The strongest anime shop owner

"Well, so, have the candidates for the second round of examiners been decided?" Senzaemon Nakiri quietly looked at Soma and replied. He clearly wouldn't refuse such a task.

“Yes, we started asking several months ago, after all, each of them has a very busy schedule—” Isshiki straightened up and answered respectfully.

In the bathroom of the Totsuki Resort, Gin Dojima, the resort's CEO and board member, was taking a bath while looking at his Apple PDA. On the screen was the newspaper about Soma and his team's upcoming showdown.

After reading the information above, Dojima Gin couldn't help but say, "In the official selection competition... a food war... hehe... it seems his style is still as bold and flamboyant as ever. However, a three-person competition with a food war, this competition is really going to be quite chaotic. Although that's what they say, I imagine the scene will be very exciting."

"Hmm?" Just then, the phone that was lying to the side suddenly rang, instantly pulling Dojima Gin back to reality.

"It's me... Ah, I'd be more than happy to accept." Dojima Gin stood up from the bathtub, answered the phone, finished speaking, hung up, held his phone, looked out the window into the distance, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his lips: "The second round of the official competition... that is, the semi-finals, let me witness it with my own eyes!"

When Dojima Gin saw the report and received the notification, many others also noticed the matter and received the notification. In one place, Donato Gotoda was reading the newspaper. After finishing reading, he said, "On one hand, there's Mimasaka Subaru, who has already plundered a hundred kitchen utensils. On the other hand, there's the warrior Yukihira Soma, who vowed to reclaim the souls of the chefs. The culinary world's Benkei and Ushiwakamaru are about to have a fierce duel! And the final contestant, Su Luo, is Kerido. We await the final result after the two sides' battle! Hahaha! It's really written in a very emotional way... But I really can't find the time to go to the scene to watch the battle. It's such a pity."

In another location, Seki Shouping was also on the phone: "Back then, it was still an informal Food War, and Yukihira Soma's formal Food War... I really want to go see it live. Of course, there's also that little guy. I wonder how far he's progressed. Before he joined Totsuki Culinary Academy, I'd never heard of him being a cook. If he learned to cook in such a short time, that's just too monstrous. Hmm, I heard he's the son of the newly crowned Shura. If I could get in touch with him, I could ask him. If I could bring him over, then..."

Meanwhile, many people are paying attention to this matter, and some have even received related notifications.

The second round (semi-final) of the Autumn Selection Tournament took place on that day...

The atmosphere at this competition was noticeably more vibrant than before. The inclusion of a food battle and a three-person duel in the official tournament was enough to capture everyone's attention. Throughout the week, the newspaper staff were anything but idle. Su Luo's age, his identity as Soma's younger brother being revealed, his achievements in the food battle, and his statement that he couldn't create dishes—what he would do during the competition—all contributed to the public's interest. Besides reports on Su Luo, news about the other two was naturally plentiful. Thus, the topic continued to heat up throughout the week, making the scene incredibly lively. Of course, in addition to them, Hayama Ryo and [unclear - possibly a character or person]...

Even before the competition started, all the guests were dressed in their finest attire, including Mrs. Wenxu. The atmosphere at the venue was already electric.

"Xiaoddi, why are you still here?!" At the place where the competition was about to begin, Su Luo was seen walking slowly towards them. Seeing Su Luo's nonchalant attitude, Ryoko Sakaki's face showed anxiety. Before Su Luo could speak, she grabbed Su Luo and hurriedly walked towards the rest room.

"I wonder how your dishes are coming along?" Ryoko Sakaki asked. Seeing that Su Luo behind her didn't answer, she stopped what she was doing, her face suddenly showing surprise. She said, "You don't really mean it like the newspapers said, that you didn't prepare any dishes at all?!"

"No." Su Luo looked at Sakaki Ryoko, who was looking at her with concern, and felt a warmth in her heart. She then said, "But you don't need to worry. Actually, I've already decided what I want to do a long time ago."

"Is that really true?" Sakaki Ryoko looked at Su Luo suspiciously and said.

"Okay." Su Luo nodded and said.

"That's good." Ryoko Sakaki said with a sigh of relief.

"Oh, don't worry so much. I know what I'm doing. Ryoko Sakaki, stop nagging like an old lady, okay?" Su Luo said without hesitation.

"You wretched brat! May you be punished by heaven!!" After hearing Su Luo's casual remark, Sakaki Ryoko clenched her fist, a large "well" character popped out on her forehead, and then a fist the size of a cooking pot slammed down hard on Su Luo's forehead.

But just as Sakaki Ryoko was about to strike, Su Luo had already run far away. As she ran, she turned back and made a face at Sakaki Ryoko, saying with a grin, "Bye-bye, you nagging old lady!"

"You wretched brat!!" Ryoko Sakaki roared after seeing Su Luo's actions.

However, after Su Luo's figure disappeared into the distance, Sakaki Ryoko couldn't help but smile and laugh out loud. She didn't know what she was thinking, and then she walked towards the stands.

Soon, Su Luo, Chuang Zhen, and Mei Zuo An arrived at their respective control panels, ready to go. The atmosphere at the scene became even more heated with their appearance.

Just then, a voice came from the other side of the stage: "The judges for the Autumn Selection Semi-Finals will be...the five of us."

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Chapter 205 Reviewers and Evaluations

"Wow···"

"Waaaaaah!!"

The voice quickly drew everyone's attention, and when they looked in that direction, the approaching examiners elicited cheers from the crowd. These were all highly influential figures; they were—

Second seat in the 80th session: Hinako Inui - Japanese restaurant [Kiriya]

Second seat in the 79th round: Fuyumi Mizuhara - Italian restaurant [RistoranteF]

First seat in the 69th session: Dojima Gin - Head Chef of Totsuki Resort

Second seat in the 88th round: Kakuzaki Taki - Spanish restaurant [Taki.amarillo]

Seat #1 of Issue #89: Kikuchi Orchard - Western Restaurant [Chungotei]

"The first round of the competition, Yukihira Soma VS Mimasaka Subaru VS Su Luo, cooking begins!!" Under the watchful eyes of thousands, the competition finally began.

"Whoa—! It's Dojima-senpai!!" Yoshino Yuuki exclaimed excitedly as she looked at Dojima Gin speaking on the stage.

"Chef Inui! Even Chef Mizuhara is here!" However, just as Tadokoro Megumi looked over there, Inui Hinako and Tadokoro's eyes met directly. Tadokoro thought to herself, "Sigh... to actually meet eyes at this distance...?"

"Megumi is so cute today..." Hinako Inui thought to herself, looking at Megumi Tadokoro with an expression of enjoyment.

"In addition... Chef Kakuzaki and Chef Kikuchi... both of them are exceptions. They became independent and owned their own castles less than two years after graduation... They can communicate on equal footing with those professional star chefs at such a young age... They are a bunch of monsters!!" Marui looked at Kakuzaki Taki and Kikuchi Orchard, adjusted his glasses, and said. After all, they were extraordinary. Not only were they former Elite Ten, but their strength was also terrifying. In just two years, they had almost caught up with those predecessors. They were definitely two people who could not be ignored.

"They're only a few years older than our 92nd class students... Their aura is really strong..." After hearing Marui's words, Takashi clearly felt a sense of pressure.

Kakuzaki Taki leaned against the railing, looking at Mimasaka Subaru in the middle of the match. He snorted and said, "Just like the report in the Totsuki News... Both of them ordered stewed beef. But what I find strange is that the kid's menu also says stewed beef. I really don't know what they're up to. I mean... that guy is the bastard who spits chewing gum on a cleaver, isn't he? I'd have already tortured him to death if I shook him to death!" As he said this, he already had a plan in mind: "I'll go up to him without saying a word and kick his stinky face hard... then keep beating him until he can reflect on his mistakes... but even if his brain can't reflect on his mistakes, I'll make his body remember what reflection means."

As Kakuzaki Taki thought this to himself, a sinister smile crept across his face, looking somewhat eerie and terrifying: "This kind of training is most suitable..."

“Taki... Taki-senpai! Corporal punishment is not allowed! Although you could be domineering back in the kitchen... times have changed!” As Kakuzaki Taki said this, Kikuchi Kazono immediately stopped her.

"Stop chattering away, you big-breasted monster!" Kakuzaki Taki cupped Toki Hisachika's large breasts in his hands, one in each hand, squeezed them, and then said impatiently, "A cowardly and gloomy person like you shouldn't be running around with these things hanging around!"

Okay! Kakuzaki Taki is just jealous. Who told her that her breasts are as small as an airport runway? So, for her, big breasts are definitely a monster in her mind.

"..." Kikuchi Orchard covered her pitiful chest and burst into tears.

"And then? That guy with the headscarf is from the commoner's restaurant? And I heard he's only been a transfer student for half a year... No way - As for the last kid, I think he's the guy with the headscarf's younger brother, also a transfer student. Even so, I heard he's quite famous in Totsuki Culinary Academy, much better than his older brother. I wonder how good he is -" Kakuzaki Taki looked at the other two contestants on the field, analyzing himself, then turned to Kikochi Orochi and said, "I say... as a professional in Western cuisine, Orochi, you think so too, right?"

"Sigh...yes...I do think it's a bit difficult...because the stew in this theme...is completely different from the stews served in restaurants." Kikuchi Orchard looked at the dish they were making and agreed. Although they were both stews, the seasoning in restaurants and high-end restaurants was vastly different. The taste in restaurants could be described as "mom's cooking," where the best flavor comes from the third bite. You wouldn't get tired of it even if you ate it every day. So, the third bite would bring out that gentle flavor.

Conversely, the seasoning in fine dining restaurants aims to make the deliciousness of the dish immediately apparent from the very first bite. For beef stew in red wine, the flavor might be too mild. The prompt is for a Western main course—meaning it requires a dish with strong character to take center stage. However, adding white miso to enhance the flavor... seems to contradict the theme.

"People who decide the outcome based solely on pre-collected information... are really annoying! Even if someone like that were in a top-tier kitchen, they'd definitely be ostracized." When Inui Hinako heard Kakuzaki Taki's evaluation of Su Luo and Soma, she felt a pang of displeasure. Many people clearly knew she favored them, and Kakuzaki Taki, as one of the examiners, couldn't possibly be unaware of this. For him to say something like that was incredibly embarrassing. So, she stood aside, seemingly unconcerned, and spoke casually to the air, but her words clearly referred to someone who displeased her.

"So annoying - thirty years old -" Kakuzaki Taki said impatiently after hearing this, clearly knowing who the "someone" was referring to. Although Inui Hinako was her senior, Kakuzaki Taki obviously wouldn't give her any face, and her tone was very crisp and decisive.

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Chapter 206 The Creation of Soma

"I'm not even thirty yet! I'm only in my twenties!!" Hinako Inui muttered to Taki Kakuzaki, roaring with obvious dissatisfaction, her voice carrying a playful tone, as if she were... trying to be cute!?

"You're still using the ending tone when you speak! What are you pretending to be cute for!" Seeing Inui Hinako's cute act, Kakuzaki Taki's face immediately broke into a big 'well' shape as she said, quite displeased. In her tomboyish mind, someone who was already 'thirty years old' was still acting cute, which was really childish.

"Mizuhara-senpai! Please talk to her for me!" Knowing she was outmatched, Inui Hinako immediately sought help, pleading with Mizuhara Fuyumi in a slightly coquettish tone. Sure enough... age and all that...

"You can't reveal your real age in front of a woman," Mizuhara Fuyumi said calmly, glancing at Kakuzaki Taki.

However, Hinoki Inui: "..."

That was a really witty remark, wasn't it?

"Understood... Fuyumi-senpai..." Clearly, Mizuhara Fuyumi held a much higher place in Kakuzaki Taki's heart than Inui Hinako. In front of her junior, Inui Hinako's personality was destined to be belittled like this...

"Why do you only use honorifics when you talk to Mizuhara-senpai?!" Dojima Gin, who had been standing silently to the side, chimed in.

"Is that even a question? Of course I'll use honorifics with people I respect!" Hinako Inui said matter-of-factly.

"Haha, these two have such a good relationship!" Dojima Gin laughed after hearing what Inui Hinako said.

"This is not the time to laugh! Go and stop them, Dojima-senpai..." Kikuchi Kazono said to Dojima Gin with a nervous expression as she watched them playfully bickering.

"From the moment you entered this world until today... I still have high hopes... I look forward to seeing your miserable defeat... Let me witness it closely today..." Looking at Soma in the arena, Erina Nakiri thought to herself. After all, Soma had asked her to try his dishes before, so she didn't have high expectations for his performance today. Then she looked at Su Luo, thinking, "I heard you didn't try making any dishes. I really don't know if you were prepared in advance or just arrogant... I wonder what your taxi ride will be like today... um~"

When Erina Nakiri thought of this, she suddenly remembered the dish Su Luo made when she asked her to be an examiner last time—beef offal hot pot. A feeling of nausea rose up in her heart. It seemed that the incident had really left a shadow in her heart.

"The meat Soma is using now is... oxtail...?" Mito Ikumi was taken aback when she saw the ingredients Soma brought out, and then said in a somewhat uncertain tone. It wasn't that she didn't recognize the ingredient, but rather that she was wondering why Soma would use it.

"Oxtail meat!? It's the meat from the cow's tail!!"

"What exactly happened...? When making stewed beef, isn't pork rib meat usually used?"

"Hmm... why did he choose oxtail?"

Obviously, everyone already knew what dish Soma was going to make, but they were quite surprised when they saw that Soma would choose to use oxtail meat. After all, for a dish like red wine stewed beef, almost no one uses any cut other than pork ribs, brisket, or lean meat, especially a special cut like oxtail.

This scene not only sparked a lot of discussion among the crowd, but also surprised the judges, including Erina Nakiri.

"It seems... Soma has already found his own answer." Upon seeing this, Dojima Gin's lips curled slightly upwards as he remarked.

"I understand...! Your idea... your purpose!! Oxtail is the cut of beef... richest in collagen...! After blanching, the oxtail is seasoned with salt and black pepper, coated in wheat flour, and pan-fried until crispy... then mixed with Spanish sauce... at that point, it will combine with the abundant collagen in the meat... creating a collagen-rich sauce! This flavor, combined with the rich Spanish sauce and broth... will create an extremely rich and mellow aroma... In this way, it won't ruin the flavor of the white miso, and it will also enhance..." "This enhances the rich flavor of the dish!! This is Hisako's method... the method Hisako used when making turtle burgers! Although the original moisture of the turtle will reduce the collagen to some extent, the collagen in oxtail meat is just right for stewing...!" Upon seeing this, Erina Nakiri suddenly realized something, because this method was exactly the same as the dishes Hisako had made before, only the ingredients and dishes were different, but the essence of the process was the same. She really didn't expect Soma to think of this method; it was completely beyond her expectations.

"What's with that expression? Don't look at me like that! You bastard, Inui!" Upon seeing the scene, Inui Hinako revealed a cat-like face, with a cat's mouth, a red plug, and a dazed look in her eyes. No matter how you looked at it, she had a smug look on her face. Kakuzaki Taki couldn't stand it anymore and yelled at Inui Hinako.

He added spices to the oxtail meat for seasoning...

What spices did he use?

Looking at the spices that Soma added, you wouldn't know anything about them just by looking at them, since they were already ground into powder.

"That's right...! Clover brings out the mellowness of stews even more!" As a meat expert, Mito Ikumi obviously knew what the spice was. Looking at the oxtail frying in the pot, she thought, "It's obvious to rub salt and black pepper directly into the meat... but adding clover during the marinating process would give the oxtail even more flavor!"

"This time it's cutting vegetables!"

"Strange? Are we even adding vegetables to the pot?"

As Soma grilled the oxtail meat while chopping various vegetables, everyone speculated.

"This combination is... matignon!! It seems he had some considerations...! Doing it that way not only preserves the mild flavor but also increases the richness of the dish. The deliciousness of this dish is definitely... incomparable to the dish that was given to me for tasting a week ago...!" When she saw Soma's action, Erina Nakiri, as one of the Elite Ten, obviously guessed what he was doing. Thinking of this, she habitually bit the tip of her thumb, clearly looking somewhat unwilling.

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Chapter 207 The Copy of a Masterpiece

non: A stew made by chopping radishes, onions, ham, etc., and then sautéing and stewing them in butter. (Madeira wine can also be added for flavor.) This adds the unique sweetness of the vegetables and can be used with various vegetables.

"Wow, Soma-senpai! It's only been a few days since then, and you've already evolved your dishes to this level—" Even though Hayatsuda's cooking skills aren't great, he could tell that Soma's dishes this time were clearly far superior to his previous ones.

"Hiss~" Just then, Soma seemed to realize something and looked at his arm. In his somewhat terrified eyes, a venomous snake was growing larger and larger. The snake opened its mouth wide and stuck out its scarlet tongue, ready to attack at any moment.

"I know everything about you this week: what ingredients you bought, who you met, what dishes you tried making..." Mimasaka's lips curled into an evil smile as he watched Soma finish making this.

"ah···!?"

"Meizuo is frying meat-"

"Oxtail meat...!"

"Mimasaka Subaru... he's using oxtail meat too!!"

While Soma was busy preparing the food, Mimasaka's actions immediately attracted everyone's attention. He was flipping the oxtail meat in the oil pan, then adding clover and black pepper. While simmering, he started chopping the vegetables Non would need. With the same ingredients and seasonings, he perfectly replicated Soma's cooking process. Throughout the entire process, every step was executed smoothly, with a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth, showing that he had everything under control.

If you think this is just a simple matter of copying, then you're sorely mistaken. Even identical dishes, while perhaps resulting in subtle differences, are clearly not enough to determine a winner. Therefore...

"Alright, now... I'm going to start crossing you...!" Just then, Mimasaka made a new move, holding an iron chain in his hand and pulling it up sharply. A piece of steaming meat was hanging from the other end of the chain.

"What···!?"

He hung the meat up...

Mimasaka's action clearly took everyone by surprise, suggesting that he had already begun cooking the meat without their knowledge.