"Incredible!"
"The appearance of this dish is stunning, but the taste is even better!"
"It seems simple, yet the precise balance of each ingredient is just perfect."
"Inside the dumplings, it's like a perfect world filled with simple yet abundant flavors."
"Truly, it is a dish that's indescribable!"
...
In fact, bursting clothes is a skill of the Director.
Despite the "Food Wars" world mostly comprising ordinary people and realistic cooking, in this world, exceptional individuals often have "special abilities".
And Sengoku Senzaemon's ability is to burst his own clothes when he tastes delicious food!
In this world, few chefs can satisfy him to the point where his clothes burst, namingly only the most prominent elites in the culinary world!
Therefore, if Totsuki Academy students were to know that a tavern master could make the Director's clothes burst just with a simple shrimp dumpling, they would all be ashamed!
Finally, amidst the exclamations of the three, an entire steamer full of Ascending Dragon Dumplings was completely finished.
Surprisingly, Erina ate the most, finishing off a whole 30 dumplings in one go.
...
"So satisfying!"
"Truly, only Zane's cooking is consistently delicious!"
Rubbing her bulging belly, Fisako couldn't help but bow her head, gazing at the empty steamer, feeling dissatisfied.
From the temperature, seasoning, presentation, cost calculation, visual effects, and more, Zane delivered perfection.
And because Erina had an extraordinary god's tongue, she could understand just how remarkable this simple shrimp dumpling was!
"Zane, can you tell me the name of this dumpling dish?"
"Ascending Dragon Dumplings!" Zane replied to Erina.
"Dragon-ascending? The name is elegant and fitting."
Erina nodded in satisfaction with the name of the dish, then asked, "So, what's the principle behind the dumplings flying up...what is it?"
"Huh?"
"You don't know?"
"What? I know what?" Erina was taken aback!
"I thought with your god's tongue ability, you could grasp the reason why the dumplings ascended," Zane continued with a light smile.
Disappointed after learning he wasn't teasing her this time, Erina calmed her excited heart.
Sometimes, she truly wished to exchange her god's tongue for Sun Wukong's "fiery eyes", to be able to see through everything about Zane.
But unfortunately, she didn't have that ability and couldn't find any means to reveal Zane's secrets.
Just as Rindo was often drawn to the tavern due to his personal charm and wasn't as simple as he appeared, Erina also firmly believed that the image of Zane at the tavern wasn't as simple as it seemed.
Previously, the three Western-style fast foods, the miraculous dish created with scraps, and last night's Reincarnated Spring Rolls preserving the freshness of the red snapper using the heat from the knife, all added to the shock from the Ascending Dragon Dumplings, made Erina completely aware of the vast difference between herself and Zane!
If she, with her god's tongue ability, is a brave and valiant female knight who can overcome all difficulties and rise to the top of the culinary world, then Zane is an omnipotent deity.
Every time he presents a culinary creation, it is sure to shake all ordinary mortals, including herself, to the core!
Indeed, in Erina's eyes, Zane is an insurmountable barrier that everyone can't surpass!
...
For Erina, a true chef must possess vast culinary knowledge and be willing to innovate and experiment. Following traditional cooking knowledge rigidly from books would never lead to creating the perfect dish!
In Zane, she felt a kind of passionate pursuit of cooking that terrified her.
In the past two days at the tavern, she hadn't observed it thoroughly, but after the Ascending Dragon Dumplings experience, she finally understood that while Zane always prioritized the diners' needs, his extraordinary talent was manifest in each and every one of his deceptively simple dishes.
This meant that staying at the tavern and making ordinary and affordable dishes daily wouldn't lead to a decline in his culinary skills.
If given a larger platform, he'd soar like an eagle breaking free from a cage!
"Grandpa, what do you think?" Erina, who had subdued her complex emotions, earnestly asked the Director, who had found another shirt from somewhere and put it back on.
"His cooking is indeed extraordinary."
"Take this Ascending Dragon Dumplings, for instance—it's truly the most perfect creation that this old man has ever seen!"
This time, the Director had a great change in perception of Zane, even secretly marveling, "Ah, truly talented!"
...
Anytime, there is no lack of remarkable geniuses with outstanding talents.
For the highly competitive Totsuki Academy, geniuses are a dime a dozen! Someone like Erina, who relies solely on her talents, starting higher than what ordinary folks achieve after a lifetime of hard work, is currently just ranked tenth amongst the Top Ten.
Think about it, those Academy graduates.
In the end, didn't they all become top figures in the culinary world?
Therefore, the so-called geniuses, for someone like the Totsuki Academy Director, have been a common sight in his life.
But truth be told, any genius, even Jōichirō, who he considers the strongest in his eyes, at this moment, can't compare to Zane in front of him.
—-------
In the busy and fast-paced world, nighttime is a noble haven.
Apart from shopping and entertainment, the city's nightlife offers a variety of rich experiences.
Some people choose to take walks in the park.
Some prefer to chat in cafes, while others head to bars or nightclubs to release stress!
At this moment in the tavern, a serving of Ascending Dragon Dumplings showed the Director the extent of Zane's strength.
Therefore, the Director, who usually didn't even want to stay in such small places, surprisingly didn't rush to leave.
...
The sake had a delicate taste.
It had a refreshing rice aroma and fruity notes, like a gentle breeze blowing through the mouth.
However, after sipping the sake, the Director couldn't help but feel depressed because, with Zane's exceptional culinary skills, he should be widely recognized in the culinary world.
If not for Erina, he probably wouldn't have had an opportunity to meet Zane in his lifetime.
"Zane, right?"
"With your skill, why not work in a five-star hotel?"
"At our resort's Totsuki Academy Resort, even an ordinary chef there can earn a salary of over ten million yen per year."
"Or become a lecturer or professor at Totsuki Academy, where the salary is also generous, much better than struggling to run this tavern!"
Though not explicitly clear, the Director's words implied his thoughts.
But Zane wasn't a three-year-old child who couldn't understand the Director's meaning right away.
"To be honest, I was a head chef at a five-star hotel when I was very young."
While not claiming to be the world's best, I stood out among my peers.
"But in that position, I witnessed many geniuses who, out of lust for power and arrogance, paid a heavy price!"
Hearing Zane's words, the Director fell silent.
In his heart, he faintly saw the shadow of that "true genius."
Yes, the student who was the strongest in the 69th generation and unmatched by anyone at Totsuki Academy, Jōichirō!
He was undoubtedly a true genius, able to create unprecedented dishes with simple ingredients like Zane.
But at that time, despite being a natural talent, he still couldn't reach the highest peak!
On one hand, people had high hopes for him.
And on the other hand, they envied his talent.
In the end, due to the pressure to meet rising expectations, his mind began to falter.
He resorted to unethical methods like force-feeding juniors with dark cuisine, skipping class and neglecting his duties as one of the Elite Ten, and even achieving the feat of winning 50 battles in a row!
But even after these absurdities, the pressure on his mind was still not relieved.
Like a tight rope snapping, he completely broke down before the finals of The BLUE started.
Admittedly, it was a tragedy in Totsuki Academy's education system, as well as in Jōichirō life!
...
"Back then, wasn't he also a genius like you?"
"If only he had your realization back then, could let go of those heavy burdens, could have... oh well, it's useless to talk about it now!"
Clearly, Zane's words stirred up some memories for the Director.
He took another sip of sake, seeking to drown his sorrows with the taste of alcohol.
Many things aren't acquired at birth or learned instantly.
It's through continuous practice, experience, and reflection that one grows!
Therefore, whenever Zane acted, the Director had an idea.
Unlike Erina, who aimed to please customers with top-tier luxury cuisine, Zane aimed to make customers happy with simple ingredients and perfect dishes.
The Director didn't delve into whether their philosophies were right or wrong.
But in his eyes, every chef should maintain a sincere passion for cooking throughout.
And Zane was that kind of person, even after achieving much success, he still maintained his original intentions!
...
In reality, the Director knew the flaws in Totsuki Academy's education.
This competitive educational approach undoubtedly led to intense competition among all students.
In an exceptionally harsh environment, every student would spare no cost to ensure rapid progress.
Even resorting to deceit and compromising their integrity were not out of the question!
They didn't care if the dish reflected their own values or had a unique style; in their eyes, winning meant it was a good dish!
Thus, in such an education system, everyone lost their sincerity and the initial love for cooking.
Of course, it's not entirely their fault; elite individuals like the Elite Ten, including Erina, could abuse their power as they pleased.
Naturally, they lacked sympathy for the weak, stepping on them without a second thought!
...
"How wonderful!"
"It's rare to find such a pure chef in this world!"
"I guess I can kind of understand why you gave up your position as a head chef in a five-star hotel and chose to run a tavern alone!"
The leader took another sip of his drink and then deeply sighed, "In Totsuki Academy, we have many elite chefs from all over the world!"
"They are exceptionally skilled, and they are good at teaching, but when it comes to exploring the true essence of cooking and guiding the students on the right path, they are at a loss!"
"Admittedly, the reason for this is the flaws in our education system."
"But I believe that if you, Zane, were to come to Totsuki Academy as a teacher."
"Then, with your culinary skills and personal charm, you could definitely change the entire academy's deteriorating atmosphere!"
"Maybe right now, you only want to run the tavern properly."
"But if you could pass on all your skills to those enthusiastic students."
"Allowing them to shine in the culinary world in the future, wouldn't that be a great thing?"
After saying that, the atmosphere fell into a kind of quietness!
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This was a 2-in-1 chapter, meaning there is 2 different chapters in this 1 chapter. Make sure to give more power stones!