Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma (2015–…): Season 1, Episode 23 - The Competition of the Blossoming Individuals - full transcript
Alice, Hisako, Takumi and Megumi are all on track to make it through the round, but in Group A, Sendawara Natsume keeps scoring contestants with 0's! Later, Alice's aide, Kurokiba Ryo finally reveals his true colors.
Zero points!
Zero points!
Zero points again!
A BLOCK JUDGING IN PROGRESS
A VENUE
Is zero the only score
Natsume Sendawara can give?
It's not like her machine's broken, right?
Alice Nakiri's servant, huh?
What kind of food is he gonna make?
Apparently he had long lines at
the training camp's 200-dish challenge.
RYO KUROKIBA
A BLOCK
That's the boy
who prepared lobster, isn't it?
He's like a different person
when he's cooking though.
The contrast of the fiery red
of the lobster
and the bright yellow of
the saffron rice is quite beautiful.
And it's been expertly treated so that
the legs and the antennae pose no danger.
SHIGENOSHIN KODA
GOURMAND
True... the presentation shows
a grace and refinement...
MAKITO MINATOZAKA, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER,
POPULAR TV SHOW "IS THAT THE KITCHEN?"
...rare outside of fine dining.
Several restaurants serve lobster curry.
A seafood curry is nothing to boast about.
Forest...
Deep forest...
What is this?
What is this aroma?
That's the first time Natsume-sama
has taken a second bite!
How does it taste?
What's it like?
THE UNFOLDING INDIVIDUAL COMPETITION
Here in A Block...
YUA SASAKI
A BLOCK EMCEE
...Kurokiba is currently being judged.
Aaahhhh...
Its base is a sauce américaine,
a French sauce made by straining
the shells of crustaceans.
This rich, woody scent...
It's actually...
Cognac!
That's a top-quality brandy made in
the area around the western
French city of Cognac, yes?
I see!
Brandy is infused with the scent
of wooden casks as it's left to age.
That's why this curry has
the rich aroma of cedar and sandalwood.
That's right.
Also, I used a top-shelf Napoleon cognac
to enrich the scent.
To think, the aroma of cognac
could enhance curry so greatly!
This is the perfect lobster French curry!
This is the first time someone's gotten
a reaction from the judges!
Sure enough, that guy is something else!
It's been a while, Erina.
I'll introduce you.
I have an aide now too.
You have an aide?
Yes!
I took him in, in Northern Europe.
What, like some kind of dog?
Anyway, introduce yourself.
Hi.
I see...
It seems he's skilled enough
for Alice to have put her trust in him.
Finally, a dish gets a proper judgment.
Still...
is that really all there is to the dish?
W-- well, it wasn't a bad dish.
I may actually give it a score.
Your score is--
Ah...
Huh?
Oh, okay, here it is.
Not yet!
It's still too soon for you
to stop eatin'!
Was it really necessary
to go through all that?
Droppers?
It would seem these
are filled with cognac too.
There's still a part you
haven't eaten, right?
The tomalley inside the head!
Take this and put a couple drops
in the shell, then slurp it up.
That's the tastiest way to eat it.
"Slurp it"?
How could we do something so crude?
At least split the shell
before you serve it!
What are you holdin' back for?
Wha--
I can tell by lookin' at ya.
Show us your true colors.
The truth is, you wanna wolf it down
right now, don't you?
Once you've slurped
the tomalley and this cognac,
stuff your mouths with roux
and saffron rice again.
It will be so delicious, it will make
what you just ate look like nothin'.
More delicious?
The delicious seafood flavor
explodes in your mouth,
blending with the rich, woody aroma!
My consciousness...
It's flying away!
Kurokiba scores 93 points!
Awesome! He totally took the lead!
Awesome! He totally took the lead!
I don't believe it!
Ninety-three points?
I thought for sure that Akira Hayama
would sweep A Block.
This guy is one heck of a dark horse!
For as long as I can remember,
I have been pressed toward this...
to the Food War stage!
This place is a letdown!
That score is amazing!
How could someone jump that far ahead?
Well, that's that.
Ninety-three points?
RYO KUROKIBA
HARUKA NEGAMI
That was a surprise, huh?
At his age, 70 or 80 points
should be the most he can get.
Th-- that completely blindsided me.
I never expected such an incredible dish!
I need to calm down.
Well, th-- th-- the next contestant,
please!
Th-- this is...
Go on, eat up.
My curry dish is...
a Dongpo pork curry bowl!
Dongpo pork takes pork belly and simmers
it in soy sauce and other ingredients,
but look of the beauty of this meat!
It's glistening!
The meat is cut so
that it has three layers,
alternating between lean meat and fat.
Thus, in some regions
it's called, "three-layer meat."
What's more, the meat wobbles
simply by lightly tapping the bowl.
For it to be so tender and yet
so thoroughly simmered...
That takes an incredible sense
of temperature control!
We're now in the realm of the senses.
My tongue is rejoicing before
I've even eaten it!
Mito-san's dish has made
a good impression too, huh?
Way to go, Nikumi!
That's awesome, Nikumi!
The meat is cut in thick cubes,
and is sure to have absorbed
the umami of the soup!
I want to grab that meat and bite into it!
What would it be like?
W-- wait a moment...
I still haven't recovered from
the shock of that lobster curry.
To have it followed up
by a dish like this...
What's wrong?
Take a big bite.
Taste the pleasure of
the highest-quality pork.
Meat!
TWITCH TWITCH
It's velvety smooth...
The moment you bite it,
the meat's juices spill out
like a waterfall!
The distinctive smell of skin-on
pork belly is masked by spices,
so what hits the tongue is the sweetness
of the fat and richness of the curry.
This is so delicious!
First I parboiled the shank, then
pan-fried the surface to a savory finish.
Then I simmered it in
soy sauce, oyster sauce,
Shaoxing rice wine,
and other flavor agents.
My aromatic spices were star anise,
ginger, and Sichuan pepper.
But why?
The meat is cut so thick,
so why is it this easy to eat?
I see, it's this rice!
The rice has been mixed with a little rock
salt and teng jiao you, a flavoring oil!
The numbing sensation
and refreshing scent of ten jiao you
makes this oil set the heart racing!
That makes you crave the sweetness
of the fat, and the cycle continues.
This bowl dish has created
a chain of deliciousness!
U-- um, there are still
other dishes to judge,
so please eat in moderation.
-Not possible.
-Huh?
Talk all you want, but to stop
eating this is just not possible!
Ikumi Mito...
When she entered Tohtsuki,
she had a sense for meat-based cuisine
far above the others,
but her attention toward
other ingredients felt lacking.
However, her cooking has clearly evolved.
The fat and the smoothness of the curry
make a harmonious combination.
Such a sense of euphoria!
There is no better way of cooking
to properly taste skin-on pork belly.
The destructive force of this dish
is enough to make you think that!
She truly is the Meat Master!
No, she's more than that...
Meat!
-The Meat General!
-Meat!
Meat on!
Mito scores 86 points!
There it is! She got a top score!
She went straight to 2nd place!
Damn! I didn't reach 90 points.
Nikumi, you're awesome!
That looked so delicious!
Well, you helped me, Yukihira.
You can eat rice bowls
with one hand, right?
You really get it, huh?
Nikumi, good job!
Thank goodness!
At last, this has become
more like a competition.
Well, let's keep things going.
Next up is Ryoko Sakaki.
Please enjoy...
Everything that I have to offer.
It looks kinda normal, right?
It doesn't have much impact
compared to that last dish.
This is a dal, or a bean curry.
This dish is similar
to Indian channa masala, eh?
Why is it so thick?
It's natto!
Stickiness and umami
intertwine on the tongue!
Has natto ever been this delicious?
No, this is no normal natto.
Don't tell me it's...
It's natto that was finished using coals:
char-fired natto.
ENSURE PROPER VENTILATION!!
I kept charcoal burning in the basement,
preserving the optimal
temperature and humidity.
Then I spread natto spores over soybeans,
fermenting them over dozens of hours.
I nurtured it over the course
of the summer vacation.
She used charcoal to slowly age it.
That method makes
the flavor especially strong.
Because that doesn't kill the bacteria,
it keeps natto's ammonia odor in check.
But no, that's not all!
What is this umami that reverberates
on the tongue like a deep bass?
I also added soy sauce koji
to give it more flavor.
Soy sauce koji?
Soy sauce is mixed with malted rice,
then fermented at room temperature over
several weeks to make a flavoring agent.
I get it.
So that black stuff she's carried around
while cooking is soy sauce koji!
And that consistency was from natto!
Soy sauce koji's umami component,
glutamic acid,
is ten times stronger than salt koji!
So that's how she was able
to increase the flavor
without it being overpowered
by the strength of the curry.
That is a splendid curry dish,
one that made expert use
of the inner secrets of fermentation.
Thick Japanese-style curry...
It's so well suited
to the stickiness of the natto!
The generous topping of diced
green onions is delicious as well!
It perfectly brings together
the power of soybeans.
I want to call this girl "Big Sis"...
No, "Elder Sister"!
No, "Elder Sister"!
Soy! Soy! Soy! Soy!
Soy! Soy! Soy! Soy!
"SOY" REFERS TO SOYBEANS IN ENGLISH.
FERMENTATION SHOP HEADQUARTERS
SAKAKI CLAN
Sakaki gets 86 points!
The same score as Mito!
Way to go, Sakaki!
You got second place!
RYOKO SAKAKI
Sakaki, you make some
interesting stuff yourself, huh?
Let me have some of that next time!
Sure, of course!
Things are really heating up!
Who's up next?
Oh jeez, him?
Looks like most of the people at
this venue don't expect much of me.
-Marui-shi!
-Marui-shi!
Good luck, Marui-shi!
But I'm going to stir things up.
Okay, go ahead.
Oh, um... uh...
Just calm down.
Okay, I'm Madoka Enomoto.
I'm in the Miyazato Seminar
along with Marui-shi.
Marui-shi, I...
I... M- M-
And our next contestant is Marui!
Please present your--
It's white.
The roux, the ingredients,
everything is white!
These are udon noodles,
and they're infused with cumin.
In other words, this is a curry udon
in your own style, yes?
Yes, it's a white potage curry udon.
It's quite a beautiful dish.
If Kurokiba-kun's dish
was a torrent of colors,
this dish would be a spring
that has fallen silent.
Well, then...
I bet it's not gonna get a great score.
That Marui guy practically collapsed
at the training camp.
U-- um, would someone care to comment?
SLURRRRRP
D-- don't ignore me!
What?
They're all totally eating it!
A soft poached egg,
creamy mashed potatoes,
and lots of hot, melted cheese...
On top of that, the roux is in
the style of vichyssoise!
Vichyssoise:
a chilled pottage made mostly
from potatoes and fresh cream.
It's said to have been created
in 1917 by Louis Diat,
head chef at the luxury
Ritz-Carlton hotel.
At first glance, it looks
quite creamy and heavy,
but the chopsticks move
through it with ease.
That's thanks to the light noodles
and coriander powder.
A mellowness reminiscent of citrus fruits
and select spices
that give it a hint of heat.
They're the perfect match
for the cumin-infused noodles,
with each complementing and
accentuating the aroma of the other!
Such unbelievable pleasure!
For the vichyssoise's toppings,
I also used dill, an essential ingredient,
combining it with its seeds and seedlings
and pan-roasting them
to create an extremely aromatic soup.
To think, you'd come up with something
resembling modern tsukemen
based on the vichyssoise
of over 100 years ago.
This is a splendid dish!
Marui-shi!
Way to go, Marui-shi!
Marui-shi!
It seems this was
the greatest unveiling possible...
Of Zenji Marui's talent, that is.
TAKAO MIYAZATO
INSTRUCTOR, MIYAZATO SEMINARS
Miyazato Seminars researches and analyzes
classic literature regarding fine dining.
Though a first-year, Marui-kun could
be considered an ace among my students.
My cooking sense is nothing remarkable.
Also, I'm weaker than the average person.
That's exactly why I set out
to acquire knowledge,
so that an average guy like me
could devour the geniuses!
This is what we call him:
the Great Professor of Taste!
Marui gets 88 points!
He easily takes the second-place spot!
Marui!
You did it!
Professor! Professor, please look!
Marui-shi got second place!
Yes, he did.
The high scores keep on coming.
Will this momentum continue?
Next up is Ibusaki--
Judging solely by aroma...
this might be the most powerful dish yet!
This is my special smoked curry.
Please, take a bite.
The toppings are smoked bacon,
smoked potatoes, and...
a smoked egg?
You can't smoke anything
and everything, Ibusaki!
But it looks delicious!
I-- in the end, the theme is curry.
This reckless smoking seems like he's out
to destroy the aroma of the spices.
The spices used are coarse-ground
cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, and cloves.
Also, he added apple cooked
over smoke chips.
I see!
That's how he managed to actually elevate
the flavor of the spices
instead of overpowering them?
Yes!
These chips are the optimal way to make
use of the coarse-ground spices.
Prior to smoking,
the coarse-ground spices
were cured in Saumur liquid.
You should get a solid curry
flavor even from the toppings.
The toppings are excellent as well.
The egg really locks in that umami!
Being soft-boiled, the yolk
is jelly-like and oozes out!
But wait, all the ingredients are
perfectly aligned and haven't shifted.
How did he make them so cohesive?
How did he make them so cohesive?
That's it! I get it!
The salt that he added to the spices
has also been smoked!
He even smoked the salt?
But wouldn't that change the flavor?
By the way, rather than ordinary salt,
I used seaweed salt.
Seaweed, which contains a lot of sodium,
is dried and then dissolved in water.
The top layer is then scooped out
and boiled well to create salt.
That's what gives it such
a rounded, mellow flavor.
He was able to harmonize
the curry using smoked salt!
A formidable young man, indeed.
He had the idea of showcasing the flavors
that smoking can produce,
and it was perfectly realized.
Though young, he is able to
manipulate smoking techniques at will!
You are the...
Prince of Smoke!
Eighty-eight points!
Ibusaki is now tied for second!
Wow, they're both awesome!
I've never seen two contestants like this!
You've finally shown people
your true colors, huh?
Like you're one to talk.
You're the secretive type, aren't you?
I guess.
Natsume-sama is starting
to look weak-kneed!
Awesome! Three of the top five
are from Kyokusei!
Huh? Hold on!
Only four can move
on to the finals, right?
What about when the scores are tied?
If this order remains unchanged
by tournament's end,
the five judges will cast run-off ballots.
However...
They're still holding back, huh?
The next contestant is Akira Hayama!
I made enough curry for you as well.
Oh, what a coincidence.
I did the same.
Let's taste and compare.
Fine by me.
8 YEARS EARLIER
Here you go, thank you!
Huh?
Um, this is...
You've got it, so get lost.
I'm busy!
Huh?
B-- but...
That's only about 30% pure.
It's mixed with inferior product
with a weak aroma, isn't it?
Some kid from the slums, huh?
-What basis do you have for--
-I know!
My nose is special.
Are you Chinese?
No, Japanese, huh?
Huh?
This is no place for kids
to come sight-seeing.
AKIRA HAYAMA
7 YEARS OLD
JUN SHIOMI
26 YEARS OLD
Um, I'm 26.
Huh?
Akira Hayama has been named
a candidate to win this year's Selection!
Finally, it's his turn!
His dish would appear
to be a fish-head curry.
It's a splendid dish wherein
the entire head is--
Huh?
Wh-- what's this?
It's so small.
It's not a fish-head curry.
This dough covering the ramekin,
acting as a lid...
It's naan, isn't it?
Please, use your spoon to push the naan
inside the ramekin while you eat.
It's still hot, so please be careful.
The aroma!
It's like a bomb!
TO BE CONTINUED
Subtitle translation by:
Javier Lopez
Zero points!
Zero points again!
A BLOCK JUDGING IN PROGRESS
A VENUE
Is zero the only score
Natsume Sendawara can give?
It's not like her machine's broken, right?
Alice Nakiri's servant, huh?
What kind of food is he gonna make?
Apparently he had long lines at
the training camp's 200-dish challenge.
RYO KUROKIBA
A BLOCK
That's the boy
who prepared lobster, isn't it?
He's like a different person
when he's cooking though.
The contrast of the fiery red
of the lobster
and the bright yellow of
the saffron rice is quite beautiful.
And it's been expertly treated so that
the legs and the antennae pose no danger.
SHIGENOSHIN KODA
GOURMAND
True... the presentation shows
a grace and refinement...
MAKITO MINATOZAKA, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER,
POPULAR TV SHOW "IS THAT THE KITCHEN?"
...rare outside of fine dining.
Several restaurants serve lobster curry.
A seafood curry is nothing to boast about.
Forest...
Deep forest...
What is this?
What is this aroma?
That's the first time Natsume-sama
has taken a second bite!
How does it taste?
What's it like?
THE UNFOLDING INDIVIDUAL COMPETITION
Here in A Block...
YUA SASAKI
A BLOCK EMCEE
...Kurokiba is currently being judged.
Aaahhhh...
Its base is a sauce américaine,
a French sauce made by straining
the shells of crustaceans.
This rich, woody scent...
It's actually...
Cognac!
That's a top-quality brandy made in
the area around the western
French city of Cognac, yes?
I see!
Brandy is infused with the scent
of wooden casks as it's left to age.
That's why this curry has
the rich aroma of cedar and sandalwood.
That's right.
Also, I used a top-shelf Napoleon cognac
to enrich the scent.
To think, the aroma of cognac
could enhance curry so greatly!
This is the perfect lobster French curry!
This is the first time someone's gotten
a reaction from the judges!
Sure enough, that guy is something else!
It's been a while, Erina.
I'll introduce you.
I have an aide now too.
You have an aide?
Yes!
I took him in, in Northern Europe.
What, like some kind of dog?
Anyway, introduce yourself.
Hi.
I see...
It seems he's skilled enough
for Alice to have put her trust in him.
Finally, a dish gets a proper judgment.
Still...
is that really all there is to the dish?
W-- well, it wasn't a bad dish.
I may actually give it a score.
Your score is--
Ah...
Huh?
Oh, okay, here it is.
Not yet!
It's still too soon for you
to stop eatin'!
Was it really necessary
to go through all that?
Droppers?
It would seem these
are filled with cognac too.
There's still a part you
haven't eaten, right?
The tomalley inside the head!
Take this and put a couple drops
in the shell, then slurp it up.
That's the tastiest way to eat it.
"Slurp it"?
How could we do something so crude?
At least split the shell
before you serve it!
What are you holdin' back for?
Wha--
I can tell by lookin' at ya.
Show us your true colors.
The truth is, you wanna wolf it down
right now, don't you?
Once you've slurped
the tomalley and this cognac,
stuff your mouths with roux
and saffron rice again.
It will be so delicious, it will make
what you just ate look like nothin'.
More delicious?
The delicious seafood flavor
explodes in your mouth,
blending with the rich, woody aroma!
My consciousness...
It's flying away!
Kurokiba scores 93 points!
Awesome! He totally took the lead!
Awesome! He totally took the lead!
I don't believe it!
Ninety-three points?
I thought for sure that Akira Hayama
would sweep A Block.
This guy is one heck of a dark horse!
For as long as I can remember,
I have been pressed toward this...
to the Food War stage!
This place is a letdown!
That score is amazing!
How could someone jump that far ahead?
Well, that's that.
Ninety-three points?
RYO KUROKIBA
HARUKA NEGAMI
That was a surprise, huh?
At his age, 70 or 80 points
should be the most he can get.
Th-- that completely blindsided me.
I never expected such an incredible dish!
I need to calm down.
Well, th-- th-- the next contestant,
please!
Th-- this is...
Go on, eat up.
My curry dish is...
a Dongpo pork curry bowl!
Dongpo pork takes pork belly and simmers
it in soy sauce and other ingredients,
but look of the beauty of this meat!
It's glistening!
The meat is cut so
that it has three layers,
alternating between lean meat and fat.
Thus, in some regions
it's called, "three-layer meat."
What's more, the meat wobbles
simply by lightly tapping the bowl.
For it to be so tender and yet
so thoroughly simmered...
That takes an incredible sense
of temperature control!
We're now in the realm of the senses.
My tongue is rejoicing before
I've even eaten it!
Mito-san's dish has made
a good impression too, huh?
Way to go, Nikumi!
That's awesome, Nikumi!
The meat is cut in thick cubes,
and is sure to have absorbed
the umami of the soup!
I want to grab that meat and bite into it!
What would it be like?
W-- wait a moment...
I still haven't recovered from
the shock of that lobster curry.
To have it followed up
by a dish like this...
What's wrong?
Take a big bite.
Taste the pleasure of
the highest-quality pork.
Meat!
TWITCH TWITCH
It's velvety smooth...
The moment you bite it,
the meat's juices spill out
like a waterfall!
The distinctive smell of skin-on
pork belly is masked by spices,
so what hits the tongue is the sweetness
of the fat and richness of the curry.
This is so delicious!
First I parboiled the shank, then
pan-fried the surface to a savory finish.
Then I simmered it in
soy sauce, oyster sauce,
Shaoxing rice wine,
and other flavor agents.
My aromatic spices were star anise,
ginger, and Sichuan pepper.
But why?
The meat is cut so thick,
so why is it this easy to eat?
I see, it's this rice!
The rice has been mixed with a little rock
salt and teng jiao you, a flavoring oil!
The numbing sensation
and refreshing scent of ten jiao you
makes this oil set the heart racing!
That makes you crave the sweetness
of the fat, and the cycle continues.
This bowl dish has created
a chain of deliciousness!
U-- um, there are still
other dishes to judge,
so please eat in moderation.
-Not possible.
-Huh?
Talk all you want, but to stop
eating this is just not possible!
Ikumi Mito...
When she entered Tohtsuki,
she had a sense for meat-based cuisine
far above the others,
but her attention toward
other ingredients felt lacking.
However, her cooking has clearly evolved.
The fat and the smoothness of the curry
make a harmonious combination.
Such a sense of euphoria!
There is no better way of cooking
to properly taste skin-on pork belly.
The destructive force of this dish
is enough to make you think that!
She truly is the Meat Master!
No, she's more than that...
Meat!
-The Meat General!
-Meat!
Meat on!
Mito scores 86 points!
There it is! She got a top score!
She went straight to 2nd place!
Damn! I didn't reach 90 points.
Nikumi, you're awesome!
That looked so delicious!
Well, you helped me, Yukihira.
You can eat rice bowls
with one hand, right?
You really get it, huh?
Nikumi, good job!
Thank goodness!
At last, this has become
more like a competition.
Well, let's keep things going.
Next up is Ryoko Sakaki.
Please enjoy...
Everything that I have to offer.
It looks kinda normal, right?
It doesn't have much impact
compared to that last dish.
This is a dal, or a bean curry.
This dish is similar
to Indian channa masala, eh?
Why is it so thick?
It's natto!
Stickiness and umami
intertwine on the tongue!
Has natto ever been this delicious?
No, this is no normal natto.
Don't tell me it's...
It's natto that was finished using coals:
char-fired natto.
ENSURE PROPER VENTILATION!!
I kept charcoal burning in the basement,
preserving the optimal
temperature and humidity.
Then I spread natto spores over soybeans,
fermenting them over dozens of hours.
I nurtured it over the course
of the summer vacation.
She used charcoal to slowly age it.
That method makes
the flavor especially strong.
Because that doesn't kill the bacteria,
it keeps natto's ammonia odor in check.
But no, that's not all!
What is this umami that reverberates
on the tongue like a deep bass?
I also added soy sauce koji
to give it more flavor.
Soy sauce koji?
Soy sauce is mixed with malted rice,
then fermented at room temperature over
several weeks to make a flavoring agent.
I get it.
So that black stuff she's carried around
while cooking is soy sauce koji!
And that consistency was from natto!
Soy sauce koji's umami component,
glutamic acid,
is ten times stronger than salt koji!
So that's how she was able
to increase the flavor
without it being overpowered
by the strength of the curry.
That is a splendid curry dish,
one that made expert use
of the inner secrets of fermentation.
Thick Japanese-style curry...
It's so well suited
to the stickiness of the natto!
The generous topping of diced
green onions is delicious as well!
It perfectly brings together
the power of soybeans.
I want to call this girl "Big Sis"...
No, "Elder Sister"!
No, "Elder Sister"!
Soy! Soy! Soy! Soy!
Soy! Soy! Soy! Soy!
"SOY" REFERS TO SOYBEANS IN ENGLISH.
FERMENTATION SHOP HEADQUARTERS
SAKAKI CLAN
Sakaki gets 86 points!
The same score as Mito!
Way to go, Sakaki!
You got second place!
RYOKO SAKAKI
Sakaki, you make some
interesting stuff yourself, huh?
Let me have some of that next time!
Sure, of course!
Things are really heating up!
Who's up next?
Oh jeez, him?
Looks like most of the people at
this venue don't expect much of me.
-Marui-shi!
-Marui-shi!
Good luck, Marui-shi!
But I'm going to stir things up.
Okay, go ahead.
Oh, um... uh...
Just calm down.
Okay, I'm Madoka Enomoto.
I'm in the Miyazato Seminar
along with Marui-shi.
Marui-shi, I...
I... M- M-
And our next contestant is Marui!
Please present your--
It's white.
The roux, the ingredients,
everything is white!
These are udon noodles,
and they're infused with cumin.
In other words, this is a curry udon
in your own style, yes?
Yes, it's a white potage curry udon.
It's quite a beautiful dish.
If Kurokiba-kun's dish
was a torrent of colors,
this dish would be a spring
that has fallen silent.
Well, then...
I bet it's not gonna get a great score.
That Marui guy practically collapsed
at the training camp.
U-- um, would someone care to comment?
SLURRRRRP
D-- don't ignore me!
What?
They're all totally eating it!
A soft poached egg,
creamy mashed potatoes,
and lots of hot, melted cheese...
On top of that, the roux is in
the style of vichyssoise!
Vichyssoise:
a chilled pottage made mostly
from potatoes and fresh cream.
It's said to have been created
in 1917 by Louis Diat,
head chef at the luxury
Ritz-Carlton hotel.
At first glance, it looks
quite creamy and heavy,
but the chopsticks move
through it with ease.
That's thanks to the light noodles
and coriander powder.
A mellowness reminiscent of citrus fruits
and select spices
that give it a hint of heat.
They're the perfect match
for the cumin-infused noodles,
with each complementing and
accentuating the aroma of the other!
Such unbelievable pleasure!
For the vichyssoise's toppings,
I also used dill, an essential ingredient,
combining it with its seeds and seedlings
and pan-roasting them
to create an extremely aromatic soup.
To think, you'd come up with something
resembling modern tsukemen
based on the vichyssoise
of over 100 years ago.
This is a splendid dish!
Marui-shi!
Way to go, Marui-shi!
Marui-shi!
It seems this was
the greatest unveiling possible...
Of Zenji Marui's talent, that is.
TAKAO MIYAZATO
INSTRUCTOR, MIYAZATO SEMINARS
Miyazato Seminars researches and analyzes
classic literature regarding fine dining.
Though a first-year, Marui-kun could
be considered an ace among my students.
My cooking sense is nothing remarkable.
Also, I'm weaker than the average person.
That's exactly why I set out
to acquire knowledge,
so that an average guy like me
could devour the geniuses!
This is what we call him:
the Great Professor of Taste!
Marui gets 88 points!
He easily takes the second-place spot!
Marui!
You did it!
Professor! Professor, please look!
Marui-shi got second place!
Yes, he did.
The high scores keep on coming.
Will this momentum continue?
Next up is Ibusaki--
Judging solely by aroma...
this might be the most powerful dish yet!
This is my special smoked curry.
Please, take a bite.
The toppings are smoked bacon,
smoked potatoes, and...
a smoked egg?
You can't smoke anything
and everything, Ibusaki!
But it looks delicious!
I-- in the end, the theme is curry.
This reckless smoking seems like he's out
to destroy the aroma of the spices.
The spices used are coarse-ground
cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, and cloves.
Also, he added apple cooked
over smoke chips.
I see!
That's how he managed to actually elevate
the flavor of the spices
instead of overpowering them?
Yes!
These chips are the optimal way to make
use of the coarse-ground spices.
Prior to smoking,
the coarse-ground spices
were cured in Saumur liquid.
You should get a solid curry
flavor even from the toppings.
The toppings are excellent as well.
The egg really locks in that umami!
Being soft-boiled, the yolk
is jelly-like and oozes out!
But wait, all the ingredients are
perfectly aligned and haven't shifted.
How did he make them so cohesive?
How did he make them so cohesive?
That's it! I get it!
The salt that he added to the spices
has also been smoked!
He even smoked the salt?
But wouldn't that change the flavor?
By the way, rather than ordinary salt,
I used seaweed salt.
Seaweed, which contains a lot of sodium,
is dried and then dissolved in water.
The top layer is then scooped out
and boiled well to create salt.
That's what gives it such
a rounded, mellow flavor.
He was able to harmonize
the curry using smoked salt!
A formidable young man, indeed.
He had the idea of showcasing the flavors
that smoking can produce,
and it was perfectly realized.
Though young, he is able to
manipulate smoking techniques at will!
You are the...
Prince of Smoke!
Eighty-eight points!
Ibusaki is now tied for second!
Wow, they're both awesome!
I've never seen two contestants like this!
You've finally shown people
your true colors, huh?
Like you're one to talk.
You're the secretive type, aren't you?
I guess.
Natsume-sama is starting
to look weak-kneed!
Awesome! Three of the top five
are from Kyokusei!
Huh? Hold on!
Only four can move
on to the finals, right?
What about when the scores are tied?
If this order remains unchanged
by tournament's end,
the five judges will cast run-off ballots.
However...
They're still holding back, huh?
The next contestant is Akira Hayama!
I made enough curry for you as well.
Oh, what a coincidence.
I did the same.
Let's taste and compare.
Fine by me.
8 YEARS EARLIER
Here you go, thank you!
Huh?
Um, this is...
You've got it, so get lost.
I'm busy!
Huh?
B-- but...
That's only about 30% pure.
It's mixed with inferior product
with a weak aroma, isn't it?
Some kid from the slums, huh?
-What basis do you have for--
-I know!
My nose is special.
Are you Chinese?
No, Japanese, huh?
Huh?
This is no place for kids
to come sight-seeing.
AKIRA HAYAMA
7 YEARS OLD
JUN SHIOMI
26 YEARS OLD
Um, I'm 26.
Huh?
Akira Hayama has been named
a candidate to win this year's Selection!
Finally, it's his turn!
His dish would appear
to be a fish-head curry.
It's a splendid dish wherein
the entire head is--
Huh?
Wh-- what's this?
It's so small.
It's not a fish-head curry.
This dough covering the ramekin,
acting as a lid...
It's naan, isn't it?
Please, use your spoon to push the naan
inside the ramekin while you eat.
It's still hot, so please be careful.
The aroma!
It's like a bomb!
TO BE CONTINUED
Subtitle translation by:
Javier Lopez