The Polar Star Dormitory, Room 303!
The room was pitch dark. Soma sat by the balcony, resting his chin in his hands, gazing at the moonlight outside.
Suddenly, a gentle evening breeze blew by, making him feel a bit chilly. His half-closed eyes revealed a complex expression, as if he were deep in thought.
"Sigh, I wonder how the regular customers at the diner are doing?"
Finally, Soma sighed softly.
The training camp had just ended, and he was thinking about reopening Restaurant Yukihira.
However, what he didn't expect was his father, Joichiro, coming to Totsuki and revealing that he was once a legendary chef who could rival Gin Dojima!
"Soma."
"What are you thinking about?"
Just entering the room and seeing his son lost in thought, Joichiro asked.
"Dad, are you really not planning to run Restaurant Yukihira anymore?" Soma asked, glancing back slightly.
"Yeah, I'm done."
"In a few days, I'll be leaving Totsuki to become the head chef at a five-star hotel in France."
Joichiro walked over to Soma, joining him in admiring the view outside, and spoke calmly.
"A five-star hotel?"
"Is it as grand as Totsuki Palace? And you'll be the head chef?"
Soma's eyes widened with surprise.
"Haha, does this make you realize that your old man is more impressive than you thought?"
Seeing his son's reaction, Joichiro chuckled. He rarely talked about his past with Soma.
"Dad, you've been hiding this from me my whole life!" Soma said helplessly.
...
After that, the father and son fell silent.
The atmosphere in the room became a bit awkward.
Knowing that Joichiro's heart was no longer in Restaurant Yukihira and that they couldn't return to their old life, Soma was filled with gloom!
Seeing his son's low spirits, Joichiro patted his shoulder and laughed, "I heard from Satoshi that you had a rough start."
"Your beef bowl lost 5-0 to someone named Mito, right?"
"Dad, that happened a long time ago. Can you not rub it in?"
Soma felt even more disheartened.
Bringing up that painful memory always left him frustrated.
"Hahaha, that's my boy."
"Losing to me 499 times and then losing to someone else once more!"
Joichiro laughed heartily, but this only made Soma more annoyed.
"Dad, do you really enjoy seeing me lose? Also, it's 498 times, not 499."
"Hmm, are you afraid of failure?"
Joichiro's expression suddenly turned serious as he asked.
"Dad, you know me better than that."
"It was just a loss. Although it was surprising how my opponent won, I quickly got over it."
"Before coming to Totsuki, I was overconfident."
"I thought these students, who buried themselves in books and focused solely on cooking, couldn't compare to me, a chef with real-world experience since I was six."
"But losing taught me that Totsuki isn't what I imagined."
"Dad, you were right."
"If I stayed at Restaurant Yukihira, I'd be like a frog in a well, ignorant and arrogant!"
Soma finally shared his long-held thoughts with his father.
Hearing this, Joichiro was taken aback for a moment. Then, a smile spread across his face, feeling immensely proud.
...
The sky was filled with stars, and a gentle breeze blew, making the night even more peaceful.
"Soma!"
"Do you know about the God Tongue curse?"
Finally, Joichiro asked with a deep gaze.
"I know about the God Tongue but not that it's cursed."
Soma was puzzled and shook his head.
"Well, it's probably for the best. In this world, where cooking is held in the highest regard, many chefs obsess over things they can't see!"
"Once they realize their beliefs can't solve their problems, it often leads to psychological breakdowns."
"I've seen many chefs fall apart because of this."
Joichiro's tone turned sad as he spoke, not just about himself but also about those who had once been brilliant but eventually fell due to their obsessions.
"Dad, don't worry."
"I won't fall apart just because of a few losses!"
Soma, unable to understand the deeper meaning behind his father's words, assumed it was just encouragement.
"At first, I didn't want you to come to Totsuki. Although it can help you grow quickly, many geniuses have fallen here."
"As someone who has been through it, I didn't want to see the same tragedy happen to you."
Joichiro sighed deeply. "But now, seeing you, I feel relieved. You're different from me. Maybe soon, you'll surpass me and reach heights I never did!"
...
The night grew deeper.
At the Tavern, after listening to Zane's analysis, Miyoko realized she had overestimated Megumi, her purple eyes dimming slightly.
But then her eyes brightened as she looked at Zane. "Owner, you said we could order anything as long as you have the ingredients and know how to make it, right?"
"Yes, that's the rule."
Zane nodded.
"Since I'm a chef specializing in Chinese cuisine, could I have some Dongpo Pork?"
After a moment's thought, Miyoko asked softly.
"Dongpo Pork?"
Zane was momentarily stunned.
He had just received Dongpo Pork as a reward, and now this first-time customer requested it. Was it fate?
"Alright, one Dongpo Pork and two bowls of rice?"
"Yes!"
"Alright, please wait a moment."
With that, Zane turned and headed to the kitchen to prepare Dongpo Pork.
...
Dongpo Pork, created in Xuzhou, perfected in Huangzhou, and famous in Hangzhou.
The main ingredient is pork, characterized by its tender texture, red glossy color, rich flavor, and soft but not mushy texture.
First, prepare pork belly with skin.
Heat a Chinese iron wok, searing the skin until it's charred.
This removes any remaining hair and the pork's gamey smell.
Then, soak the pork belly in water, clean it thoroughly.
Blanch the pork to firm it up, then cut it into cubes. Secure the cubes with twine and blanch again to set the shape.
In a large clay pot, place scallions at the bottom.
Add ginger slices, then arrange the pork belly on top. Add yellow wine, rock sugar, soy sauce, fermented rice, dark soy sauce, star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves, and gardenia.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer on low for an hour.
...
Miyoko couldn't help but sniff the air.
The aroma from the long-simmered pork belly, combined with the spices, made her feel intoxicated.
Looking closely, the Dongpo Pork in the ceramic bowl had a red sheen, like red agate.
The pieces were uniformly shaped, each with a layer of dark skin, giving it a layered appearance.
Just looking at it made her mouth water.
"Huh?"
"How can it be so tender after just an hour of simmering?"
Unable to resist, Miyoko gently touched the pork skin with her chopsticks.
The Dongpo Pork, having been slowly simmered, was already so tender that it separated easily, releasing a rich broth.
The broth was partly absorbed by the lean meat, creating a perfect balance of flavors.
...
"Ah… mmph…"
In shock, Miyoko didn't think much before picking up a large piece of Dongpo Pork and taking a big bite.
With a bite, her mouth was filled with rich broth.
As she chewed, she felt the pork's tender and smooth texture. The fatty part wasn't greasy at all.
The caramelized meat was like high-quality jade, its rich layers and aroma spreading across her tongue, melting in her mouth, the delightful flavor seeping into every taste bud.
The taste was sweet with a hint of savoriness.
A tempting aroma instantly stirred her appetite, leaving Miyoko longing for more.
"What a surprise."
"A Tavern can make such delicious Dongpo Pork."
"Look at this pork belly, caramelized on the outside, slightly crispy, but inside, it's tender."
"It melts in your mouth, and the sweetness lingers!"
"Mm!"
"Not greasy at all."
"It's really chewy, and the aroma and texture make you want to eat more."
Having worked in a Chinese restaurant and specializing in Chinese cuisine, Miyoko could immediately taste how delicious Zane's Dongpo Pork was!
In essence, Dongpo Pork is about slow cooking, using time to create a masterpiece.
Thus, this perfectly cooked Dongpo Pork, no matter how delicious or sweet, still couldn't hide the fact that it was just fatty pork.
However, for Miyoko.
She didn't find it unappealing; instead, she thought it was incredibly tasty.
With fragrant rice, it was simply:
Perfect!
...
There are many stories about the origin of Dongpo Pork.
The most famous one involves Su Dongpo. One winter in Huangzhou, he wanted to cook for his friends.
He bought a piece of pork belly, intending to boil it, but got so caught up in writing poetry and painting that he forgot to turn off the heat, causing the water to evaporate, leaving the meat charred and hard.
Feeling ashamed, he put the meat back in the pot, added soy sauce and sugar, and simmered it slowly.
Unexpectedly, the meat became tender and delicious, and his friends praised it highly.
Since then, the dish spread and was named after him, Dongpo.
At this moment, immersed in the experience, Miyoko took another small bite.
Chewing slowly, the sweet and savory flavor instantly filled her mouth.
The tender Dongpo Pork, piece by piece, floated in her mouth, not sticking to her teeth. The fat was soft and smooth, not greasy.
Another small bite revealed even more flavor, the meat juices spreading, creating a harmonious taste.
...
"This Dongpo Pork…"
"Soft but not greasy, sticky, lingering between the teeth, truly leaves a lasting impression."
Swallowing, Miyoko's eyes sparkled with excitement.
Good Chinese cuisine in Japan is rare, and she was clearly hungry, so she abandoned her previous elegance and started devouring the dish.
Without a doubt, this flavorful and nutritious Dongpo Pork had completely won her over.
Perhaps, it was this Dongpo Pork that slowly allowed Miyoko to see things more clearly.
Not greasy didn't mean lacking ambition, but rather not being defeated by difficulties and always maintaining one's drive, creativity, and curiosity.
At this moment, with newfound understanding, Miyoko unexpectedly shed tears!
"Why?"
"I'm clearly better than others."
"But just because I'm a girl, I'm not allowed to inherit the restaurant. Is it my fault for being born?"
"No, I refuse to accept this predetermined fate."
"I'll fight to the end and prove that women can be just as capable as men, and can excel in anything!"
Miyoko couldn't help but recall her time at the Chinese restaurant in Osaka, her eyes filled with defiance.
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