Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma (2015–…): Season 2, Episode 5 - The Secret of the First Bite - full transcript

I'll quit...

being a chef.

If I lose in a Food War to you,

I'll never represent Yukihira again.

You have my word I'll never stand
in a professional kitchen again.

Is that enough of a match for 100 items?

I'll even make things easier for you.

The theme for the second battle
is Western food, right?

I'll be making this.

Huh?

Beef st--

You idiot!
What are you running your mouth for?

Don't just tell him what you'll be making!

He'd find out anyway.

And giving up being a chef if you lose?

You're a real disappointment.

Was cooking never more than something
you could throw away?

Mito-san...

I'm done with you!

Nikumicchi!

Soma-kun?

You'll quit being a chef?

Just getting Takumi-kun's
mezzaluna back would be eno-

Not a chance.

I want all 100 items
you've stolen up till now.

You'll return them
to their rightful owners.

Even if it means betting
everything as a chef,

I will beat you...

Subaru Mimasaka!

Then it's settled.

It's a Food War!

THE SECRET OF THE FIRST BITE

Erina-sama, I suffered
a humiliating defeat.

As such, I have no right
to show my face to you.

I ask that you please grant me leave.

Hisako...

I'M GOING ON A TRIP
HISAKO ARATO

You never asked what I thought.

Beef stew, beef stew, beef stew, beef--

Yukihira-senpai...

It's really you! Aweso--

Ow, ow, ow, ow!

What was that for?

Ah, sorry.

I thought you were
one of Mimasaka's spies.

My name is Mitsuru Sotsuda.

I'm a third-year
in the Middle School Division.

I'm with the Journalism Club!

The Journalism Club, huh?

The whole school can't stop
talking about you, Senpai!

That's why I have a favor to ask!

Will you let me follow you in the week
leading up to the Food War

so I can do a story?

I was so moved when I first
saw you at the Fall Selection!

I'm still a nobody in my division
so they won't give me any major articles,

but if I get enough to write about
what kind of person you are,

I think it will make me a top reporter!

Just freakin' cook.

Please!

No way.

Senpai, please wait!

Yukihira-senpai!

Please let me write about you!

By all means, please!

Please!

What's that about?

They have that kind of relationship?

Uh-oh.

But you like that sort of stuff, right?

I'm so grateful!

Thank you for letting me do this story!

The others have workshops
in the afternoon.

It will help to have someone
taste my stuff objectively.

So you'll be experimenting
with your beef stew, right?

The two focal points of the dish
are simmered beef and demi-glace sauce.

It sounds simple enough, but...

Apparently, some places
that specialize in Western food

spend two weeks just letting
the sauce simmer.

Inconceivable!

So then, you chose this dish because
you're extremely confident in it, right?

Well, whether I'm confident or not...

is all in the taste!

This process will give the finished dish
a much deeper flavor.

Once the meat's got a good color,

you simmer it in stock
and bouillon till it's tender.

Then you bring it to a boil,
but you can't forget to skim the fat.

It already smells unbelievably good!

If you bundle parsley, thyme, bay leaves,
and tarragon into a bouquet garni,

it makes it easy to remove your aromatics
when you're done.

Oh! What a lovely color!

The key is to strain your demi-glace
once you've let it simmer.

That will improve the flavor.

Then season it
with salt and pepper, and...

Okay, it's done!

It's so rich!

The beef is shiny
and so very pretty, right?

Now to have a taste...

The meat is so thick, but it separates
easily using just a spoon!

The moment it enters the mouth,
the meat is so tender that it melts!

Its juices explode when you chew,
mixing with the demi-glace!

It's delicious!

I think of beef stew
as being really acidic,

but yours is so mellow.

Did you notice?

My secret ingredient is white miso.

The trademark acidity of beef stew
comes from tomatoes.

Some people don't care for it very much.

Adding white miso at the end
while it's still simmering

will mellow out that acidity

and make something more in line
with Japanese people's tastes.

Amazing!

I came up with this recipe
when I was a second-year in middle school,

staying up late to make an off-menu item
at the family restaurant.

This is the first dish of mine
that my dad said was good.

JAPANESE EATERY YUKIHIRA
OFF-MENU ITEM 5 BEEF STEW

Wow! You could easily beat Mimasaka-senpai
with this, don't you think?

Nah, not a chance.

This is the same thing
I served him yesterday.

Why did you do that?

He would've found out about it anyway.

Plus, I wanted to level
the playing field, I guess.

This was the best thing I made
before I came to Tohtsuki,

but how far have I evolved?

And will Mimasaka
try even harder to copy me?

That flavor is just the starting line
for this competition.

This is gonna be...

a battle of imagination!

Yukihira and Mimasaka, huh?

The only way to find a winner is
to duke it out in a fight to the finish!

It's no good.

I added cumin and cardamom to flavor the
meat like when I learned to make curry,

but the aroma is all gone.

The demi-glace is too strong.

Adding spices while it's simmering
makes it too strong,

and the mild flavor becomes sharp.

I thought about completely changing
the flavoring agents,

but if the white miso
loses its mellowness,

the dish becomes something different.

I've tried different ideas,
but I can't find the "one."

In my Food War against Nikumi,
I had to combat A5-grade beef.

Then, in the first battle,
I needed to beat molecular gastronomy.

My thinking so far has been to use
my opponent's specialty against them...

but Mimasaka's different.

It's like I'm being chased
by my own shadow.

Hey, Mitsuru, for the next trial dish-

I-I'm full.

You finished each and every dish?

I couldn't leave your cooking
uneaten, Yukihira-senpai!

It's no good.

I know his heart's in it,
but something about him's not working.

Is there anyone
with a good sense of taste?

"You want to...

walk home together, Sachiko?"

"Huh?"

Wait, they only met a few months ago,
but they're walking home alone?

Maybe after this they'll even hold hands!

How lewd!

CONTINUED NEXT VOLUME

I don't have the next one,

and it was at such a good spot!

Hisako!

Where's the next one?

That's right...

What's this?

Erina, don't tell me
there's no one you have feelings for

even though
you're in high school now.

You really are hopeless.

When it comes to love, girls' manga
are the bible for society at large.

Thank you, Hisako!

Hisako always did the legwork for me.

If I wanted something,
she was always at my side.

Hisako, I swear! You get me after all!

I've waited for you!

Hey, if you're free,
wanna taste something for me?

Y- Yu...

Yukihira! Soma!

Such a wonderful smile.

Good thing it looks like
she was welcoming us, huh?

I am not welcoming you.

What are you doing here?

What about the security check?

Oh, your cousin was out
in front of the gate,

and she said I could go in.

Alice!

To think, having Erina-senpai,
the "God Tongue," taste your food!

Still, I heard you're so close

that you rode in the same car
and spoke to each other.

Enough of this nonsense!

Listen here, there are strict guidelines.

Whether you're suitable must be judged,

and you'll have to pay
a sizeable contract fee!

That's how valuable my taste tests are!

For real?

Mitsuru, how much've you got?

Huh? I have to pay?

How could your pocket money
possibly be enough?

In any case, I have no time
to deal with you right now.

I'm busy.

"Busy"? But you're reading manga.

That has nothing to do with you!

I think someone at Kyokusei Dorm
has that manga.

All of them.

Still, if your answer's no,
then that's that.

Wait right there!

Um, w-well...

I'll make an exception today
and have a taste.

But we ain't got money.

Money is not
the only form of compensation.

There's room for negotiation.

However, given the situation,
I can't give you any advice.

I can only gauge the flavor.

Well, if you don't mind.

I simmered the beef with aromatics.

The demi-glace is homemade too.

-The secret ingredient is--
-White miso.

Please remember who you're talking to.

I can tell that much without tasting it.

Wow!

That's the God Tongue all right.

How is it? It's really great, isn't it?

I was so moved when--

It's no good.

This may do for some common eatery,

but you're competing
in a festival of fine dining.

This isn't even close.

It's a joke.

You don't understand
this theme at all, do you?

Well, it's time you take your leave.

Please wait!

Nakiri-senpai, what do you mean?

This beef stew "isn't even close"?

It's just as I said.

To draw a comparison...

No, I have nothing more to say to you.

Goodbye.

About my compensation
for tasting your dish...

lending me the next volume
of this manga will suffice.

I'll let security know,
so you can just hand it to them.

Understood?

I never thought
she'd dismiss it right offhand.

Your beef stew was so delicious
I could have eaten countless bowls of it.

Yeah, she really tore it a new one.

All she did was criticize,

not offering a single hint
or word of advice!

I'm not so sure.

Something Nakiri said
struck a chord with me...

JAPANESE EATERY
YUKIHIRA

Soma-chan, another!

Soma-chan, today's is delicious too!

Yukihira-kun!

Here ya go.

Sorry for the wait.

Eat up!

So delicious!

-It's great!
-Thanks for the food!

Thanks for comin'!

I'm Soma Yukihira.

My dream is to one day surpass my father

and take over as chef of this place.

And...

this is off-menu item 5
at Japanese Eatery Yukihira, a beef stew!

It's delicious!

Youth!

First, I've got to beat this flavor!

This was the best thing I made
before I came to Tohtsuki.

You're welcome.

How far can I evolve?

-It's a battle of the imagination.
-Image training.

He does it every single time.

Well then, Soma Yukihira,

how will you combat this?

U-Um, Yukihira-senpai,
how about we lighten the mood?

Look, the latest issue of Toh Spo
published an article on the semifinals.

Oh! Dojima-senpai, Mizuhara-senpai...

and even Hinako-senpai are coming.

It's been a while.

Speaking of, Hinako-senpai's challenge

at training camp was a dish
centered on Japanese food.

It's kinda similar to this challenge, huh?

Nikumi?

What's up? Is something wrong?

I brought you a present.

For your ties to BowlSoc, that's it.

It's not like you've got
my support or anything.

I just don't want
that thug Mimasaka to win.

Thank you, Nikumi.

I just said I'm not doing it for you!

Anyway, there's no way I'll let you lose
to that fool and stop being a chef!

You hear me? Yukihira!

Sirloin, filet, even rump...

It's an assortment of different cuts.

That's Nikumi all right.

They're all top quality.

There's some interesting stuff
in here as well.

But I'm not sure I can use these.

If I used this meat to make a stew...

You don't understand this theme at all.

Yukihira-senpai, what is it?

I'm grateful to you too, Mitsuru.

I'm glad that you were here.

But...

no more information for you!

What?

Come on! What about my in-depth article?

Senpai!

4 DAYS

FALL SELECTION
3 DAYS TILL THE SEMIFINALS

2 DAYS TILL THE FALL SELECTION
SEMIFINALS!!!

Soma-kun, Here's some cold barley tea.
please drink this if you like. Megumi

1 MORE DAY

Still, for Tohtsuki Resorts' Executive
Chef to personally go judge...

You have that much free time, Dojima-san?

I have a vested interest
in nurturing these youngsters.

I must answer the call to duty.

After all, I'm just some poor chef
employed by Tohtsuki.

Quit holdin' a grudge
against something said with conviction.

I simply stated a fact.

Give my best to Mizuhara and Hinako.

THE DAY OF THE FALL SELECTION SEMIFINALS

FALL SELECTION SEMIFINALS
NOW SEATING

I wonder if he's all right?

It's about to start.

Still not here... Still not here...

Yukihira-senpai,
you barely made it in time!

What were you doing?

Yeah, sorry.

I had to do something.

S-So, did you come up with an idea
to beat Mimasaka-senpai's copycat cooking?

Dunno.

What do you mean you don't...

I've done everything I can.

Now all that's left is to...

have fun cooking, as always.

Brother...

Yukihira-kun just showed up.

He asked me to give you a message,

"Watch my match."

And now, Soma Yukihira makes his entrance.

The first bout
of the Fall Selection semifinals

is once again being held as a Food War.

Yukihira has bet nothing less
than his career as a chef!

Next up is Subaru Mimasaka.

Will he come out swinging
with another perfectly recreated dish?

Now to introduce our judges,

five graduates of Tohtsuki Academy
and all former members of the Ten!

I'm Tohtsuki Resorts'
Executive Chef, Gin Dojima.

1ST SEAT OF THE 69TH GRADUATING CLASS,
GIN DOJIMA

We shall judge firmly but fairly.

For this first bout of the semifinals,
it's Soma Yukihira vs. Subaru Mimasaka.

Let the cooking begin!

2ND SEAT OF THE 80TH GRADUATING CLASS
HINAKO INUI, RESTAURANT "KIRI-NO-YA"

2ND SEAT OF THE 79TH GRADUATING CLASS
FUYUMI MIZUHARA, RESTAURANT "RISTORANTE F"

2ND SEAT OF THE 88TH GRADUATING CLASS
TAKI TSUNOZAKI, RESTAURANT "TAKI AMARILLO"

They're both doing beef stew?

I don't much care for that guy
who stuck his gum on a cooking blade,

but that one with the headband
works in an eatery downtown?

What's more, he barely transferred
in six months ago.

Not a chance.

You agree, Sonoka?

Yes, I think it would be quite hard.

2ND SEAT OF THE 89TH GRADUATING CLASS
SONOKA KIKUCHI, RESTAURANT "SHUNKA-TEI"

That may well be true.

A stew that measures up to this challenge

would be completely different
from that of an eatery.

The taste of eatery fare...

It's said that
the best flavoring will make

the eater think it's delicious
by the third bite.

It's a milder flavor, one that doesn't
impart deliciousness until the third bite

so patrons can visit every day
and not grow tired of it.

The flavors at a high-end
restaurant make one think

a dish is delicious from the first bite,

requiring a taste
that is both powerful and memorable.

Put simply, this challenge
calls for a "forceful" dish,

one that can play a starring role.

And yet, your beef stew is too gentle.

What's more, your idea was to retain
the mild taste of the white miso.

That only takes you further away
from the intent of this challenge.

Today, you will surely show us...

a pitiful, embarrassing loss!

That meat Yukihira's preparing...

It's oxtail!

It would seem Yukihira
has found his own answer.

I get it, I can see your idea,
your intent.

Oxtail has the most gelatin
of any part on the cow's body.

Add salt, pepper,
and flour to parboiled oxtail.

Sauté the surface to a golden brown
then let it simmer.

That way, it will impart all that gelatin

when mixed with the demi-glace.

The thickness of the gelatin will bind
itself to demi-glace or dashi stock,

adding depth of flavor
while retaining that of the white miso.

That's the method Hisako
used for her soft-shelled tortoise burger.

The spice he added to the meat was clove,
which has a sweet, powerful flavor.

Clove is sure to increase
the mellowness of the stew.

What's more, that vegetable
combination is a matignon.

That was a good idea.

Oh! He's going to take minced
carrots, onions, and celery

and sauté them in butter.

You can also simmer them in Madeira wine.

That technique is used in different dishes
to impart the sweetness of the vegetables.

That stew will be far more delicious
than the one from last week.

What's needed here
isn't some gentle flavor

that you can eat bowl after bowl of.

Nikumi's gift ended up being a hint.

With this, I can make a powerful stew,
one where meat plays the starring role!

You said
I didn't understand this theme,

but you're gonna eat those words...

Nakiri!

Everything you've done this week,

what you've bought, who you've met,
what dishes you've tried...

I know it all!

Mimasaka too?

Tail!

For spice, he's added cloves
and black pepper.

He has a matignon too?

It can't be!

They're the same.

He's following Yukihira's
cooking sequence to a T!

Okay, here's where...

I overtake you!

That meat!

Here's my twist!

Subtitle translation by
Javier lopez