The strongest anime shop owner

"Let me see Yukihira Soma! He's really rare! He's even a transfer student in the high school!" Guan Shouping took out Su Luo's information and started looking at it.

"I can always anticipate her progress and support her at any time without disrupting my own actions," Donato Wutongtian thought to himself, stroking his chin.

"And I will absolutely not make any unnecessary movements, keeping my nerves on edge, and trying my best not to disturb Tadokoro Megumi," thought the squinting-eyed Seki Morihei.

"It seems he has some experience honing his skills at the small restaurant in his hometown," they thought. But then they realized it was unlikely: "Not only could he not have developed such skills by just helping out at home!"

"No matter how you look at it, his and Souyi's abilities surpass those of current students!"

"Alright, both sides, let's start wrapping up! The audition is about to begin! Start plating!" At this point, the competition was almost over, and Dojima Gin spoke up.

"Understood!!" After receiving Dojima Gin's message, Soma and the others did not hesitate any longer and immediately began to serve the food.

"Let's start by reviewing Shinomiya's dishes and then serve them," Dojima Gin said to Shinomiya Kojiro, acting as the host.

Sitting on the judges' panel were Donato Gotoda, Inui Hinako, Seki Morihei, and Su Luo. Normally, there are only three judges for a Food War, but since this isn't a formal Food War, there aren't so many requirements; as long as the judging is fair, that's fine.

"Strange, where's mine?" Hinako Inui, who had finally managed to get up from her chair, said to Kojiro Shinomiya.

"You can share your portion with Mizuhara!" Kojiro Shinomiya said calmly, one hand on his hip.

"Just how amazing will the dishes that the graduate of Totsuki Culinary Arts University serve be?" Tadokoro clasped his hands together, watching with some nervousness.

"Oh, I really can't wait!" Donato Wutongtian said to Guan Shouping as he sat in his chair.

"Hmm?" Guan Shouping crossed his arms and looked at the dishes that Shinomiya Kojiro had served, clearly taken aback.

"Huh? This is [chou.farci]? (French-style stewed cabbage rolls)" Looking at the dish that was served, everyone obviously recognized it.

Chou.farci (French-style stewed cabbage rolls: a regional specialty of the Auvergne region of France. This dish is made by wrapping minced meat and vegetables in cabbage leaves and slowly steaming them, similar to the so-called "cabbage rolls" in Western cuisine.)

"These dishes are quite unexpected!" Donato Gotoda said, stroking his chin as he looked at the dishes that Shinomiya Kojiro had brought out.

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Chapter 115 Tadokoro Megumi's Dishes Are About to Serve

“This dish is often made in ordinary French families as well,” Guan Shouping said.

"Shinomiya-senpai's dishes always look impressive, but looking at this dish always makes me feel so uneasy!" Hinako Inui said, resting her chin on her hand and letting out a weak sigh. This result was met with a divine punishment from Kojiro Shinomiya.

Now that the dishes were served, everyone naturally began to eat. After Donato cut into the sycamore field with a knife, wisps of white smoke rose from it, and a delicious aroma immediately filled the air. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow! The aroma of the herbs and vegetables is really whetting my appetite!"

Mizuhara Fuyumi cut off a piece of food, put it in her mouth, and stirred it. A delicious flavor immediately enveloped her body, and a comfortable feeling filled her entire being. She couldn't help but exclaim, "It's so delicious! This filling isn't the pork tenderloin and onion used in regular Korean rolls! It's chicken breast filling!"

"Stuff the cut chicken breast with morel mushrooms and asparagus sautéed in butter, along with foie gras. Then add a silky mousse made with chicken breast, cream, eggs, and whipped cream. Slowly simmer this mousse until it adheres to your tongue and melts away the moment it touches your tongue, transforming into a rich flavor that spreads throughout your mouth!" Mizuhara Fuyumi thought to herself as she ate.

"And what's most noteworthy is the cabbage wrapped around it," Dojima Gin thought, gazing at the dish. "Sawa cabbage has a very strong grassy flavor when fresh, which gradually develops a sweetness after heating. Through a series of cooking processes, the cabbage is stewed to its optimal state, presenting the dish at its best. As a result, the delicate sweetness produced by the cabbage elevates the overall flavor of the dish to a whole new level, as if by magic."

Upon graduation, Shinomiya went to France alone. After several years of honing his skills, he successfully opened his own restaurant in Paris, serving as its head chef. While French cuisine tends to favor meat, Shinomiya's dishes refocused on vegetables, creating a sensation among diners nationwide! Soon after, the residents of the culinary capital began to respectfully refer to this Japanese chef as "The Magician of Legume" for his vegetable dishes.

"Yes! I'm really not happy about it, but it's delicious." Hinako Inui, who had previously had some objections, immediately changed her attitude after eating Shinomiya's cooking.

"He has recombined very ordinary local dishes with keen sensitivity," Donato Wutongtian thought as he ate.

"They've even elevated this ordinary dish to a level that would be served in a high-end restaurant," Guan Shouping thought to himself.

"The chicken mousse melts like silk, and the unique sweetness of the cabbage wrapped around it envelops the entire mouth and body! The magic of this flavor has taken over my tongue and body," Dojima Gin savored the dish and commented in his heart.

"Is this what they call a graduate's dish? They've given ordinary ingredients a new lease on life through their own ideas, creating a new brilliance. The silky mousse texture and the natural sweetness of the cabbage make it taste like a unique dessert, something you can never get tired of." Looking at this seemingly ordinary dish, Su Luo didn't react much. Since it was a graduate's dish, it couldn't be bad, even if it was just a simple dish. But when she tasted it, the deliciousness exploded. The lingering, sweet flavor almost melted her entire being.

At the time, she was just reading comics, so she didn't feel much. But now, after truly experiencing this feeling, Su Luo realized that the gap between her and them was not just a little bit, but a huge gap. She had always thought that even though she had worked so hard, the gap would be big, but she never expected that the gap would be so large. It was really a bit unsatisfying!

"This is magic!! That's right - magic cabbage." After eating this delicious food, everyone felt as if they had become vegetable magicians.

"Ah! I'm so satisfied," Hinako Inui said contentedly.

"Hey! Mizuhara, how does it taste?" Shinomiya Kojiro asked, looking at Mizuhara who was already wiping his mouth.

"If we could erase all memories of Shinomiya before eating him, that would be perfect," Mizuhara said with a sigh, his face still expressionless.

"Oh, that's a real shame!" Shinomiya Kojiro said through gritted teeth, his face dark.

At this moment, Dojima Gin, who was standing to the side, spoke up, his tone tinged with regret: "--But Shinomiya, you really surprised me. I thought I would be able to eat the signature dish of your restaurant, [SHINO'S]!"

"Haha, don't joke around. Dojima-senpai's opponent is just a student." Shinomiya Kojiro suddenly laughed at Dojima Gin's words, adjusted his glasses, and then retorted, "Do you think I would do something so cruel?"

I believe I can do it.

"I think it will discourage my competitors so much that they'll never have the courage to cook again."

""

However, it was clear that Shinomiya Kojiro's wicked character had taken deep root in people's minds, and no one would believe his words at all.

"Opening a restaurant in a prime location in Paris, a fiercely competitive culinary district, and constantly striving to be a rising star chef [I can't lose to my students, can I?]—that's an incredibly genuine sense of pride. If there's anything he can do to stand out—" As he thought of this, Dojima Gin's gaze immediately shifted to Soma and the others, a gesture that spoke volumes.

"Alright, Soma! It's almost your turn to serve the food." After finishing Shinomiya Kojiro's dishes, Dojima Gin said to Soma and the others.

"Yes!"

"Let's go, Tadokoro, Tadokoro?" Soma, seeing Tadokoro lost in thought, knew what she was thinking, so he walked over, patted her on the back, and said, "It's okay, go ahead."

The thought of having someone taste his dishes made Tadokoro jump up. He stared blankly at the food on his plate, his mind wandering. But after Soma patted him on the shoulder, he immediately snapped out of it and walked over.

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Chapter 116 [Rainbow French Jelly]

"Please enjoy!!" Soon, Tadokoro brought out the dishes he had prepared, speaking in a somewhat hesitant tone, clearly indicating how nervous he was.

"Hmm?" Dojima Gin was clearly a little surprised that Tadokoro Megumi had made such a dish.

"Oh!" Donato Goto stroked his chin and looked at the dishes in the field.

"This is... French jelly!!! It's the dish that Shinomiya-senpai made when he judged Megumi to be failing!" Looking at the French jelly with its seven distinct colors, Hinako Inui exclaimed in surprise.

"This is a Rainbow French Jelly made with seven kinds of vegetables!" Tadokoro explained to everyone after serving the dish.

"Hmm, that's interesting. Do you have any complaints about my Recette [French Dish with Nine Vegetables]?" Shinomiya Kojiro was clearly a little surprised that Tadokoro could make such a dish. He calmly put his hands in his pockets and said.

"No, um... I... I wanted to show you my very own Recette," Tadokoro hurriedly explained, like a startled chick, after hearing Kojiro Shinomiya's words.

"Hmm, seven different kinds of minced meat are used to make strips that look like a rainbow?" Guan Shouping looked at the dishes on the plate, stroked his chin, and said, "Then let's try their skills!"

"Yes." Everyone nodded.

The moment Mizuhara Fuyumi cut open the meat jelly, juices slid out. As she was about to eat a piece, Tadokoro closed his eyes, too afraid to watch, and thought to himself, "Ugh! Rating: E."

Because of past failures, Tian had developed a sense of fear. He clasped his hands together, nervously awaiting their comments.

"Delicious!!!" Everyone exclaimed as they ate.

"The minced meat was mixed with potatoes, red grapes, zucchini, and other vegetables, creating seven layers of different colors. Each layer of vegetables was cooked separately, bringing out its own unique flavor. It's truly remarkable that such a large amount of work could be completed in such a short time," Guan Shouping commented after tasting it.

"The sauce has two kinds of sweet and sour lime jelly, and a paste made of several herbs, with perilla as the main ingredient, to make a refreshing herb pesto!" After tasting the two sauces, Zi quickly analyzed them and said, "Oh! Using lime and perilla to match French jelly is a really interesting idea."

"Mmm! The combination of the fragrant stir-fry and the herb sauce is so refreshing and wonderful!" Hinako Inui said while eating.

“The more you chew the tomato mooncake, the sweeter it becomes. It goes very well with sour oranges,” said Mizuhara Fuyumi as she ate Tadokoro’s dish.

"I see! With seven layers of minced meat and two kinds of sauce, you can enjoy 14 different flavors! It makes me want to try even more combinations," Donato Wutongtian said while eating.

Guan Shouping echoed the sentiment: "Hmm, I didn't expect that these brightly colored strips would not only be pleasing to the eye, but also have a positive effect on the taste!!!"

"Oh my, these cherry tomatoes, are they dried tomatoes? Tadokoro?" While tasting them, Gin Dojima quickly noticed this and asked Tadokoro.

"Yes, yes." Hearing Dojima Gin's question, Tadokoro immediately explained nervously, "In my hometown, it snows often in winter. We would store the vegetables we picked in large quantities during the summer so we could eat them in the winter. When I was helping with the drying of things, my mother taught me how to dry vegetables in an oven. She would cut cherry tomatoes in half, sprinkle them with rock salt, and then slowly bake them in the oven at 120 degrees Celsius. This would increase the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes and make them very delicious. I wanted to add that to my French jelly to add a little something special."

"Hmm, tomatoes contain glutamic acid, one of the umami substances, and drying concentrates this umami, enhancing the sweetness perceived on the tongue." After hearing Tadokoro's explanation, Gin Dojima said, "Shinomiya's 'Nine Vegetable French Jelly' allows one to taste the fresh flavor of fresh vegetables—while the ingredients used in this dish are preserved foods, a delicious creation born from practice. It's a 'vegetable French jelly' dish—yet it explores vegetables from completely different perspectives, from the freshness of the vegetables to the mature flavor of the vegetables!!"

"The flavor of this dish seems to permeate the heart, and it exudes the gentleness of Megumi!" Hinako Inui said, stroking her cheek as she ate.

"Ah, if Shinomiya-senpai is the [Legume's Magician], then Megumi is the [Legume's Krupokuru] who brings the blessings of nature to people!" Donato Gotoda commented, savoring the scent.

After Donato Gotoda said that, Inui Hinako immediately retorted, "No! You're wrong. Megumi is the [Legume's Zashiki-warashi] who brings me happiness."

"Or perhaps it's the [Snow Child of Legume] who brings us the bounty of vegetables from the snow-covered land." Sekimori also commented at this moment.

“It’s not winter now, your analogy is completely inappropriate!” Inui Hinako immediately retorted upon hearing Seki Shouping’s comment.

"Speaking of which, why are all your metaphors related to monsters?" At this moment, Mizuhara Fuyumi, who had been silent until now, complained to the group.

Su Luojun seems to have been forgotten by them, and has really become just a background character.

"It felt like a dream. I kept failing and losing confidence. I was also at the bottom of the class at school. Yet, the dishes I made were praised as delicious by people I only ever saw in picture books and magazines, people I admired." After hearing their comments, Tadokoro covered her mouth, tears streaming down her face. She had failed so many times. When she was finally recognized, the feeling was something that those who hadn't experienced it couldn't understand.

"Huh? By the way, Su Luo-kun, why haven't you said anything?" At this moment, Inui Hinako seemed to have noticed something and said.

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Chapter 117 Choice

Well! These words immediately attracted everyone's attention. Su Luo originally wanted to keep a low profile, but now, he suddenly had an urge to strangle Inui Hinako.

"Hehe, I think they're all delicious." It seemed there was no way to escape it, so Su Luo gave a stiff smile and spoke somewhat awkwardly and incoherently.

After everyone's view was clear, Su Luo slowly breathed a sigh of relief, wiped the cold sweat from her forehead, and thought to herself, "Damn, these people are terrifying. It's all that Hyuga-ko's fault."

Although the composed Su Luo wasn't afraid of them, just imagine the feeling of being watched by everyone, like being targeted by a pack of wolves—it's unbearable to even think about.

"Alright, let's begin the judgment." Seeing that they had almost finished eating both dishes, Dojima Gin took out a coin and said to everyone, "Use this coin instead of the ballot."

“Each of the judges has a coin. Shinomiya and Kazuta, please cast your votes for these two.” On either side of a table stood the two contestants, each with a plate in front of them, and Dojima Gin stood in the middle and said this.

"Which side do you think tastes better?"

Facing the final result, Tian closed her eyes, unable to bear it any longer, and prayed incessantly. She recalled her past failures and how she had chosen to run away out of fear. But this time, she was determined to stay and face the dishes she made with utmost seriousness. She didn't want her life at the academy to end like this. She wanted to keep striving forward with everyone and keep researching new dishes. So she prayed that God would understand her heart and help her win this competition.

However, when Tadokoro opened her eyes, it was as if God hadn't heard her prayers and was instead playing a joke on her. She found the plate in front of her completely empty, without even a single vote. She was stunned.

"Ha, what a pity!" Shinomiya Kojiro said to them with one hand on his hip and the other gesturing in the air, in a victorious manner. "However, you don't need to feel discouraged, because this is an expected result."

"Well then, I have to get up early tomorrow, so please excuse me." Ignoring everyone's expressions, Shinomiya Kojiro adjusted his glasses, greeted everyone, and turned to leave. As he turned back, he waved to everyone and said, "Thank you for your hard work, everyone."

"Did I fail again?" Soma knew the gap between himself and the graduates, and he thought he could put up a fight, but he didn't expect to lose so decisively. For a moment, he was a little lost in thought. Then he took off the white cloth from his forehead, forced a smile, looked at Tadokoro, and said, "Tadokoro, I'm sorry, I couldn't help you."

Seeing Tadokoro's dejected expression, Soma couldn't help but comfort him, "But you have to hold your head high, because you made such a wonderful dish."

"How could this happen? No, Soma-kun did nothing wrong! It's all my fault, I'm even sorry to Soma-kun!!" At this moment, Tadokoro could no longer bear this overwhelming blow, and tears streamed down his face as if they were free. Because of him, Soma had been forced to drop out of school, and a feeling of self-blame rose up in his heart, piling all the blame on himself.

"The difference in strength between the two sides is obvious. It can be said that Shinomiya has won an overwhelming victory," said Dojima Gin, arms crossed, looking at the result.

Seeing Shinomiya Kojiro about to leave, Dojima Gin called out loudly, "Shinomiya, there's still one person who hasn't voted! Don't you need to rush off like this?"

"Even if he votes for Tadokoro and the others, it won't change anything, right, Dojima-senpai?" Okay! Shinomiya Kojiro completely ignored Su Luo's presence and said nonchalantly, but that was the truth. After all, the result was already obvious, and the last vote was practically irrelevant.

"Oh? I remember someone as perfectionist as you wouldn't allow something like this to happen, would you?" As Shinomiya Kojiro said this, a sly glint flashed in Dojima Gin's eyes, and he said it like this.