In the end, after a collective review by the Elite Ten, the list of 60 participants was finalized.
Some familiar names, such as Alice, Soma, Ryo, Akira, Hisako, and Mito, were on the list.
Of course, it also included less known names like Megumi, who was considered an underdog.
As Satoshi said, those who survived the harsh selection process were truly impressive.
Being an underdog on the list didn't matter; if their cooking skills weren't up to par, they were destined to be cannon fodder.
...
In essence, the Fall Selection was not just a competition, but an exam.
Totsuki Academy, at its core, is a culinary school, not the FIFA or NBA, so it's not all about ranking.
For example:
The difference between the first and second seat of the Elite Ten.
Does it really matter that much?
Being the first seat doesn't necessarily mean being the strongest at Totsuki, and being the second seat doesn't mean losing in terms of personality or charisma to the first seat.
In the residential training, Megumi modified Kuga's recipe, which didn't comply with the exam rules.
Technically, Kuga could have disqualified her based on his set of rules.
However, he didn't do that in the end because Megumi's dish reminded him of his childhood memories and his hometown cuisine.
More importantly, he understood that Totsuki was most interested in seeing the students' true abilities.
Not just winning or losing!
The Fall Selection follows the same principle.
Besides adding competitiveness and excitement, showcasing the intense battles between chefs, it also gives these new students a stage to fully display their talents.
...
At 7 PM, in the tavern.
Taki stood in front of the clean, neat workstation, her expression serious and focused.
She was dressed in a white chef's uniform, with the collar and cuffs spotless.
Holding a heavy, crescent-shaped chef's knife that gleamed under the light, she flashed a determined look and started chopping parsley on the cutting board.
Tap, tap, tap!
Tap, tap, tap!
Her movements were light and skillful, like a silent dance, the crescent knife flying in her hands.
Finally, as the knife rose and fell, the parsley was quickly chopped, releasing a unique, fresh aroma.
When she finished, Taki quickly set down the crescent knife, wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, and smiled with satisfaction.
"Being able to handle a crescent knife this well, you really deserve to be the former second seat of the Elite Ten!"
Zane, who had watched the entire process, couldn't help but praise.
"Not bad, huh?"
"It's been a while, so I'm a bit rusty."
Taki crossed her arms over her flat chest, feeling a bit proud.
"Alright."
"Now it's my turn."
Zane nodded, picked up the crescent knife again, and his aura suddenly intensified.
Without hesitation, he swung the knife swiftly, chopping the beef on the cutting board with lightning speed.
Bang!
A dull thud sounded.
The crescent knife hit the meat accurately.
Then, the sound of chopping meat echoed in the kitchen, crisp and pleasant.
The collision of the knife and the cutting board was like a violinist's accompaniment, sometimes urgent, sometimes gentle, forming a beautiful symphony!
"This...is faster than me?"
The fierce, precise knife skills left Taki in shock.
She knew that Zane excelled not only in Chinese cuisine but also in less popular culinary fields like Nordic and Spanish cuisine.
Yet, witnessing his techniques firsthand always overturned her understanding.
...
The tavern had undergone significant changes recently.
First, it had a second renovation, adding a café area, then extended its hours to 2 AM, and finally...
The addition of the second official employee, Taki.
Compared to Sonoka, Taki might not be as cute.
Her eyes sometimes seemed fierce, and she had a somewhat irritable personality, so Zane assigned her to handle Western desserts, Western cuisine, and various food preparations.
Meanwhile, Sonoka managed customer service and cashier duties.
Everything was orderly, the only thing missing was the temporary worker, Erina.
Her presence had brought more charm and less boredom to Zane's life.
"Mr. Zane, I didn't expect it!"
"I just went back home, and your tavern has changed again."
As Zane finished preparing the beef, the automatic glass door sensed Megumi's presence and opened, letting her in.
Like always, Megumi looked adorable, her eyes bright and watery, appearing very charming.
But today, she wasn't wearing her usual blue and white Totsuki uniform.
Instead, she wore a simple yet elegant white dress, perfectly highlighting her freshness and innocence.
...
"Megumi, did you just come back from home?"
Seeing the soft, adorable girl, Zane warmly greeted her.
"Yes, I just arrived in Tokyo tonight."
"Here, these are some local specialties I brought from home: Kiku Fuku pastries, Sayama tea...and bean paste!"
As she spoke, she handed a bit of each specialty to Zane.
Knowing her kind intentions, Zane didn't refuse.
He knew she always brought gifts to the tavern, and rejecting them would be ungrateful.
Besides, their relationship was no longer that of strangers.
...
Looking closely.
The Kiku Fuku pastries had a thin dough wrapping cream and fillings like matcha, edamame, and cream.
Sayama tea was picked only in spring and summer, a specialty of Saitama and Ibaraki.
Lastly, the bean paste, made from Hokkaido Tokachi red beans mixed with black sesame and Niigata Murakami tea, consisted of four types.
These local specialties were quite rare and valuable.
After accepting her gifts, Zane smiled and asked, "You must be hungry after traveling all the way from home, right?"
"I've just developed a new dish. Would you like to try it?"
"I...I'd love to."
Megumi replied softly, her voice as gentle as a mosquito.
"Okay."
"Please wait a moment."
After putting away the local specialties, Zane turned back to the cooking station.
...
Japanese ramen comes in countless varieties, categorized in different ways. Besides categorizing by flavor, such as:
Soy sauce, salt, miso, chicken white broth, seafood.
There are recent categories by restaurant style, like:
Yokohama-style ramen.
Jiro-style ramen.
Sometimes, Japanese people chat and ask: What style?
It means what type of ramen do you like.
Another common categorization is by regional specialty, given Japan's diverse climate and food culture. Notable examples include:
Sapporo ramen.
This ramen is said to suit Hokkaido's cold climate.
It uses rich pork bone broth, with the top layer of fat keeping the noodles warm, paired with stir-fried vegetables and meat, then topped with broth and garlic oil, one of its features.
And there are three flavors: miso, soy sauce, and salt.
Zane was now preparing to make Sapporo miso ramen for Megumi.
...
Typically, miso broth takes about 10 hours to cook.
Time determines the broth's richness, and miso broth is usually very rich.
To shorten the cooking time without compromising the broth's richness, Zane used a magical tool:
A pressure cooker!
This reduced the 8-hour cooking time to 40 minutes.
First, he prepared ingredients like mushrooms, kelp, ginger, dried shiitake mushrooms, and matsutake mushrooms.
Then, he made the broth by boiling 500ml of water with mushrooms, kelp, ginger slices, and sugar.
He brought it to a boil, added special miso paste, and stirred until it completely dissolved, resulting in a rich, flavorful broth.
Next, he cooked the noodles.
Generally, it only takes 2 minutes.
He placed the special miso paste in the bowl, added broth, then placed the cooked noodles in the bowl.
He topped the noodles with greens, bean sprouts, narutomaki, and seaweed.
Finally, he poured the remaining broth into the bowl.
A steaming bowl of Sapporo miso ramen was placed in front of Megumi.
With a glance, she could see the broth was meticulously made from shrimp heads, preserving the sweet flavor of shrimp and blending it with pork bone broth.
The toppings included chashu, bamboo shoots, green onions, seaweed, and a soft-boiled egg, among other things.
The soft-boiled egg paired perfectly with the ramen.
This perfect soft-boiled egg had a tender white and a semi-solid, amber-like yolk, translucent and appetizing.
...
Megumi moved her nose slightly, smelling the aroma.
Her eyes lit up, and she eagerly picked up her chopsticks, starting with the soft-boiled egg.
As she bit into it, the creamy texture and slight saltiness filled her mouth.
"Mm!"
"This really tastes like home."
Megumi's expression turned excited, like a joyful little bird.
Next, she sipped the broth.
The Sapporo miso ramen broth was made from dried fish, kelp, and other ingredients blended with rich pork bone broth.
Even a small sip felt like it contained the essence of all ingredients, making her completely immersed.
"Impressive."
"The chewy noodles, combined with thick chashu, bamboo shoots, green onions, seaweed, and the soft-boiled egg."
"The ingredients are so generous!"
Megumi, snapping out of her daze, ate the ramen eagerly under Zane's gaze.
Seeing her eating so heartily, Zane smiled contentedly.
He didn't say a word the entire time.
...
Normally, returning from home, Megumi should have gone to Tots
uki Academy first.
But she came straight to the tavern, bringing local specialties for Zane.
Her actions showed that the tavern had become more important to her than Totsuki.
Of course, she might have come just to see Zane and enjoy his cooking.
In Zane's eyes, this little girl, though from the countryside and not as noble as Erina, was endearing because of her purity and innocence.
"By the way!"
"Mr. Zane, I have something to show you."
Suddenly, while eating, Megumi remembered something and quickly took out a photo.
The photo showed two people, one being Megumi in a light blue kimono, and the other a woman who looked similar but older, around her thirties.
Looking closer, the woman had sparkling eyes, long, elegant brows.
Her skin was very fair, like a baby's.
Hmm!
Her aura and attire were as impressive as Mana and Leonora.
...
"Oh, the person next to you is your mother, right?"
Glancing at the photo, Zane smiled and asked Megumi.
"Yes, my mom."
"She's very gentle and... she loves me the most!"
As Megumi spoke, she nostalgically recalled her life at home, her eyes filled with deep emotion.
Then, she began talking endlessly, sharing everything she saw and experienced at home with Zane.
She mentioned her mother many times.
At Totsuki, Megumi wasn't happy due to the intense pressure.
So, she missed her hometown and wanted to pour all her hopes and grievances into her mother.
Fortunately, she had a loving mother who understood and accepted her!
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