Food Wars, my food not only glows!

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　"You lost too. Didn't you say you were going to dominate Totsuki and crush everyone? You're already done for in the semifinals?"

　At the entrance to the Moonlit Sky Gate, Takumi Aldini leaned against the door, watching Soma Yukihira emerge, his gaze on him somewhat complicated.

　"At least I'm better than you who was eliminated in the first round. I managed to make it to the semifinals."

　Soma Yukihira glanced at Takumi Aldini and said with a hint of sarcasm, then walked straight ahead without intending to say anything more to him.

　"I was just unlucky to lose the first round. What are you going to do now?"

　Despite Soma Yukihira's coldness, Takumi Aldini persisted and followed him, abruptly asking the question beside him.

　The two became acquainted through conflict, as Takumi Aldini was extremely displeased with Soma Yukihira due to Takumi's outrageous remarks at the start of the school year.

　Coincidentally, the two had been assigned to the same class just two weeks prior, so he took the initiative to challenge Soma Yukihira, and the two ended in a draw.

　"To put it another way, are you really willing to accept this?"

　"What can we do? We're not as skilled as them. We'll just go back and work twice as hard to win next time."

　Upon hearing Takumi Aldini's words, Soma Yukihira acted quite nonchalantly.

　He had tasted Liu Yu's cooking, and it was unbelievably good. It was something he couldn't possibly compete with right now, so even if he didn't want to admit defeat, he had no choice but to.

　"When will we get another chance? The Fujian Youth Chef Competition in China is open to anyone under 30. Let's go and participate!"

　Takumi Aldini's voice was filled with excitement as he spoke, blocking Soma Yukihira's path and making him stop to listen to him.

　"The Fujian Youth Chef Competition, you mean the competition that Teacher Bai Yuan talked about in the square on the day the list of selected contestants was announced, right?"

　Looking at Takumi Aldini blocking his way, Soma Yukihira felt somewhat helpless, but he still stopped to listen to what he had to say.

　"That's right. I checked the official forum. All you need to do is pay the registration fee in advance, go to the venue on the day of the competition to participate in the preliminary round, and if you pass, you can enter the main competition."

　"Preliminary rounds? Main competition?"

　It means it's the same as here.

　Upon hearing Takumi Aldini's words, a hint of doubt and surprise flashed in Soma Yukihira's eyes. Could it be that Totsuki's tournament was modeled after China's?

　"They are different, or rather, they are very different."

　Take the preliminary rounds as an example. In Chinese cooking competitions, the contestants are given a recipe and a large quantity of ingredients on-site, and they are required to modify the dish according to the recipe within one hour.

　"Do you modify the dishes on-site and then prepare them?"

　Soma Yukihira was amazed. Compared to the Totsuki Culinary Academy's selection competition, the difficulty of modifying and serving dishes on the spot was much higher.

　"That's right, this is just the preliminary round. The later rounds will be even more exciting. If you follow the whole round, your cooking skills will definitely improve a lot!"

　Takumi Aldini looked excited. Even if he didn't participate in the competition, it would be good to broaden his horizons, since it was a contest between top chefs.

　"I already know what happened, so why did you come to find me?"

　Soma Yukihira voiced his doubts: with so many students at Totsuki Academy, including his own younger brother, why didn't Takumi Aldini go to them instead of him?

　"You can fight me to a draw, which proves that your strength is comparable to mine. Plus, I happen to be going to China and need a partner, so I found you."

　As he spoke, Takumi Aldini looked at Yukihira Soma with great enthusiasm. Soma had just lost an important match and was feeling frustrated, with nowhere to release his pent-up passion. Takumi Aldini's chances of winning him over were not low.

　Actually, he had already contacted quite a few people before, but none of them were willing to travel far. Now he could only try his luck with Soma Yukihira.

　"Going to China...?"

　Soma Yukihira hesitated slightly. If he could, he wouldn't want to run that far, but the race really excited him.

　"The competition is held during the fall break, which provides enough time for travel to and from the venue. The airfare is also affordable for a normal family."

　Seeing Yukihira Soma's interest and hesitation, Takumi Aldini went on to say more.

　"Oh right, there's still the plane ticket issue to resolve."

　Thinking about it carefully, accommodation also adds up to a significant amount of money.

　However, to his surprise, Soma Yukihira's brows didn't relax; instead, they furrowed even more. After his father passed away, the allowance he received was barely enough to survive, enough to buy ingredients for the competition, and nothing more.

　"Um??!"

　Hearing Soma Yukihira's whisper, Takumi Aldini was full of doubt. Was it that this guy didn't want to go, but that he didn't have enough money?

　There are even poor people coming to study at Totsuki Academy!?

　“I’ll go with you, but you need to help me calculate how much this trip will cost. I’ll earn enough in the meantime.”

　As he spoke, Soma Yukihira looked at Takumi Aldini. He had a skill and could naturally make money, but he needed some time to prepare.

　"Okay, I'll send it to you on LINE later."

　Upon hearing Soma Yukihira's words, Takumi Aldini looked at him with some complicated feelings. He knew that not offering financial assistance would hurt the other man's pride.

　"That's it."

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　As evening fell, the sun began to set.

　Megumi Tadokoro and Hisako Shinoto entered from the east and west sides of the arena respectively, each carrying a basket filled with taro of varying sizes.

　"Xiao Hui, let's have a battle that neither of us will regret."

　"That's exactly what I was thinking. With Teacher Bai Yuan watching from above, there's no way I can lose."

　"That's what I wanted to say too."

　A faint smell of gunpowder permeated the air.

　Although they usually had a good relationship, the two were now at odds, turning their gazes to Bai Yuan in the audience almost simultaneously.

　This is a battle that will determine who will be more valued in the future, and we cannot afford to lose!

　"The theme of the last competition was desserts, and the theme of this competition is taro. Both contestants are showing great fighting spirit. So, cooking... let's begin!"

　Seeing that both sides were in a state of preparation, Dojima Gin stood up with the microphone in hand, then spread his five fingers towards the audience with a serious expression.

　"Oh!"

　At the same time, a loud commotion erupted in the audience, everyone's face filled with excitement as they watched the two contestants intently.

　"Hisako has brought out the ingredients."

　"That's...fatty meat?"

　"No, that's not right. To be precise, it's pork fat."

　Seeing Hisako Niito take out the ingredients, the members of Polar Star Dormitory spoke up, their faces revealing scrutiny and curiosity.

　"Hisako Shinoto, an expert in medicinal cuisine. What kind of dishes will she make when using taro, which can be considered a medicinal ingredient?"

　On the judges' panel, Kikuchi Sonoka lightly touched her lips with her finger, her face revealing a strong sense of curiosity.

　"As a descendant of a family of medicinal cuisine practitioners, Hisako grew up surrounded by medicinal herbs. This accumulation is enough for her to make good use of taro as an ingredient."

　Hinako Inui nodded, acknowledging Hisako Shinoto's abilities.

　"That's right, this topic is still very advantageous for her. The heir of a family of medicinal cuisine, a super elite who has received formal education from Yuanyue since the first year of junior high school, Hisako Shinto."

　She even defeated Hayama Akira, a strong player in the school, with absolute strength, making her a strong candidate for the Elite Ten after Nakiri Erina.

　Although Dojima Gin didn't speak, his gaze remained fixed on Shinoto Hisako.

　The opponent defeated Hayama Akira, whom he had previously favored; she is definitely a dark horse and a truly remarkable young girl.

　"It's highly likely that Shinto will win this match."

　“That’s right. She’s been by Erina’s side for so many years, she must have learned a lot of skills.”

　In comparison...

　As they spoke, many students from Totsuki Academy in the audience turned their gazes toward Tadokoro Megumi.

　Compared to Hisako Aragaki, Megumi Tadokoro wasn't very well-known at Totsuki Academy, and even spent a long time at the bottom of the rankings. This time, she somehow made it to the finals, which can be considered a huge upset.

　"Xiao Hui has a very solid foundation and has worked very hard all the way. She is willing to delve into her studies no matter how difficult it is. She is a hard-working genius."

　Hearing the surrounding chatter, Bai Yuan slowly spoke to Nakiri Alice beside him, his eyes carrying a somewhat ambiguous meaning.

　Megumi Tadokoro's talent wasn't particularly outstanding, at least compared to others, but she worked hard enough, taking it one step at a time, which is why she has reached this point.

　In the past, she was just timid and unable to show her achievements to others, but now, after being enlightened by him, she has become a great chef.

　"There seems to be pork in front of her as well. Did both of them use elements related to pigs?"

　Looking at the ingredients on the counter in front of Megumi Tadokoro, Alice Nakiri looked surprised, as if she hadn't expected the two of them to be so compatible, even though they weren't cooking together, they had chosen the same ingredients.

　"It may not be a coincidence, but taro and pork have been a very compatible pairing since ancient times."

　Firstly, their nutritional values ​​complement each other; secondly, the starch in taro can neutralize the fat in pork. This combination not only improves the taste of the dish but also provides some nutritional benefits.

　Bai Yuan's voice rang out, expressing his approval of both of their choices. With these two combined, no matter what dish they made, the taste would be excellent.

　Inside the playing field.

　Hisako Shinto took the initiative, first peeling and cutting the taro from Lipu, which she had imported from China, into chunks and steaming them.

　Once steamed, remove it from the steamer and simultaneously add...

　Add sugar and lard, then add an appropriate amount of boiling water and stir to make a taro paste with the right consistency.

　On the other side, Megumi Tadokoro took out the taro she had prepared in advance, peeled it with a knife, and after the peel was completely removed, cut it in half and then into semi-circular slices.

　"Taro belongs to the tuber family. It contains a lot of starch and less water than potatoes or even sweet potatoes, making it suitable for steaming and frying."

　As the two women were processing taro, Dojima Gin's voice rang out, introducing the taro to the audience and speculating on their method.

　On the field, Tadokoro Megumi ignored everyone. After processing the taro, she took out a piece of high-quality pork belly with a good balance of fat and lean meat from the food basket, sliced ​​it thinly, and set it aside.

　Are you planning to make a dish similar to eggplant fritters?

　"One layer inside another..."

　In the audience, everyone watched Tadokoro Megumi's cooking and started discussing it. Even Nakiri Alice, who was next to Shirobuchi, peeked over to watch.

　"So that's the dish you were planning to make?"

　Seeing this, Bai Yuan already had the answer in his heart. Taro is a kind of food that absorbs oil, and it will become incredibly sticky and fragrant once the juice is released.

　Adding pork belly and releasing its oil during steaming makes the taro more juicy and enhances its flavor.

　On the table, the pork belly and taro are arranged in layers, then placed in a casserole dish using a bamboo net, followed by a few abalone on the side.

　"Add some more garlic..."

　After placing it in place, lift the bamboo net and put the chopped scallions, ginger and onions into the casserole. Then, Tadokoro Megumi felt that it was not enough, so she took out a few cloves of garlic and started peeling them.

　"Placing various strongly aromatic ingredients at the bottom, so that the aroma will all flow into the taro during the heating process, is a good idea."

　Watching Tadokoro Megumi's actions, Hinako Inui on the judges' panel nodded with approval, noting that this cooking method could enhance the flavor of the taro.

　"Oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, a small amount of steamed fish soy sauce, spare rib sauce, two bay leaves, two star anise, a piece of cinnamon and a piece of galangal."

　After mixing well, add Sichuan peppercorns, dried chili peppers, and Shaoxing wine.

　Then comes the seasoning..."

　While silently reciting the instructions, Tadokoro Megumi moved with exceptional skill. She then scooped up four spoonfuls of sugar, MSG, pepper, and chicken broth, added boiling water to break it up, added dark soy sauce for color, and finally added a spoonful of lard.

　He quickly stirred the sauce in front of him with a spoon, and the rich aroma immediately filled the entire space, making the audience in the front row swallow their saliva.

　"With so many ingredients added, the sauce must be incredibly flavorful!"

　One imaginative viewer exclaimed that just smelling the aroma was almost unbearable, and this was before it was even cooked!

　"I'm sure this dish will taste amazing. It's a shame I'm not a judge, otherwise I could have tasted their carefully prepared dish."

　The front rows of the audience seats are mostly reserved for people who hold high positions in the Japanese culinary world, but even they are not qualified to be judges for the competition.

　This made them sigh with regret.

　Chapter 206 Finalist List: A Huge Upset!

　"She...did she just pour lard directly onto the taro paste?!"

　Suddenly, someone in the audience gasped, and then many eyes fell on Hisako Shinto, or more precisely, on the person in front of her.