"Of course it's true."
Although Chōshokushin said that, there wasn't a hint of pride in his eyes. It was clear that the title of Gourmet God meant little to him.
But that alone was enough to leave Flare stunned. She looked at him as if seeing her father for the first time.
"Dad... you were actually that amazing...?"
"You silly girl, your dad's always been amazing... you just never knew it."
At that moment, Yemu, who didn't quite understand the details, asked curiously.
"Hey, Tiger, what exactly does that mean? What's this 'Gourmet Kingdom' you're talking about?"
Tiger explained carefully.
"It's like this, Captain. In the New World, near the Calm Belt of the North Blue, there's an island called the Gourmet Island. Because of its unique terrain, it's overflowing with natural resources and the finest ingredients. That's why it's a dream destination for every chef. Every four years, the island holds a Culinary God Tournament to crown a Culinary God. Anyone who manages to win the title three times in a row is honored as a Gourmet God."
He paused, worried that they might not understand just how significant that title is in the culinary world, and added an analogy.
"You could say a Gourmet God is like the Pirate King of the cooking world."
At that, Yemu's eyes lit up.
He had initially taken an interest in this girl because of her strange Devil Fruit, but now, his perspective had completely changed.
"But... Dad, if you're that incredible... why didn't I know? And why are you hiding your identity here...?"
Chōshokushin seemed completely indifferent to the fame.
"Gourmet God or whatever... it's nothing special. Just a cook making meals for customers."
"But... but..."
Flare had a flood of thoughts, but in the end, couldn't express her shock clearly. All she could do was keep asking questions.
"Then why did you leave the Gourmet Kingdom and come here?"
"No big reason. I just didn't like that place."
This time, Flare was truly stunned.
"Isn't that the sacred land all chefs dream of? Why would you...?"
Chōshokushin's face showed clear disdain.
"Sacred land? Everyone in that place lost their way a long time ago."
"!!! Dad... what do you mean by that!!!?"
Chōshokushin let out a deep sigh. He paused, looked at his curious daughter, then at the people around him—especially Yemu.
Suddenly, as if making up his mind, he asked everyone,
"This might be a bit sudden, but I'd like to ask you all a question. What do you think is the most delicious dish in the world?"
The unexpected question left everyone speechless...
Although the question came out of nowhere, everyone still gave face to the man who once stood at the pinnacle of the culinary world...
"Ahhh... I'm not very good at cooking, so unfortunately, I don't know the answer."
"Sorry, I'm not that picky when it comes to food..."
"As long as it's not made by Yemu..."
"!!!"
"As for me... I've been to many places, but what I miss the most is the barbecue and wine from Fish-Man District."
"Cooking? As long as Enel-sama likes it, I like it too..."
Everyone had a different answer, but none seemed to be what the boss was looking for. In the end, he turned to Yemu, hoping to get a final answer from him.
By now, Flare couldn't make sense of what her father was doing and asked,
"Old man, what are you doing? Why are you asking this?"
The boss shook his head.
"I just want to hear one answer."
Yemu thought back to everything that had happened since he walked into this family-run restaurant today, then asked,
"Is that answer really so important?"
"Yes, very important. If I don't like it, I won't let you take Flare."
"Old man, what are you talking about?! I'm not going to become a pirate!"
Flare shouted in protest.
But neither Yemu nor the boss responded.
Yemu had thought about the question a lot, but in the end, there was only one answer that came to mind. His thoughts drifted to another world, and he spoke quietly.
"If I had to say... the most delicious dish to me would probably be the one my mother made."
"Too bad I'll never taste it again..."
"!!!"
It was an answer no one had expected—but once it sank in, no one could deny how true it was.
Flare stared in shock at the boy standing before her.
It was something she never imagined would come from the mouth of the infamous pirate, Yemu.
In that moment, her view of him completely changed. He was no longer a terrifying pirate, but just a regular boy.
"Mother..."
Memories of her own mother resurfaced in Flare's mind.
Her cooking never compared to her father's skill, but the meals she made when Flare was little—those were what Flare remembered most, and missed the deepest.
At that moment, Flare's father finally let out a long sigh.
"Yeah... such a simple answer. And yet the people of the Gourmet Kingdom completely fail to understand it."
Then, Chōshokushin began to recall aloud.
"After I won the title of Food God for the third time and became the Gourmet God, I suddenly started to doubt myself. I felt like I didn't understand cooking anymore. Like I no longer knew how to cook..."
His unexpected words caught everyone off guard.
"As Tiger-san said earlier, the Gourmet Kingdom really is a great place. The ingredients there are top-notch. But it's not a paradise for chefs—it's a graveyard. Because the ingredients are so good, even kids can cook something delicious. And so, every chef who arrives there suffers a devastating blow... then goes down a dark path."
"They forget the essence of cooking and lose themselves chasing the best ingredients, never finding their way back..."
"!!!"
Flare couldn't understand.
"What's wrong with that? Isn't the best cuisine supposed to come from the best ingredients?"
"No... Flare... you're wrong..."
Chōshokushin's entire demeanor changed, turning grave and serious.
"The essence of cooking is the food itself. As long as it brings joy, health, and satisfaction to the person eating it, that's the best cuisine. The so-called dishes made from the finest ingredients are just meaningless gimmicks—empty creations for fame and profit."
A nostalgic smile came to Chōshokushin's face.
"That's something your mother taught me. It's also the spirit behind our life's cuisine."
...
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