Chapter 44
After extracting Master Pai's understanding of the culinary arts, Mineo had gained a more intuitive grasp of this vast discipline.
In cooking, there is no such thing as "unrivaled." There is also no such thing as a true "maximum level." A chef can only integrate theoretical knowledge into their mind through diligent study and master cooking techniques through constant practice.
Just like himself right now—even though he had obtained Max Level Molecular Gastronomy, that "max level" only referred to the cooking techniques and theoretical knowledge stored in his mind. The excellence of a dish isn't judged solely by its taste.
Just as Master Pai always believed: the most delicious dish isn't necessarily the most suitable dish for the customer.
The situation Erina was facing now was very similar to his own previous condition; instinctively assuming that as long as the flavor of a dish was crafted well, then that dish would be loved by everyone.
But that was a shallow view. As a chef, what should be pursued is not just deliciousness, but a flavor that can touch the customer's heart.
Mineo then thought of Megumi Tadokoro from the original story. Megumi's cooking skills were far below Kojiro Shinomiya's, yet her dishes expressed a tenderness that could shake the soul.
Because her dishes showed Megumi's profound sincerity and affection, Gin Dojima and the others were willing to give her their support.
Erina had been overly dependent on the God's Tongue because she was convinced her tongue could help her craft the ultimate flavor. However, if this went on for too long, her brain's thought process would slowly be influenced by the power of the tongue until it became unaccustomed to independent thinking.
Therefore, in Mineo's view, Erina was better suited to using her heart to think about the evolution of a dish's flavor. Only this method could make her train of thought broader and more active.
Because if one only uses the tongue to process cooking, a chef will overlook many details outside the technical aspects of the dish.
For years, Erina had been receiving various taste-testing assignments, but in every evaluation, she always used taste to determine whether a dish was worthy or not.
The sincerity poured into a dish by a chef often went unnoticed by her. Because in her mind, the thought that "taste represents everything" was deeply rooted.
So now, Mineo wanted to explain that principle to Erina; that the taste of a dish does not represent everything!
Staring into Erina's beautiful eyes, which showed a hint of confusion, Mineo explained word by word.
"Erina, you are too focused on the perfection of flavor, to the point of neglecting other details in the dish that should be paid attention to."
"In your heart, does taste represent everything?"
"Actually, that concept is still immature."
"The purpose of a dish's existence isn't just to make the customer feel satisfied."
"In our view as chefs, a dish is actually a way for us to communicate spiritually with the customer."
"Use your brain to think about what is actually needed and what flavor the customer truly wants to eat."
"That is the problem that must be deeply considered by a mature chef."
"Cooking can be understood as using your hands, but it should be understood even more as using your heart and your brain."
"Does something that is too perfect really have an appeal?"
"The God's Tongue can only make you realize what is lacking in this dish, but it cannot let you know what your customer truly desires!!!"
Mineo's words triggered deep reflection in everyone present. Senzaemon, who had experienced many things, immediately understood what Mineo was trying to convey.
At this moment, the grandfather's gaze toward Mineo contained a great sense of gratitude. It seemed Mineo was indeed fit to be a guide in Erina's path of life.
Seeing Erina fall silent without a word, Mineo felt he could use another way to give her some pointers. So, at that moment, he suddenly spoke up.
"Erina, do you have any free time tomorrow morning?"
"Eh??"
Originally, Erina was still pondering the meaning of Mineo's words, but suddenly hearing him ask this, she looked up at him.
"Tomorrow morning... I don't think I have anything scheduled. What is it, Mineo-kun!?"
"I want to invite you to go mountain climbing with me tomorrow morning."
"Invite... me... to go mountain climbing with you, Mineo-kun!?"
"Yes, I want to show you something different. But to climb the mountain, we have to wake up quite early... Four in the morning. Do you think you can manage that???"
Before Erina could answer, Alice beside her spoke up excitedly.
"Mountain climbing, huh? That sounds really interesting! I'm coming, I'm coming!"
"Erina, let's go mountain climbing together with Mineo-kun tomorrow morning!"
"Even though four is a bit early, if we set an alarm, we can definitely wake up..."
At that point, Senzaemon also spoke with a smile to Erina.
"Wake up earlier tomorrow and go mountain climbing with Mineo-kun."
"I believe he has some important things he wants to tell you."
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