"Why in the world would you send me here to train." Yumi took care to yell loudly into the phone. "Are the organizers for this Stagiaire right in the head? Or were their brains burnt to a crisp."
Yumi Yukihira had just barely finished running errands in New York when Isshiki Satoshi the Seventh Seat of the Totsuki student councils Elite Ten, suddenly summoned her back to Japan to participate in the Stagiaire Training camp. And because the Elite Ten is the highest authority within the Totsuki Academy, her Student ID is on the line.
Right now she is publicly ridiculing the restaurant she was assigned to, in front of the paying customers, staff, and manager. "The putrid smell upon walking in is equivalent to exploring the sewers, the food looks like someone had explosive diarrhea then used food coloring to make it appealing. And don't get me started with the actual kitchen."
"Even ramen, one of the most basic dishes to create, looks like worms swimming in a pool made from dead animals. Third seat would not approve." To say the least the owner of the restaurant is quite furious with her right now, or is he red with embarrassment she's too preoccupied with cussing out the place to figure it out. "You know how much I despise rats."
"I thought you were scared of them ever since Rindo tricked you into eating one." Satoshi hums through the phone.
"Don't remind me." Yumi dreads the thought.
"The process of the Stagiaire is supposed to be confidential but since it's you I don't mind telling."
"Well I'm all ears"
"It was voted that you were to be sent to the worst place possible," He confessed. "I voted against it of course, but I'm only a single vote among ten."
"What's the use of you then." Yumi cries tears of blood. With a loud sigh, she storms into the kitchen and shouts to no one in particular. "On the next episode of Gordon Ramsay's 24 Hours to Hell & Back. We'll explore and expose some of the most disgusting places, the kitchen of your local restaurants."
"You're gonna get copyrighted."
"Hell if I care." Yumi rages before shutting the phone and shoving them into her pockets. Then storms into the main hall. "Alright everyone out! This place is closing, chop chop leave. Come back in 2 days. All your bills are covered. Bye, have a nice day." Yumi clapped her hands ushering every customer to leave before they die from food poisoning. "Staff, chefs, manager, and owner stay. I have a bone to pick with you."
***************
"You pass." A lady in a suit and sunglasses appeared in front of her after the final day of the Stagiaire. "The results from the surveys were magnificent. You did an exemplary job."
"Damn straight." Yumi rolled her eyes, blowing a lock of hair out of her face.
"... tomorrow you'll receive a document with the necessary information on your next training place."
"There is a second part?"
"Yes, I wish you the best of luck. See you."
*************
"As a Stagiaire, I did say, 'I won't accept anyone who didn't at least get to the finals of the Autumn Election.' But of all the people... it had to be you Yukihira." Shinomiya Kojirou said.
"I was really surprised too when they sent me here," Soma replies.
"Yes so explain to me why you are here as well," he said pointing at the person behind him.
"how rude," Yumi crossed her arms in contempt. "I was also sent here, got a problem? take it up with the committee."
Despite what she'd said, she also doesn't want to be here. And her expression pretty much sums it up; Like she was forcefully dragged here to stab a small animal.
"Well it matters not how many they sent, I also told the School Affairs Division I would kick out anyone useless."
"Oh, Yumi you're here too!" Soma waved at her.
"Unfortunately." She responds. "I still have business abroad after this and since I don't feel like paying for my travel fee I need my Student ID. But they threatened to confiscate those privileges if I don't pass the Stagiaire." Yumi sighs then shrugs her bag off her shoulders and search its contents. Her eyes lit up when she found what she wanted. It was a box of pocky, popping some in her mouth before offering some to her brother. "Want some?"
"Sure," Soma shrugs and takes the remainder of the snack.
Yumi knitted her brow at him, "I meant one."
"Oi you two are not here to exchange stories of your adventure, there's work to do." Chef Shinomiya glared at the two. "For starters..." He tossed them a bucket along with various other cleaning supplies. "There's carpentry work and the finishing touches to the interior."
"COME ON GET MOVING!" Shinomiya orders the two confused teenagers. "We're getting this done by tomorrow."
"You're still at this stage?" Soma shouted with a mop in hand.
"Huh? Get to work or I'll fire you." Shinomiya shouted back from the other side.
Yumi just grumbles under her breath, something about having enough of chores while viciously mopping her side of the floor in utter fury. Gripping her mop so hard it started showing signs of cracking.
"Chef Shinomiya!" One of the other employees, Gao Wei there spoke, "we need to work on the menu too you know?"
"She's right, we should just hire some contractors." Another employee, Lucie Hugo added.
"Considering the remaining budget, we have to do the rest by ourselves." Shinomiya reminds them. "The interior design, chairs, tables, cutlery, and wine. I want things to be a certain way. We have to do what we can by ourselves."
"If it's you, you should be able to get as many sponsors as you want, shouldn't you Chef Shinomiya?" Gao Wei suggests. "You've won the Pluspol Medal, you know?"
"Almost every single one of them opposed opening a new restaurant." He grimaced at the thought of lowering his to ask them to sponsor the restaurant.
"Then you could just get a loan in Japan," Lucie suggests.
"That's no good either, it will overshadow the impression people have, of me making it big in France." He turned down the idea.
Yumi laughed leaning on her mop. ""Imagine being broke? Can't be me." She said flashing a playful smirk.
"Maybe I should fire you right now, how does that sound, Miss Yukihira." Shinomiya glares at her.
"For what reason? Talking back to my 'superior'?" Yumi rolled her eyes as she mockingly airs quoted her words. "Anyway, I was trying to tell you that I've already finished with the floors while you guys were standing around."
"..."
"What's my next task?" Yumi said. "It's not like I haven't done enough cleaning during the Stagiaire already..." Yumi shudders at the horrors she experienced the week prior.
"Man sure is hard, opening a restaurant." Soma comments on the side. "Well, I feel lucky for getting to train at Senpai's restaurant."
"I suppose it is a good experience." Yumi shrugs.
"It's late but nice to meet you both, we're part of Shino's main restaurant's staff." Gao Wei introduces. "We're here to help at the Tokyo branch until things settle in.."
"And that man there is the sous-chef de chef for the main restaurant." Lucie gestures towards a blond young man with normal stature and a scruffy chin. "You could say he's Chef Shinomiya's right-hand man."
"I'll be in your care," Soma said after shaking hands with him.
"Yukihira!" Both Yumi and Soma turned their heads. Shinomiya was at a loss for words before pointing at Soma. "Come here. You carry that side."
"Was that a threat?" Yumi tilted her head as she watched the two carry a table from the storage to the dining hall. "Maybe I should carry a table as well, by myself."
***************
"Anyway Chef Shinomiya, why did you want to open a new restaurant?" Soma asks as he helps fix the lightbulb above. "And why Japan of all places? It is rare for someone who's aiming for three stars."
"If you have time for useless chatters, you can move those hands."
"I was just wondering why? When you should be putting your back into running your main restaurant in France."
"It's probably because of his inferiority complex." Yumi rolled her eyes as she walked past them carrying a box of supplies. "Just can't stand his ego deflating for even a moment."
"Work overtime and I'll pretend I didn't hear that." Shinomiya glares.
"Get me the finest set of kitchen knives you can find and I'll think about it." Yumi looked back and flashed a smirk, unfazed by his threat.
Shinomiya sighs as he watches her leave the room, "How are you two related?"
"She resembles mom, I guess?" Soma shrugs.
"... What do you mean by what you said before?" Shinomiya asked, changing the subject. "You said, you feel lucky to get to train at my restaurant. You can clear the Stagiaire far quicker if you were sent to some random small restaurant."
"It's to make my own specialty," Soma explains. "I can't keep doing things like before. I want to step into a new world, and shed new light on to my cooking."
Shinomiya nodded, acknowledging his determination. "... the reason why I'm opening a restaurant in Japan, is because it's something I need to do to reach a new height right now."
***********
"Break time!"
"I'm dead tired!" Lucie exclaims collapsing onto the floor, Yumi also joined her after tossing a couple of water bottles at the crew.
"But I can finally see the end of this now." Gao Wei said uncapping her bottle of water. "What should we do about lunch?"
"Then I'll cook something," Abel suggests rolling up his sleeves ready to prepare something simple.
"I'll make it." Shinomiya stepped up instead.
"Eh?"
"Set the table." He orders tossing aside his gloves.
"To what do we owe this pleasant surprise," Gao Wei exclaims.
"To think we get to eat something cooked by Chef Shinomiya." Abel's face lit up in excitement.
"Well, this is getting interesting."
*********
"It's a Quiche!"
"Woah it smells great," Soma said.
"Did someone mention food?" Yumi slides her seat over to her brother for a better look at the dish. "Looks great."
"Quiche is a baked dish, which uses pie batter, eggs, cheese, and milk as the base. With bacon and spinach for the filling. It's a lunch menu for the locals of the Lorraine region which has extended all the way to Paris." Abel explains. "You might not get it since you don't know France though."
"Is that so? That's perfect for a quick meal." Soma said with a grin, picking up his fork and knife. "Well let's have some."
Yumi sliced a small portion for herself and took it to the far corner of the dining hall.
"Delicious!" Lucie exclaims.
"Greater burdock, huh?" Soma said after the first bite.
"Burdock?"
"It's no wonder you don't know it, it's an ingredient that's rarely used in the west," Abel explains. "To think you would use a Japanese vegetable in French cuisine! You could even serve this at the main Shino's restaurant."
Shinomiya also picked up his fork and took a bite. He scowled at his creation, "It's not there yet... alright we're opening some wine!"
"Eh aren't we on a tight budget?"
"It's a meal I made, you know? It would be a waste not to have some wine with it." Shinomiya said dismissively.
"I brought a bottle." Abel brought one from the storage room.
"You idiot, bring a better wine." Shinomiya scolds, telling him to return with a bottle of better quality wine.
Yumi cracked a smile as she watched the scene. "How fun..." she mutters. Her smile fades as she stared dejectedly at her portion, taking a bite. She frowns slightly, chewing sluggishly.
"What do you think, Yumi?"
She looks up from her plate to see Gao Wei standing before her. "Sorry I zoned out, could you repeat that?"
"What are your thoughts Miss Yukihira?" Gao Wei repeated her question politely.
"Um," Now with everyone's attention on her, she shifts uncomfortably in her chair. Averting her eyes she spoke, "It's hot."
...
"Well, it did just come off the stove." Gao Wei awkwardly agrees.
Yumi tilts her head then hesitates as she chooses her next words. "The crust is well made and the filling is well balanced, and smells great too." She flashes a smile. "This dish is wasted on me."
"Yukihira! You'll definitely get closer to your specialty during this week." Shinomiya calls out breaking the silence. "As long as you can keep up with my work are you ready?"
"I am," Soma responds.
"Yes sir," Yumi nods.
*****************
Bonus:
"He was definitely talking to me," Soma said.
"Does that matter?" Yumi rolled her eyes. "I'm a Yukihira as well you know."
"It doesn't matter who I address, both of you back to work." Chef Shinomiya chides.