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"Normal, what do you mean by normal?"
Dojima Gin had no regard for Hinako Inui. While it was true that Renz had the "God's Tongue" backing him, the chefs on Gourmet Street didn't just stumble into their positions. Even if they had settled into a comfort zone, before that, which one of their restaurants wasn't renowned in Japan?
Even in a comfort zone, that foundational skill, that core
expertise, couldn't just vanish, could it? The chefs on Gourmet Street, even without progress, couldn't have suffered a huge setback. Their strength was their capital for standing there. How many people spend most of their lives stumbling along the path of cooking, exhausting half their lives, and all that effort isn't just for nothing.
How old was Renz?
Just graduated from Totsuki Culinary Academy. Graduating one or two years ago, and already reaching a height that others spend half their lives striving for could you call that normal? No, you couldn't. Most Totsuki graduates typically make their mark within five years, followed by another surge after five years.
Of course, not everyone experiences this surge; it depends on the individual and their talent. Renz's surge came too quickly and was undeniably the most exaggerated. He directly challenged the culinary gods of Japan, sweeping through half of Gourmet Street. Such a performance would be extremely difficult for any former Totsuki graduate, from any class, any tenure.
Keep in mind, the chefs on Gourmet Street included not only old, established Japanese culinary institutions but also rising new chefs, and most of these new chefs were geniuses like Hinako Inui, who graduated from Totsuki's former Elite Ten.
In fact, Gourmet Street, precisely because it had fresh blood like Hinako Inui, had, to some extent, eased the internal competition and increased a certain level of rivalry. Renz coming here wasn't just challenging past authorities but also talented chefs who had risen to prominence. If he won against one, he could retreat unscathed. If he won against half the street, it would be enough to be recorded in Totsuki's Gourmet Street history.
Moreover, Renz's stance didn't suggest he would be content to stop after winning half the street. His ability to pull out a dish like "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth" for a Soup Dish challenge, a dish almost considered a nuclear weapon among Chinese Cuisine, was enough to demonstrate Renz's attitude.
This dish, most people couldn't even make it. It's like telling you how to make this bowl of soup, and many people, following the steps, still can't reproduce that flavor.
This was an undeniable knockout blow. It also silenced all critics. As long as Renz could make "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth," even if not a highly perfect finished product, but just seven or eight tenths of it, he would definitely win this Shokugeki. The name of the soup dish, "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth," already gave him a huge advantage.
"I'm done," Kanemoto Kaiya raised his hand to signal. His Seaweed Eel Soup didn't require an excessively long simmering time.
The structure of this soup was very simple; the key lay in Kanemoto Kaiya's proficiency with the dish. Among the signature dishes of his restaurant, Nodaiwa, their best dishes were related to eel. As the delicious Seaweed Eel Soup came out, the seaweed, like swirling dragons and floating clouds, enveloped the soup, and a steamy, fresh seafood aroma wafted forth. However, Renz's dish wasn't ready yet, so to preserve its freshness and the soup's crucial warmth, the Seaweed Eel Soup had to remain in the pot.
On the other side.
Renz worked slowly. "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth" was a soup dish that demanded meticulous detail, and the simmering process itself was quite lengthy. Starting from scratch, from beginning to end, it would be difficult to make a decent "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth" without several hours. And this time couldn't be rushed.
Renz and Erina had once thought about saving time to quickly form this soup dish, "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth." The final result was that the texture of the entire dish was completely distorted. This dish simply required you to hold back, to prepare it slowly and deliberately.
Any thought of cutting corners... every part you cut would introduce a flaw in the taste of the "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth."
And Renz's slow, simmering method... The onlookers on the roadside became a bit impatient. In this kind of cooking competition, people watched for intense confrontations, not such a lengthy simmering process.
Especially since Renz's simmering process wasn't as flamboyant as one might imagine, with various 'fancy moves' constantly appearing, as in comics.
He repeatedly performed actions, continuously re-absorbing impurities with minced meat paste in the pot, enhancing the soup's color. Such actions were relatively boring but a necessary step in making "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth."
Renz's hands were steady. Anyone with some professional knowledge could see how 'terrifying' Renz's stable technique was. The more novice a chef, the more they preferred flashy, turbulent techniques. Such techniques could elicit gasps from the onlookers, and they enjoyed that kind of excitement.
Renz's stable technique, when simmering a soup dish that naturally required a long time to finish, was rare and valuable. Because the steps had to be repeated constantly, it was not only tedious but also a test of one's willpower. For those who lacked patience, it was torture. Torture for the cook, and also torture for those watching the cook. Renz didn't really feel 'tortured' himself; he was enjoying it. As for whether others found it tiring to watch, that was their business.
If they considered it torture, then Renz was happy to be the torturer, after all, the dishes Renz made weren't for them to eat. They were for Erina.
Time passed bit by bit. Onlookers came and went. Many spectators didn't quite understand the situation on the field, but seeing Renz's consistent movements, they felt there wasn't much to see and quietly left.
Finally. Renz stopped his countless repetitions. He lightly blanched the carefully selected tender white cabbage hearts, then rinsed them in cold water. With a flick of his hand, the raw cabbage smell vanished. Still not at ease, Renz repeatedly sniffed, confirming the odor had dissipated, then poured the well-simmered clear chicken broth over the de-scented cabbage hearts. A few wolfberries were mixed in. As the freshly made chicken broth, with its steaming golden liquid, touched the raw cabbage, it too turned the cabbage stalks golden.
Renz sealed it with a special lid that had a small opening. After the raw cabbage was cooked by the pouring of the hot chicken broth, he gently poured out the 'contaminated' clear soup. Actually, this clear soup wasn't 'contaminated' that severely; it was still drinkable and not that 'unpleasant'. It wasn't even accurate to call it 'unpleasant' many people would be willing to taste this clear soup.
The problem was, Renz's finished product aimed for absolute perfection, without any flaws. The clear soup that had been used to blanch the tender raw cabbage hearts, if tasted carefully, would still carry a hint of raw vegetable flavor. Some people liked it, some didn't.
So, it had to be removed. After discarding this clear soup, he poured in a fresh batch of pure, clear chicken broth, and Renz's "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth" was finally complete.
The soup, outwardly, resembled clear, plain water, completely free of oil, crystal clear, with a few translucent, shimmering red wolfberries floating in it. It looked like a light tea brewed from clear water and white clouds.
But when one approached and sniffed, a profoundly refreshing, rich aroma immediately wafted forth. Taking a sip, it was clear, fresh, and delicately beautiful. "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth" was one of the few absolute masterpieces among soups that could, by its nature as a Soup, surpass countless other delicious dishes.
The soup was done. Renz repeated the process. He brought three bowls of "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth" to the three judges. Kanemoto Kaiya also brought out his Seaweed Eel Soup, which had been sitting in his pot for an unknown number of hours. When he saw Renz's "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth," especially the color of the
broth, his desire to win vanished.
He barely needed to look to know he had lost. This was a disparity that anyone with eyes could discern. This couldn't be blamed on Kanemoto Kaiya's low desire to win. There was nothing he could do. Have you ever seen someone try to compare the power of a hand grenade to a nuclear bomb? There was no need for self-humiliation.
Kanemoto Kaiya knew he was just a backdrop for Renz in this round. But since he was already the supporting character in this Shokugeki, why bother making a fool of himself?
"I'll go first." Kanemoto Kaiya placed his soup down. This action was almost an act of 'surrender'. In a Soup Dish Shokugeki, there was one major taboo. The Soup Dish served first was most likely to lose. No other reason: when the tastes were extremely close and indistinguishable in quality, the Soup Dish served later would have the effect of washing away the taste of the former. In other words, the second soup tasted would override the first soup tasted, and most judges would experience a bias, consistently finding the second soup dish tastier.
Kanemoto Kaiya was going with the flow. He knew he couldn't win, even if he went second, did his Seaweed Eel Soup have the ability to overpower the taste of "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth"?
What an international joke. "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth" was an internationally renowned dish, a Top-level masterpiece of Chinese cuisine. His restaurant's Seaweed Eel Soup was merely a specialty of his own restaurant; there was no comparison at all.
The three judges also understood Kanemoto Kaiya's situation. He couldn't win even if he wanted to; the two sides weren't on the same level. After tasting the Seaweed Eel Soup, they gave a few fair evaluations.
These evaluations were mostly neutral, only highlighting the good points and not mentioning the flaws.
Any minor deficiencies would be discussed privately.
This was a public Shokugeki, and because of Renz's audacious actions yesterday, many media outlets were present. If they detailed the shortcomings, it would inevitably fall into the hands of these media outlets, who would not show any mercy and would use those few comments to verbally attack and thus affect the reputation of the Nodaiwa restaurant.
In this kind of Shokugeki, it was best to speak highly of both sides, and then more comprehensively explain the advantages of the better side.
However, when Renz presented his "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth," Senzaemon Nakiri did show a rare sense of anticipation.
"Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth." Senzaemon Nakiri had certainly tasted it. With his experience, he was a Asian Region expert himself, so it would be impossible for him not to have specifically tried this famous Chinese dish.
"What a clear broth," Senzaemon Nakiri first observed its appearance, not rushing to 'gulp' it down, but scrutinizing the form and color of this "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth." The quality of a "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth" depended on the color of the broth. The more skilled the veteran, the "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth" they cooked would live up to its name. The clear soup would be as crystal clear as boiled water.
Those who failed to make it well would have a cloudy, yellow broth. However, just because it was crystal clear didn't necessarily mean it was good. Some people had flawed methods, deliberately going for the deceptive appearance, achieving clarity but lacking in flavor.
These were people who knew their skill wasn't enough to produce the true flavor, so they tried to excel in appearance, hoping that most diners, having never tasted real "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth," would be fooled by the appearance and buy it.
Senzaemon Nakiri had tasted no less than a hundred different "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth" dishes; different people produced different flavors. Some people's "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth" was just a perfunctory effort.
As Senzaemon Nakiri swirled the contents of the cup, the cabbage glowed a delicate yellowish-green, its form exquisite, clear and vibrant. He leaned in and inhaled, a refined aroma assailing his nostrils, a rich and mellow chicken soup scent filling his nose and settling deep in his heart. The form and color were perfect, the aroma captivating.
Renz had not only passed these basic tests but had also exceeded Senzaemon Nakiri's expectations.
He took out a spoon, lightly scooped up some clear soup.
He swirled it, blew on it to cool it slightly, and slowly brought it to his mouth. Once the spoon entered his mouth, he simply couldn't take it out.
Senzaemon Nakiri was somewhat stunned. His mouth and nose were filled with a refreshing, heavenly deliciousness. The fatigue from years of busy work seemed to vanish with that single sip of clear soup. A gentle stream flowed deep within him. Senzaemon Nakiri's mind cleared, his heart became like a bright mirror, unstained by a speck of dust, possessing a magical ability to make one 'calm down' and savor the taste immersed.
This was a "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth" he had never tasted before.
"Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth," this Soup Dish, made by a hundred different people, would yield a hundred different flavors. Senzaemon Nakiri had also tasted "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth" from famous Chinese chefs, but those "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth" dishes focused entirely on making people refreshed and palatable to the point of 'cranial orgasm'.
However, Renz's "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth," while possessing that foundational skill, also had a 'magic' that those famous chefs couldn't create. A 'magic' that could make one calm down and become intoxicated.
Warmth spread through his throat. Warmth also spread through his heart. It flowed into his stomach, bringing a 'warm and comforting' sensation. For a moment, Senzaemon Nakiri's mind even entertained the strange thought, "If only I could drink this kind of soup every day." He even wanted this soup to replace his own brewed 'clear tea'.
"What a unique style," Dojima Gin couldn't help but exclaim, the words escaping him involuntarily. Even the usually poker-faced Asahi Saiba showed a hint of emotion.
"I don't even know how to serve this soup to guests," Asahi Saiba mused,
"this 'Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth' is enough to overshadow any main dish. I can't think of any other dish that could hold its own against this soup." A Soup Dish, essentially, still played a supporting role; it wasn't meant to be a main course. If a Soup Dish was made too well, the consequence was that no 'main dish' could stand on par with it, thus stealing the show.
Renz was momentarily stunned. His "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth"... had he never considered pairing it with any main course?
Because this thing was just meant for stewing soup for Erina to nourish her body, right? Wolfberries with chicken soup. It wasn't meant for guests. Was there anything wrong with making it well?
"Ahem, Mr. Saiba, I actually rarely make 'Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth' for guests," Renz interrupted Asahi Saiba's drifting thoughts. As soon as Renz said this, a question mark appeared in Asahi Saiba's mind.
Rarely make 'Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth' for guests, yet capable of making it to this level? Are you trying to fool me?
"And you know, I believe I have main dishes that can hold their own against this 'Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth', but...This 'Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth' is primarily for me to make nourishing soup for Erina on a regular basis.
If I were making a full banquet, I definitely wouldn't use 'Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth'." Renz continued,
"This dish is both time-consuming and labor-intensive.
Generally, I'd pair it with a refreshing, stimulating appetizer soup that can bring out delicious flavors.
Soups like this one, which require extensive simmering and are blood-enriching and health-benefiting, I don't use them for a complete meal." Renz smiled awkwardly.
Didn't expect that, did you? This 'soup' wasn't for banquets.
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