Food Wars!: Delicious Food of the Heavens

Chapter 133 Lavender Essential Oil

"You've already figured it out, haven't you, Shinomiya?"

Looking at Shinomiya Kojiro, who was standing there in a daze, Dojima Gin let out a long sigh.

His gaze toward Shinomiya Kojiro was filled with resentment, a mixture of pity for his misfortune and anger at his lack of ambition.

In addition to these, there were feelings of regret, anxiety, worry, concern, self-blame, and shame...

Dojima Gin's feelings at this moment were also a mix of emotions, indescribably complex.

"Shinomiya, now that you've received the medal, you probably don't know which direction to take next, do you?"

Dojima Gin's voice continued.

At the same time, he placed one hand on Shinomiya Kojiro's shoulder and pressed down gently, as if to give the other a certain amount of strength.

"Right now, you're like someone standing atop a high mountain, high up, but unable to take a single step!"

Suddenly, Dojima Gin's voice rose sharply: "But for a chef, stagnation is tantamount to regression!"

Dojima Gin's angry shout made the stunned Shinomiya Kojiro tremble violently and come back to his senses.

Dojima Gin stared intently into Shinomiya Kojiro's eyes.

"The reason you didn't bring your signature dish to this food battle is because you didn't want us to realize that you've stagnated, right?"

"Am I right? Shinomiya..."

'

"Shut up!"

Dojima Gin's words were like a dagger, striking a nerve with Shinomiya Kojiro and causing him to break down.

He glared at Dojima Gin, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, and roared at the top of his lungs, his voice cracking with rage: "What do you know?"

"What do you people know!"

Kojiro Shinomiya pointed at Gin Dojima's nose and yelled, "You! You're nothing more than a hotel manager being hired by someone else!"

"The Far Moon Group is so large; all affairs are handled by specialists. How many times have you personally cooked in the kitchen?"

Kojiro Shinomiya spoke louder and louder, almost frantically pounding his chest.

Have you ever personally experienced the feeling of having to silently shoulder the burden of everything in a restaurant, even its fate, including its survival?

"Can you imagine what it feels like to be surrounded by enemies in the entire restaurant, with no one to share the pressure with?"

"Have you ever tried to push your nerves to the limit every single day, without being able to relax for even a moment? What does that feel like?"

"You have no idea how this feels, so what right do you have to point fingers at me?!"

Even though he was being verbally abused and insulted by someone, Dojima Gin didn't get angry when faced with Shinomiya Kojiro's emotional breakdown.

Dojima Gin knew that this was not Shinomiya Kojiro's original intention.

He was just too tense.

So tense that the string in my heart had already reached its limit, teetering on the brink of snapping at any moment.

Today's food battle was just the last straw that broke the camel's back.

In some ways, he was also quite pitiful.

"Shinomiya! You seem very confused right now, don't you?"

Dojima Gin picked up Lin Yu's dish and handed it to Shinomiya Kojiro.

Kojiro Shinomiya, who was just about to break down, was startled by Gin Dojima's actions.

Shinomiya Kojiro stared at the other person, completely bewildered, and asked, "What's going on?"

Dojima Gin forced a friendly smile, his voice softening considerably. "Try Lin Yu-kun's cooking!"

"Maybe you'll find the answer you're looking for."

As he spoke, Dojima Gin pushed the plate forward again, displaying a defiant attitude.

Upon realizing what was happening, Shinomiya Kojiro immediately let out a cold laugh.

"hehe!"

"Dojima-senpai, are you joking?"

"How could a dish made by such a brat possibly be good..."

'

"The Four Palaces!"

Dojima Gin shouted angrily, interrupting Shinomiya Kojiro.

"All the answers are contained within!"

"Try a bite, you'll understand..."

'

Seeing the unwavering determination in Dojima Gin's eyes, Shinomiya Kojiro subconsciously took two steps back, swallowed hard, and a crack appeared in his originally resolute heart.

How about... we give it a try?

Since Senior Dojima is so insistent, what if there really is something special about it?

With a wavering heart, Shinomiya Kojiro picked up a fork, speared a few pieces of vegetables, and dipped them in two different sauces.

When he put the food into his mouth, Kojiro Shinomiya's hands were trembling slightly.

But the moment the dish entered his mouth, the intense vegetable flavor, combined with two different sauces, was like a torrent erupting in his mouth, the rich taste assaulting his brain.

At this moment, Kojiro Shinomiya felt his very soul trembling!

"No...this flavor...is too rich!"

Just when Kojiro Shinomiya felt he was about to lose control, the intense taste sensation suddenly dissipated.

Instead, there is a gentle, heartwarming sense of happiness and comfort.

This change came so abruptly that Kojiro Shinomiya was momentarily stunned.

"Why? Why is it so...refreshing?"

"It's incredibly impactful, but it doesn't feel exciting at all. Instead, it's rich and satisfying, giving you a sense of reassuring solidity."

"Every little bit of it makes the taster feel at ease, and makes them unconsciously want to relax their tense nerves."

Kojiro Shinomiya could no longer resist and put all the food on the plate into his mouth.

The delicious flavors overwhelmed his senses, leaving Kojiro Shinomiya completely immersed in a state of profound emotional upheaval.

Thinking back to my childhood, whenever I got into a fight with the neighbor's kids and came home covered in dirt, my mother would never scold me. Instead, she would look at me with a worried and gentle gaze, clean my wounds, and wipe away the dirt.

"Kojiro, you've gotten into a fight with the other kids again? If you keep doing this, you'll never make any friends!"

"It's just that I can't make friends, it's not a big deal! I can play by myself anyway... It doesn't matter if no one understands!"

"Haha, Kojiro, although you're always so awkward and not very honest... Mom still firmly believes that you're a good boy!"

"I...I understand..."

'

"Mom tried making a French dish today, [Provençal Stew]. Can you give her some pointers? What do you think?"

"Okay, thank you, Mom!"

Yeah, that's right...

No mistake, I absolutely did not make a mistake.

This is the taste of the dishes my mom used to make when I was little!

After swallowing the last bite of food, Shinomiya Kojiro opened his eyes, only to find his vision completely blurred.

Kojiro Shinomiya raised his hand and took off his glasses, but his vision remained blurry.

This vague feeling gave Kojiro Shinomiya a strange sense of familiarity.

He raised his hand, his fingers gently brushing against the corner of his eye, his fingertips immediately becoming moist.

Those were originally my tears!

Kojiro Shinomiya gently wiped away his tears and put his glasses back on.

"how?"

Dojima Gin looked at him with a smile, his tone revealing undisguised curiosity.

"Don't lie, just tell me, how does it taste?"

Several other graduates around him looked at Kojiro Shinomiya with curious eyes and expectant expressions.

Feeling somewhat embarrassed under the scrutiny of several gazes, Shinomiya Kojiro turned his head away to avoid their eyes.

Just as everyone was struggling to hide their disappointment, Kojiro Shinomiya uttered in a very weak voice, "It's delicious..."

'

"Wait! Didn't Shinomiya-senpai just say it was delicious?"

Hinako Inui, who was closest to him, suddenly widened her eyes. She jumped in front of Kojiro Shinomiya, almost pressed herself against him, and kept asking him questions.

"Shinomiya-senpai, could you say that again? Nobody heard me clearly, and I didn't hear you either!"

Did you just say it was delicious?

"Say it! Say it! Say it again!"

"The thought that Shinomiya-senpai, with his outrageously bad temper and a personality even more stubborn than a rock, would actually praise someone else's cooking?"

"This is news that's practically a world war!"

Hinako Inui became more and more excited as she spoke, and began to use a "relentless pursuit" tactic on Kojiro Shinomiya.

I want to hear it!

"Shinomiya-senpai, please say it again~"

"Come on! Repeat after me, it's very delicious!"

"You're so annoying!" Kojiro Shinomiya impatiently shoved Hinako Inui away. "You misheard me, I didn't say that!"

"Tch! Shinomiya-senpai is so dishonest!" Hinako Inui pouted. "He did say that, didn't he..."

'

"Bang!"

Kojiro Shinomiya grabbed Hinako Inui's face, squeezed it tightly, and lifted her into the air.

"It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!"

Hinako Inui suddenly felt as if her skull was being gripped by a tremendous force, the pain so intense it felt as if her bones were about to be crushed.

She struggled desperately, but she was lifted up and her short legs kicked in the air, but to no avail.

Inui Hinoko could only cry and beg for mercy.

"Shinomiya-senpai, I was wrong! Put me down!"

"Please! Waaah...it hurts so much!"

The moment Shinomiya Kojiro let go, Inui Hinako landed and immediately darted back several meters, turning around and sticking her tongue out at Shinomiya Kojiro.

"Pah! Pah! Shinomiya-senpai is just not being honest! I wasn't wrong at all!"

Kojiro Shinomiya silently raised his hand to his forehead, completely unsurprised by Hinako Inui's reaction.

In the end, it was Dojima Gin who stepped in to smooth things over.

"Haha! Oh well, the fact that Shinomiya even complimented someone else's cooking is already an improvement!"

Seki Morihei, who had been silent to the side, nodded approvingly, clearly agreeing with Dojima Gin's words.

The next second, Guan Shouping looked at Lin Yu, his eyes full of approval.

"I have to say, although I had already overestimated Lin Yu's strength as much as possible before."

"But the shock you've brought us is still beyond our expectations."

Guan Shouping closed his eyes, seemingly savoring the taste from just now.

"Lightly toasting the vegetable slices...this simple technique is brilliant! It further concentrates the flavor of the vegetables!"

"Not only that, their vegetable sauce preparation is also amazing!" Dojima Ginya joined the discussion.

"Tomatoes contain glutamic acid, one of the sweeteners. After being grilled over a flame, the flavor of the tomato is further enhanced, allowing the tongue to perceive a more intense sweetness!"

Hinako Inui raised her hand high, "I think it's the solidified sauce on top of the vegetable slices that's truly eye-catching!"

Hinako Inui subconsciously licked her lips. "It has a pudding-like texture and a rich, caramelized flavor. It's absolutely amazing!" "Wait a minute!"

Squatting on the chair with a blank expression, Fuyumi Mizuhara also spoke.

"I admit it tastes great... but compared to the taste, the use of three different types of ingredients is more noteworthy, isn't it?"

Fuyumi Mizuhara held up three fingers.

"The nuts have a rich and intense aroma after roasting."

"A refreshing, cooling herb."

"The eggs and milk also provide a silky, refreshing milky flavor."

"Three different ingredients blend together harmoniously in one sauce, without any jarring effect, as if it were created perfectly by nature!"

"Isn't this a more valuable move?"

Listening to the instructors' enthusiastic discussion, Shinomiya Kojiro suddenly spoke up: "That's not right!"

"None of you have addressed the most crucial point!"

Under the curious gazes of the crowd, Shinomiya Kojiro looked at Lin Yu.

"If I'm not mistaken, the finishing touch to this dish... should be lavender, right?"

"Lavender?!"

Amidst the gasps of surprise from the crowd, Lin Yu smiled and nodded.

"To be precise, it's a specially blended lavender essential oil."

"Ask a question!"

Like a primary school student in class, Hinako Inui raised her right hand high and asked, "I remember lavender essential oil isn't edible, is it?"

"That's why I emphasized that it's a specially blended lavender essential oil."

Lin Yu took a small glass bottle out of his pocket.

Everyone stared intently, and saw that the glass bottle contained only a small amount of lavender essential oil, which shimmered with a dreamy purple hue.

"Regular lavender essential oil is certainly not recommended for consumption."

"However, this essential oil of mine is homemade. It is not only diluted, but also made using a different method. In addition, it is only consumed in small quantities."

"So please rest assured, there will be no problem."

Upon hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Lin Yu, how did you come up with the idea of ​​using this?" Dojima Gin couldn't help but ask.

His question also piqued everyone's curiosity.

Lin Yu shook the glass bottle in his hand and explained with a smile, "Lavender not only has a charming floral fragrance, but when it is made into essential oil, the fragrance can be made even stronger while retaining the light and soft texture of lavender."

As he spoke, Lin Yu leaned closer to the glass bottle, took a deep breath, and revealed a pleasant smile.

"This elegant fragrance is truly delightful, isn't it?"

Upon hearing Lin Yu's words, everyone subconsciously nodded in agreement.

Lin Yu's voice continued.

"At the same time, lavender essential oil also has the effects of calming the mind, relieving tension, relieving fatigue, promoting digestion and sleep, and so on."

"After being processed using special techniques, adding an appropriate amount to dishes can bring people a sense of peace and joy."

"You mentors must be quite tired these past few days, right?"

"The calming components in lavender can help relieve fatigue, soothe the mind, and bring a sense of peace and relaxation."

Lin Yu's gaze quickly swept over the graduates, finally landing on Shinomiya Kojiro.

Lin Yu smiled and said softly, "It's especially suitable for Chef Shinomiya, isn't it?"

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