"Wait, wasn't the theme Japanese cuisine? This has nothing to do with it!"
"Exactly, how can this pass?!"
"I don't see any elements of Japanese cooking at all."
The groups that just got their dishes rejected were clearly unhappy. Looking at Chef Inui's cheerful face, they still felt uneasy inside.
After tasting a bite, Chef Inui finally put away his gentle smile and slowly set down his chopsticks.
"No... If this salsa was made by mixing chopped anchovies and parsley together, I'd have no problem failing you. No matter how good a dish tastes, it has to meet the customer's request."
"But... this salsa doesn't use anchovies. It uses fermented ayu fish. It's made with salted ayu roe. Normally, it takes more than a week to make salted ayu roe, but this was made fresh, wasn't it?"
Facing Chef Inui's question, Takumi just smiled lightly:
"That's right. We cleaned the ayu fish, cooked the guts in sake, added sweet rice wine, soy sauce, and salt. That perfect balance of flavors creates this rich, freshly made salted ayu roe."
After hearing Takumi's explanation, the other students finally stopped questioning. It seemed they had run into someone tough, so they stayed quiet.
Isami then added:
"That's not all. We replaced parsley with plantain leaves and scallions, giving it a bright green color and fresh taste. And we swapped out garlic, which is common in Japanese dishes, with yuzu pepper, adding a Japanese touch."
Takumi: "Exactly. This is a 'Japanese-style salsa,' made with fresh salted ayu roe as the main ingredient."
After the brothers explained, everyone finally understood the point. Their Japanese-style dish wasn't really about the wild duck. The key was that so-called salsa.
It's originally an Italian sauce, but they made it with a Japanese twist. Even so, the combination blended surprisingly well. In this mountain setting, creating a dish with so many ingredients working together was no easy task.
Chef Inui: "Italy and Japan are different. Since ancient times, Italy has had a meat-centered food culture, and that's true in their hometown too. Ducks, rabbits, wild boars—whatever is in season, it ends up on the table. You two must have learned how to butcher and cook these animals in that kind of environment, right?"
"The sauce made from soy sauce, mustard, black pepper, and honey made the roasted breast meat smell amazing. It paired perfectly with the meat. Both the duck and the salsa stood out on their own and captured the essence of Japanese flavor. So... the two of you really did work together to create an outstanding Japanese dish."
"Takumi Aldini."
"Isami Aldini."
"You pass."
The brothers lightly bumped fists. As always, after working together for years, they knew each other better than anyone. In a paired exam like this, teamwork was key. Takumi and Isami not only got put in the same group, but also showed amazing insight, ingredient handling skills, and the ability to switch between different styles of cooking. They had everything going for them.
The first team to pass had appeared, while the others fell back into their struggles. After watching the brothers' dish, Hachiman returned to his station.
Yukinoshita: "Is it really okay to make this kind of dish? Your opponent is using high-end ingredients, and we... only have a few eggs."
'Seriously, you don't feel awkward talking like that?'
Hachiman shook his head: "I'm not his opponent, and he's not my enemy. Whether he sees me as competition or not, all I need to do is focus on my own work."
Yukinoshita: "Someone with no drive to compete, no ambition... you're like a zombie. No, even worse, you are a zombie."
"Could you not describe my life philosophy so casually?"
"Hopeless."
"Yes, yes..."
Compared to the other side having every advantage, Hachiman felt like he had the worst luck. He never expected the first class would be a group project, and on top of that, he ended up with such a troublesome partner.
Hachiman: "Anyway, let's get started."
Yukinoshita: "I hope you don't slow me down, Zombie-kun."
They just exchanged one glance, then each picked up their tools. Maybe it was because they were in the corner, maybe because there wasn't much time left, or maybe because Hachiman wasn't the type to stand out, but nobody crowded around them like before. Everyone was busy with their own dishes.
The only ones watching were Takumi and Isami, who had already finished cooking.
"Strange... what are they trying to make?"
"Brother, don't you think it's amazing..."
"What do you mean?"
"They just teamed up at the last minute, right?"
"If I remember right, yeah."
"Then how are they working so well together?"
Hearing his brother's reminder, Takumi finally realized it too. If his teamwork with Isami came from years of practice, then what about these two? Why... why do they move like that?
Takumi stared hard at Hachiman, but Hachiman was completely focused on cooking, totally unaware of the pressure.
"No way... this speed..."
"This is way faster than when he faced Mito."
"What happened to him?!"
Even now, Takumi still couldn't figure it out. Meanwhile, Hachiman and Yukinoshita just kept working steadily. Their breathing, the rhythm of their knives, the weight of every cut—it all matched perfectly. Whatever the other needed, the next step was already ready. No glances. No words.
It was like they were each just doing their own thing, yet somehow it all clicked.
Yukinoshita wore a white apron, her long black hair flowing down her back. Even though they weren't as fast as the brothers, from a distance she looked like an elegant angel doing something normal people couldn't.
Takumi and Isami still had no idea what dish they were making. From the start, they only used very simple ingredients. Aside from the broth simmering on the stove, there was nothing unusual.
You can read 25 advanced chapters at my patreon.com/YeyeQiu
Free member can read 2 chapters in advance