Super Vision, and Dylan is also cooking in sync with him on the side.
"This kid is quite interesting. If he properly trains his visual ability, awakening Super Vision isn't impossible. However, his current method is wrong. It won't train visual ability. If he continues to practice this way, this kid won't awaken Super Vision; he'll only be considered an inferior imitator."
As Erina Nakiri and Alice Nakiri discussed, Dylan also focused his gaze on Subaru Mimasaka, silently watching him cook.
He had heard of and witnessed his ability.
Through imitating someone, he masters the dishes they learned, and then improves that dish in a Shokugeki, making it more delicious, achieving the goal of victory. This is actually a very clever approach, because it adds something under the same conditions to increase the base score.
As long as the opponent's innovation ability isn't strong, they will be mercilessly crushed and defeated.
"Super Vision, can that be awakened through training?"
Noticing the deeper meaning in Dylan's words, Alice Nakiri said somewhat excitedly, her eyes sparkling with a unique light.
Erina Nakiri, hearing this, had a subtle expression and stood silently to the side.
"Yes, but it requires you to already possess exceptional talent in that area, and then undergo particularly rigorous training, to awaken the corresponding superpower."
Looking at Alice Nakiri, then turning his gaze to Ikumi Mito, Dylan spoke.
The human body is very peculiar; its adaptability is strong. As long as one gets a little stronger every day, eventually quantitative change will lead to qualitative change, and one can successfully awaken it.
In the world of Chūka Ichiban!, almost every Special Grade Chef has one or two unique techniques, and even more formidable ones will train to develop Super Five Senses abilities.
However, this ability gradually degrades with age. This is the real reason why some chefs who were far superior to their peers in their youth are not as good as equally skilled young people when they get older. Those like "Dumpling King" Luo Gen (Rakon) are ultimately a minority.
"Mito's dish seems to be finished."
Suddenly, Hisako Arato pointed in Ikumi Mito's direction and spoke.
At the same time, the other three looked over and saw Ikumi Mito cutting the recently removed dish from the oven on the prepared cutting board. The baking pan was lined with a layer of onions. The meat was brushed with marinade during baking and sprinkled with rosemary. Before being taken out of the oven, it was brushed with honey.
"What a magical taste! This feeling is truly wonderful! Three different biological parts combined, ahhh! So strange yet so delicious!"
The more they chewed, the more fragrant it became. This was their most direct feeling.
"Suddenly, I feel that this dish Mito made seems related to the theory Dylan-sensei talked about earlier. Take the best parts from similar ingredients and combine them into the most perfect ingredient."
Watching Ikumi Mito remove the cotton twine, Hisako Arato's voice showed a touch of emotion. Looking closely at her cooking technique, it had a remarkable similarity to what Dylan taught earlier. This was the best manifestation of truly applying what was learned to cooking!
"Actually, there are still some differences. What I taught you then was to use the same animal as the ingredient, whereas Mito used meat from different animals. Lamb ribs, pork loin, and beef fat. Combining these three to create a piece of meat that doesn't exist in the world, that's a pretty good idea."
Dylan's eyes showed appreciation. Regardless of the taste, this creativity alone was enough to make him give a thumbs up. He decided to try it himself later.
Teaching apprentices has this one benefit: one can consolidate what they have learned through teaching.
One or two might not be very useful, but when there are many, solving their problems every day also helps to review and improve one's own fundamentals.
His strength was improving every day.
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Unfortunately, two of our stories were removed... so I created a new account to post them: MikuDayo.
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I'm counting on your support <3 the director was very sad and scared by what happened...
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