Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma (2015–…): Season 2, Episode 8 - The Battle That Follows the Seasons - full transcript
Soma finds himself in a strange place as the finals approach. Testing out recipes might be the last thing he has to worry about compared to the knowledge he lacks.
Soma-kun, are you going somewhere?
Oh, sorry.
Did I wake you?
It's not even light yet.
I'm gonna head out to the fish market.
The fish market?
You're going to check out the saury!
The fish market!
Say, do you mind if I come with you?
Sure, come on!
I'll get ready!
I'll be waiting outside.
I have to come up
with an idea for what to make.
Some key to beating Kurokiba and Hayama...
and I will find it!
THE BATTLE THAT FOLLOWS THE SEASONS
Move it, move it!
How much for one kilo?
Get me that big one in there!
It's so busy!
It kinda gets the blood racing, huh?
Whoa, that amberjack is cheap!
And that mackerel too.
Soma-kun, you can worry
about the other fish next time, right?
Oh, yeah, I guess you're right.
Have you come here before, Soma-kun?
Yeah, my dad used to bring me here a lot.
Here we go, Pacific saury!
Yeah, I think I'll be able to come up
with some trial dishes pretty easily.
Saury was a fall staple at "Yukihira."
So, I'm kinda confident
when it comes to saury.
Oh, my!
Kurokiba-kun! Nakiri-san!
You guys came to check out the saury too?
What a coincidence.
Rather than "coincidence,"
I'm here almost every day.
PACIFIC SAURY
I'm here only occasionally.
The market gets started so early!
I can't believe he ran into his opponent!
There's no way I can lose this theme.
I gotta pick out some good saury
to get a leg up on the other guys.
A saury's body
is kind of puffy and swollen,
and their eyes are bright and clear.
They say that
when the tip of its mouth is yellow,
it's fatty as well as nice and fresh.
But you can't blindly pick one
just because it's "fresh."
It may not have
a fully developed umami yet.
As fish sits, it develops
more inosinic acid, an umami component.
The amount and speed
with which it develops will change
depending on how it was hauled.
It takes a measure of experience to gauge
the right balance between
freshness and umami.
Yeah, but being a good judge
isn't just about the eyes.
You can use your hands too!
Here!
Wow, that's amazing!
You're holding it by the tail,
but it's completely straight!
That's proof that the body is firm!
Judging by the eyes
and the belly, this one is fresh.
No doubt about it!
This is the best saury in this shop today.
You're wrong.
I'll take... this one.
That one?
It's smaller than Soma-kun's,
and the stomach isn't as extended either.
Your face says you don't agree.
Care to give it a try?
If we turn these into sashimi,
it will be clear which is the better saury
as well as whose judgment is better,
yours or mine.
Sorry for doing this
in front of your shop.
Nah, if you're students at Tohtsuki,
I don't mind.
All right!
Try a bite, Megumi Tadokoro.
Soma-kun's saury
doesn't have as much texture.
Kurokiba-kun's is nice and firm.
But why?
That's because of the time difference
between the saury's rigor index
and its muscle breaking strength.
The rigor index is an indicator
of a saury's firmness.
Once a fish's blood
has been drained to preserve it,
it gradually lowers past the 10-hour mark,
RIGOR INDEX TIME
but it's the muscle breaking strength
that determines firmness,
and that drops rapidly
after about five hours.
So even if the flesh is rigid,
it can lose firmness
once five hours have passed?
Yes, that's the pitfall
when choosing a saury.
Still, that's got nothing to do with me.
Come on, jeez!
And after I took the time to explain it!
Just look at something and touch it,
then you'll know.
How it swam, how it was preserved,
if there was enough ice
when it was transported...
You'll know everything.
Listen up, Yukihira,
the timing of the seasons is crucial for
the quality and taste of an ingredient.
Put another way,
choosing anything less than the best
can make all the difference.
I frequent the fish market
because if even a little time goes by
without doing so, my senses become dulled.
I've done this for ten years now.
That's how I've survived.
There's no way some guy
with half-assed knowledge will beat me.
Be seeing you!
You know, someone else
from Tohtsuki was here earlier.
Yeah, I saw. That tanned,
good-looking young man, right?
He looked like he was just walking
around with his head down
but suddenly he stopped and...
Excuse me,
I'll take what's in the middle
of that box there,
as well as the one
that's second to the left.
He chose the best fish of the day
without even looking inside!
Wow...
Good looking and perceptive, for sure!
Judging by eye
can make that big a difference?
Not choosing the absolute best ingredient
can change everything.
-It's ready, huh?
-Yup!
FALL
I can't take it!
That's the power of the seasons.
Still, those guys
are sure to find the best saury,
better than this,
on the morning of the finals.
If you want to get better
at picking out fish,
you'll have to come here
every day and learn how.
Yeah...
Still, it's pretty tough...
Dad!
C'mon, Soma, that sardine's no good.
How come?
There are countless things to look for
in a fish, depending on the type.
Even if you concentrate
on one type of fish,
it will take more than ten years
to get a good eye for it.
D'oh!
It's tragicomic.
There are only ten days till the finals.
Also, no matter
how good I get at choosing one,
it's all for nothing
if I don't have a good idea for my dish.
That's true.
Kurokiba and that other guy
will come out with food
that makes the most
of some great ingredients.
What should I do?
Even while I'm here right now,
those two are...
Yeah, this ain't looking good.
Professor Shiomi, could you tell us
what kind of assistant Hayama-kun is?
U-um, Ha... Hayama-kun
is v-v-very talented!
A-as an assistant, he's just wonderful!
Don't go getting nervous
over a simple interview, Jun.
This is why you're such a lab rat.
Don't call me Jun!
Hayama-kun, can you really pick out
a good saury by scent alone?
Yes.
After all, a fish's smell is made up
of aldehyde and other compounds.
These increase
as high unsaturated fatty acids oxidize,
and my nose can detect
the volatile components
that are the tell-tale sign of this.
What's more,
there's the scent of the blood
and the degree of umami
components produced.
This ingredient
gives off a wealth of information.
Thus, my nose can naturally detect
not just fresh saury,
but ones that are best suited to my dish.
Hey, Mitsuru,
you done getting info on Yukihira?
N-no, not yet.
He hasn't come back from the fish market,
and it looks like
he hasn't started work on his dish yet.
So he's running behind, huh?
Sure enough, Yukihira's not gonna make it.
Looks like it's gonna be a battle
between Hayama and Kurokiba,
like a lot of people are saying.
COOKING ROOM 5
Kurokiba-kun,
Hayama-kun is doing well,
but Yukihira-kun
seems to be running behind.
Would it be safe
to say that's one less rival?
I don't think of 'em as rivals.
I could care less
about Yukihira and Hayama.
After all, I'll be the one who wins this.
Sorry, Kurokiba-kun, do you think
you could speak up a bit more?
You're going
to use all this in your saury dis--
How long you plan on standin' there?
Get the hell out!
He only just said
it was okay to ask questions!
KEEP OUT
Judging by that curry battle,
I don't think he's caught up to me.
Yukihira...
and...
You got no heat for victory!
...Ryo Kurokiba.
I'll burn you to ash, too.
I'm gonna pay you back
for the insult at the semifinals!
Losing to you would be quite difficult.
Hayama, I'll be the one to win this!
I'm sorry, Fumio-san,
you came all this way to get us.
I don't mind.
If we do well in the Selection,
it will raise Kyokusei's reputation.
Still, it seems like he's hit a wall.
Yes, Soma-kun has stayed just like that.
Still, the odds are against him, going up
against two guys with such a good eye.
If the odds were a little more even,
there'd be some way to close the gap.
A way?
Like, when to sprinkle on the salt.
Saury's flavor changes depending on
how long the salt sits before you cook it.
Oh! The flesh becomes firmer
as moisture is extracted.
The same
as with lightly pickled vegetables, right?
Also, you can expect an increase in umami.
On the other hand, you'll lose freshness
if you let it sit too long.
Timing, huh?
When they're just fished out of the water,
they haven't built up
umami components yet,
but if too much time goes by,
they lose their freshness.
It's often said they're tastiest right
before they're about to go bad, though.
Wait a second.
Ibusaki, there you are!
Sakaki!
You in there?
FALL SELECTION FINALS
IMPECABLE HAYAMA
FALL SELECTION FINALS
Nikumi!
Yukihira?
Come with me, Nikumi.
With you?
Sorry for gathering you all here.
What is it, Yukihira-kun?
So it's this again?
You'll have no chance of winning
in the finals without
the highest-quality saury, right?
On the morning of the finals,
I ain't going to the fish market.
What do you mean, Soma-kun?
I'm gonna buy my saury
a few days ahead of the competition.
I don't have much time
for trial and error,
but if all goes well, I'll have a saury
that's even better than seasonal.
So then, you mean...
I'm gonna age it.
Age it?
Oh, Ryoko-chan's rice malt,
Ibusaki-kun's smoking...
They're both knowledgeable in aging foods!
You too, Nikumi.
You know a lot about meats, right?
Ah, aging beef, you mean?
It's a method of curing
where you expose it to air
while controlling temperature
and humidity.
An ingredient's deliciousness
isn't just about how fresh it is.
If I can properly age it
to bring out its flavor,
I'll be able to fight
the trained eye of those two guys.
So...
I'm asking you, please help me!
Sure!
Well, of course!
After all, you're one of us!
You got it. It's definitely worth a shot!
You're in too, right, Ibusaki?
Yes, I'm not opposed.
All right! It's time to try out a dish!
Yeah!
Those youngsters...
9 DAYS TO THE FINALS
There are three ways we'll try aging,
salted yeast, smoking,
and this, a high-humidity fridge.
Nikumi, thank you for letting me use this.
S-sure, it's nothing.
It will take at least three days
to age it though.
The same goes for smoking.
Two days to salt and dry it,
then one whole day for it to mature.
The fridge will take three
to four days as well.
So then with this schedule,
we'll be able to try each method twice.
But only twice.
Whether that will be enough
to beat their trained eyes...
that's the challenge.
Rice malt will totally permeate the saury,
but it's important
to regulate temperature.
You'll find subtle differences in aging
depending on the Saumur Liquid
or smoking agents used.
By setting this to 3° Celsius
and 90% humidity,
you'll remove the optimal amount
of moisture, concentrating the umami.
All right, rice malt, smoking,
and now this...
They'll all be done in three days.
I've gotta make full use
of this wait time.
I'm going to do everything I possibly can!
They're finally ready, huh?
6 DAYS TO THE FINALS
Yeah, all the aged saury are done!
Well, let's give them a taste.
That's delicious!
They all have so much more umami!
They turned out really great!
SALTED RICE MALT SAURY
The rice malt one
has a mellow depth of flavor.
The smoked one just smells fantastic.
SMOKED SAURY
HUMIDITY-AGED SAURY
The humidity-aged one seems like
it could be used in any number of dishes.
It could be foil cooked, fried
and marinated, or even grilled.
It would totally be delicious
just as a sushi!
But...
I feel like the saury Kurokiba-kun served
at the fish market tasted better.
After all that, huh?
But these were aged perfectly.
It's still not enough?
Hey, Tadokoro,
tell Yukihira something for me.
"If you need anything, just let me know."
Okay!
Well, see you.
Goodnight, Mito-san.
Was trying to beat their saury
by smoking mine just a dead end?
CONFIDENT HAYAMA ROCK SOLID KUROKIBA
Should I spend at least a little time
trying to develop a better eye?
HOPELESS YUKIHIRA
No, that's still a little premature.
My trial saury
definitely had increased umami.
That has to be the right approach.
There's just one more chance
to experiment.
After that, I'll have
to do it in the finals.
What should I try?
Rice malt, smoking, humidity aging...
What can I use that's even better,
that can beat those guys?
I have to think.
Something better...
Some kind of trigger for aging,
one that will develop the saury's umami...
Guess I'll go buy some more fish.
What gives, Yukihira?
You seem kinda down.
Your dishes won't turn out well
with you like that.
Why not try and pull yourself together?
You're gonna lecture me
while sittin' around having a nightcap?
Well, at times like that, it's important
to stop and take stock for a minute.
I love you, Fumio-san!
Hey! You'll spill my drink!
Looks like inspiration has struck,
Yukihira.
Yup! This just might work!
EARLY MORNING, THE DAY OF THE FINALS
Soma Yukihira isn't here today either.
What is he up to?
He hasn't come in days.
Has he thrown in the towel?
No.
He's not that type.
Just what is he planning?
Everyone, the wait is over.
Presenting the finals
of the Fall Selection!
And here come our three competitors!
The Aristocrat of Aroma, Akira Hayama!
The Tyrant of the Kitchens, Ryo Kurokiba!
And contestant three,
from your neighborhood eatery,
Soma Yukihira!
Yukihira!
We're here for you!
You can do it! I believe in you!
And now, the finals
of the Fall Selection are underway!
Allow me to present today's judges.
Oh, Isshiki-senpai?
It's hard to recognize him
wearing clothes, huh?
More importantly,
did Yukihira come up with a dish?
Well, we don't know that either.
Oh...
First, our head judge,
School Director Senzaemon Nakiri.
Next, head of the tourism department
and Executive Chef of Tohtsuki Resorts,
Gin Dojima.
Additionally...
from Tohtsuki Academy's research
department, head of Nakiri International,
Ms. Leonora Nakiri!
She's so pretty!
Her skin's super white!
Could she be Northern European?
Oh, it's Mother.
Huh?
Ms. Leonora oversees
all aspects of Nakiri International,
an academic institution
that uses the latest sciences
to research fine cuisine
and molecular gastronomy.
A word, if you'd be so kind.
H-hello to everybody.
I am Leonora Nakiri.
I am living in Denmark.
Judging will be tough,
but I will try the very hard.
Her Japanese sucks!
Jeez! You could have practiced
before coming to Japan, Mother!
Alice, this area's off limits
to non-committee members!
Oh, Alice, are you well?
And Erina-chan, are you well?
I see she has quite a temper, as always.
It's your daughter's fault!
You are the Yukihira-kun
who beat Alice, yes?
Quite surprised I was.
So, your food
is what I am looking forward to.
If it is not delicious, I may be very mad.
Firstly, please unveil your saury!
Such incredible luster and firmness,
and with just the right amount of fat...
It's like the glint of cold steel!
Truly, those are blades
suited for battle.
Dammit! Can Yukihira beat those?
Soma-kun!
What the heck is that?
That thing's...
Got no edge!
Subtitle translation by
Javier lopez
Oh, sorry.
Did I wake you?
It's not even light yet.
I'm gonna head out to the fish market.
The fish market?
You're going to check out the saury!
The fish market!
Say, do you mind if I come with you?
Sure, come on!
I'll get ready!
I'll be waiting outside.
I have to come up
with an idea for what to make.
Some key to beating Kurokiba and Hayama...
and I will find it!
THE BATTLE THAT FOLLOWS THE SEASONS
Move it, move it!
How much for one kilo?
Get me that big one in there!
It's so busy!
It kinda gets the blood racing, huh?
Whoa, that amberjack is cheap!
And that mackerel too.
Soma-kun, you can worry
about the other fish next time, right?
Oh, yeah, I guess you're right.
Have you come here before, Soma-kun?
Yeah, my dad used to bring me here a lot.
Here we go, Pacific saury!
Yeah, I think I'll be able to come up
with some trial dishes pretty easily.
Saury was a fall staple at "Yukihira."
So, I'm kinda confident
when it comes to saury.
Oh, my!
Kurokiba-kun! Nakiri-san!
You guys came to check out the saury too?
What a coincidence.
Rather than "coincidence,"
I'm here almost every day.
PACIFIC SAURY
I'm here only occasionally.
The market gets started so early!
I can't believe he ran into his opponent!
There's no way I can lose this theme.
I gotta pick out some good saury
to get a leg up on the other guys.
A saury's body
is kind of puffy and swollen,
and their eyes are bright and clear.
They say that
when the tip of its mouth is yellow,
it's fatty as well as nice and fresh.
But you can't blindly pick one
just because it's "fresh."
It may not have
a fully developed umami yet.
As fish sits, it develops
more inosinic acid, an umami component.
The amount and speed
with which it develops will change
depending on how it was hauled.
It takes a measure of experience to gauge
the right balance between
freshness and umami.
Yeah, but being a good judge
isn't just about the eyes.
You can use your hands too!
Here!
Wow, that's amazing!
You're holding it by the tail,
but it's completely straight!
That's proof that the body is firm!
Judging by the eyes
and the belly, this one is fresh.
No doubt about it!
This is the best saury in this shop today.
You're wrong.
I'll take... this one.
That one?
It's smaller than Soma-kun's,
and the stomach isn't as extended either.
Your face says you don't agree.
Care to give it a try?
If we turn these into sashimi,
it will be clear which is the better saury
as well as whose judgment is better,
yours or mine.
Sorry for doing this
in front of your shop.
Nah, if you're students at Tohtsuki,
I don't mind.
All right!
Try a bite, Megumi Tadokoro.
Soma-kun's saury
doesn't have as much texture.
Kurokiba-kun's is nice and firm.
But why?
That's because of the time difference
between the saury's rigor index
and its muscle breaking strength.
The rigor index is an indicator
of a saury's firmness.
Once a fish's blood
has been drained to preserve it,
it gradually lowers past the 10-hour mark,
RIGOR INDEX TIME
but it's the muscle breaking strength
that determines firmness,
and that drops rapidly
after about five hours.
So even if the flesh is rigid,
it can lose firmness
once five hours have passed?
Yes, that's the pitfall
when choosing a saury.
Still, that's got nothing to do with me.
Come on, jeez!
And after I took the time to explain it!
Just look at something and touch it,
then you'll know.
How it swam, how it was preserved,
if there was enough ice
when it was transported...
You'll know everything.
Listen up, Yukihira,
the timing of the seasons is crucial for
the quality and taste of an ingredient.
Put another way,
choosing anything less than the best
can make all the difference.
I frequent the fish market
because if even a little time goes by
without doing so, my senses become dulled.
I've done this for ten years now.
That's how I've survived.
There's no way some guy
with half-assed knowledge will beat me.
Be seeing you!
You know, someone else
from Tohtsuki was here earlier.
Yeah, I saw. That tanned,
good-looking young man, right?
He looked like he was just walking
around with his head down
but suddenly he stopped and...
Excuse me,
I'll take what's in the middle
of that box there,
as well as the one
that's second to the left.
He chose the best fish of the day
without even looking inside!
Wow...
Good looking and perceptive, for sure!
Judging by eye
can make that big a difference?
Not choosing the absolute best ingredient
can change everything.
-It's ready, huh?
-Yup!
FALL
I can't take it!
That's the power of the seasons.
Still, those guys
are sure to find the best saury,
better than this,
on the morning of the finals.
If you want to get better
at picking out fish,
you'll have to come here
every day and learn how.
Yeah...
Still, it's pretty tough...
Dad!
C'mon, Soma, that sardine's no good.
How come?
There are countless things to look for
in a fish, depending on the type.
Even if you concentrate
on one type of fish,
it will take more than ten years
to get a good eye for it.
D'oh!
It's tragicomic.
There are only ten days till the finals.
Also, no matter
how good I get at choosing one,
it's all for nothing
if I don't have a good idea for my dish.
That's true.
Kurokiba and that other guy
will come out with food
that makes the most
of some great ingredients.
What should I do?
Even while I'm here right now,
those two are...
Yeah, this ain't looking good.
Professor Shiomi, could you tell us
what kind of assistant Hayama-kun is?
U-um, Ha... Hayama-kun
is v-v-very talented!
A-as an assistant, he's just wonderful!
Don't go getting nervous
over a simple interview, Jun.
This is why you're such a lab rat.
Don't call me Jun!
Hayama-kun, can you really pick out
a good saury by scent alone?
Yes.
After all, a fish's smell is made up
of aldehyde and other compounds.
These increase
as high unsaturated fatty acids oxidize,
and my nose can detect
the volatile components
that are the tell-tale sign of this.
What's more,
there's the scent of the blood
and the degree of umami
components produced.
This ingredient
gives off a wealth of information.
Thus, my nose can naturally detect
not just fresh saury,
but ones that are best suited to my dish.
Hey, Mitsuru,
you done getting info on Yukihira?
N-no, not yet.
He hasn't come back from the fish market,
and it looks like
he hasn't started work on his dish yet.
So he's running behind, huh?
Sure enough, Yukihira's not gonna make it.
Looks like it's gonna be a battle
between Hayama and Kurokiba,
like a lot of people are saying.
COOKING ROOM 5
Kurokiba-kun,
Hayama-kun is doing well,
but Yukihira-kun
seems to be running behind.
Would it be safe
to say that's one less rival?
I don't think of 'em as rivals.
I could care less
about Yukihira and Hayama.
After all, I'll be the one who wins this.
Sorry, Kurokiba-kun, do you think
you could speak up a bit more?
You're going
to use all this in your saury dis--
How long you plan on standin' there?
Get the hell out!
He only just said
it was okay to ask questions!
KEEP OUT
Judging by that curry battle,
I don't think he's caught up to me.
Yukihira...
and...
You got no heat for victory!
...Ryo Kurokiba.
I'll burn you to ash, too.
I'm gonna pay you back
for the insult at the semifinals!
Losing to you would be quite difficult.
Hayama, I'll be the one to win this!
I'm sorry, Fumio-san,
you came all this way to get us.
I don't mind.
If we do well in the Selection,
it will raise Kyokusei's reputation.
Still, it seems like he's hit a wall.
Yes, Soma-kun has stayed just like that.
Still, the odds are against him, going up
against two guys with such a good eye.
If the odds were a little more even,
there'd be some way to close the gap.
A way?
Like, when to sprinkle on the salt.
Saury's flavor changes depending on
how long the salt sits before you cook it.
Oh! The flesh becomes firmer
as moisture is extracted.
The same
as with lightly pickled vegetables, right?
Also, you can expect an increase in umami.
On the other hand, you'll lose freshness
if you let it sit too long.
Timing, huh?
When they're just fished out of the water,
they haven't built up
umami components yet,
but if too much time goes by,
they lose their freshness.
It's often said they're tastiest right
before they're about to go bad, though.
Wait a second.
Ibusaki, there you are!
Sakaki!
You in there?
FALL SELECTION FINALS
IMPECABLE HAYAMA
FALL SELECTION FINALS
Nikumi!
Yukihira?
Come with me, Nikumi.
With you?
Sorry for gathering you all here.
What is it, Yukihira-kun?
So it's this again?
You'll have no chance of winning
in the finals without
the highest-quality saury, right?
On the morning of the finals,
I ain't going to the fish market.
What do you mean, Soma-kun?
I'm gonna buy my saury
a few days ahead of the competition.
I don't have much time
for trial and error,
but if all goes well, I'll have a saury
that's even better than seasonal.
So then, you mean...
I'm gonna age it.
Age it?
Oh, Ryoko-chan's rice malt,
Ibusaki-kun's smoking...
They're both knowledgeable in aging foods!
You too, Nikumi.
You know a lot about meats, right?
Ah, aging beef, you mean?
It's a method of curing
where you expose it to air
while controlling temperature
and humidity.
An ingredient's deliciousness
isn't just about how fresh it is.
If I can properly age it
to bring out its flavor,
I'll be able to fight
the trained eye of those two guys.
So...
I'm asking you, please help me!
Sure!
Well, of course!
After all, you're one of us!
You got it. It's definitely worth a shot!
You're in too, right, Ibusaki?
Yes, I'm not opposed.
All right! It's time to try out a dish!
Yeah!
Those youngsters...
9 DAYS TO THE FINALS
There are three ways we'll try aging,
salted yeast, smoking,
and this, a high-humidity fridge.
Nikumi, thank you for letting me use this.
S-sure, it's nothing.
It will take at least three days
to age it though.
The same goes for smoking.
Two days to salt and dry it,
then one whole day for it to mature.
The fridge will take three
to four days as well.
So then with this schedule,
we'll be able to try each method twice.
But only twice.
Whether that will be enough
to beat their trained eyes...
that's the challenge.
Rice malt will totally permeate the saury,
but it's important
to regulate temperature.
You'll find subtle differences in aging
depending on the Saumur Liquid
or smoking agents used.
By setting this to 3° Celsius
and 90% humidity,
you'll remove the optimal amount
of moisture, concentrating the umami.
All right, rice malt, smoking,
and now this...
They'll all be done in three days.
I've gotta make full use
of this wait time.
I'm going to do everything I possibly can!
They're finally ready, huh?
6 DAYS TO THE FINALS
Yeah, all the aged saury are done!
Well, let's give them a taste.
That's delicious!
They all have so much more umami!
They turned out really great!
SALTED RICE MALT SAURY
The rice malt one
has a mellow depth of flavor.
The smoked one just smells fantastic.
SMOKED SAURY
HUMIDITY-AGED SAURY
The humidity-aged one seems like
it could be used in any number of dishes.
It could be foil cooked, fried
and marinated, or even grilled.
It would totally be delicious
just as a sushi!
But...
I feel like the saury Kurokiba-kun served
at the fish market tasted better.
After all that, huh?
But these were aged perfectly.
It's still not enough?
Hey, Tadokoro,
tell Yukihira something for me.
"If you need anything, just let me know."
Okay!
Well, see you.
Goodnight, Mito-san.
Was trying to beat their saury
by smoking mine just a dead end?
CONFIDENT HAYAMA ROCK SOLID KUROKIBA
Should I spend at least a little time
trying to develop a better eye?
HOPELESS YUKIHIRA
No, that's still a little premature.
My trial saury
definitely had increased umami.
That has to be the right approach.
There's just one more chance
to experiment.
After that, I'll have
to do it in the finals.
What should I try?
Rice malt, smoking, humidity aging...
What can I use that's even better,
that can beat those guys?
I have to think.
Something better...
Some kind of trigger for aging,
one that will develop the saury's umami...
Guess I'll go buy some more fish.
What gives, Yukihira?
You seem kinda down.
Your dishes won't turn out well
with you like that.
Why not try and pull yourself together?
You're gonna lecture me
while sittin' around having a nightcap?
Well, at times like that, it's important
to stop and take stock for a minute.
I love you, Fumio-san!
Hey! You'll spill my drink!
Looks like inspiration has struck,
Yukihira.
Yup! This just might work!
EARLY MORNING, THE DAY OF THE FINALS
Soma Yukihira isn't here today either.
What is he up to?
He hasn't come in days.
Has he thrown in the towel?
No.
He's not that type.
Just what is he planning?
Everyone, the wait is over.
Presenting the finals
of the Fall Selection!
And here come our three competitors!
The Aristocrat of Aroma, Akira Hayama!
The Tyrant of the Kitchens, Ryo Kurokiba!
And contestant three,
from your neighborhood eatery,
Soma Yukihira!
Yukihira!
We're here for you!
You can do it! I believe in you!
And now, the finals
of the Fall Selection are underway!
Allow me to present today's judges.
Oh, Isshiki-senpai?
It's hard to recognize him
wearing clothes, huh?
More importantly,
did Yukihira come up with a dish?
Well, we don't know that either.
Oh...
First, our head judge,
School Director Senzaemon Nakiri.
Next, head of the tourism department
and Executive Chef of Tohtsuki Resorts,
Gin Dojima.
Additionally...
from Tohtsuki Academy's research
department, head of Nakiri International,
Ms. Leonora Nakiri!
She's so pretty!
Her skin's super white!
Could she be Northern European?
Oh, it's Mother.
Huh?
Ms. Leonora oversees
all aspects of Nakiri International,
an academic institution
that uses the latest sciences
to research fine cuisine
and molecular gastronomy.
A word, if you'd be so kind.
H-hello to everybody.
I am Leonora Nakiri.
I am living in Denmark.
Judging will be tough,
but I will try the very hard.
Her Japanese sucks!
Jeez! You could have practiced
before coming to Japan, Mother!
Alice, this area's off limits
to non-committee members!
Oh, Alice, are you well?
And Erina-chan, are you well?
I see she has quite a temper, as always.
It's your daughter's fault!
You are the Yukihira-kun
who beat Alice, yes?
Quite surprised I was.
So, your food
is what I am looking forward to.
If it is not delicious, I may be very mad.
Firstly, please unveil your saury!
Such incredible luster and firmness,
and with just the right amount of fat...
It's like the glint of cold steel!
Truly, those are blades
suited for battle.
Dammit! Can Yukihira beat those?
Soma-kun!
What the heck is that?
That thing's...
Got no edge!
Subtitle translation by
Javier lopez