(3rd Person's POV)
You're now in the kitchen with your 'Polar Star' mates, who were trying to come up with a proper dish to serve as breakfast.
The students were having trouble coming up with their owns as well.
And so were you...
"This challenge is a lot harsher than I'd expected" Shun exclaimed.
"Yeah. Unless we're really confident in our cooking, we won't get to sleep anytime soon, huh?" Ryoko pointed out worriedly.
-
Meanwhile...
(Erina's POV)
"I'm going to bed now. Are you still working on your dish?" I asked Hisako. She turned to me while cooking, "y-yes, I'm still just halfway done".
"I see. Don't keep at it too long".
I turned to walk away, then halted in my steps, "Oh, also...".
Hisako looked at me, pointing at her with frowned face. "Tomorrow, we're having a crazy sevens rematch! In last night's game of old maid...Well, I wasn't in good form...You follow me?" I said, blushing.
"Y-Yes!" Hisako stuttered.
I left the kitchen and made my way back to my room to get a good night sleep.
I had a quick flashback of...Eguchi's and Yukihira's egg dishes on the day of the entrance exam.
"Yukihira Soma, Eguchi (Y/N)...Through my cooking, I will shoot the both of you down. Watch closely. You'll both see the epitome of egg cuisine, a dish befitting Totsuki!" I thought, sneering.
-
Meanwhile...
(3rd Person's POV)
Soma was thinking about what to make for it be an appropriate egg dish. "Nothing's coming to mind for a fancy hotel breakfast..." he thought.
"Damn it!!" you yelled in anger, banging your fists on the counter. Snapping the red head out of his thoughts, he looked at you with a questioning look, "what's wrong?".
You groaned, "ugh, I've been thinking about what I can make for an egg dish, all I made was the egg soufflé on the day of our entrance exam. I need something new!!".
Soma tilted his head, "'something new'? Didn't you ever make a dish from a specific cuisine before?".
You looked at him with crossed arms, "no, Soma. That was just either my training, or Totsuki's normal cooking classes. But, I never liked repetition! You think the 'Rose Terrine' I made was something that existed? I make food out inspiration..."
He furrowed his brows, "then, what inspired you to make it even though we were in a basement?".
"Chef Shinomiya's hair!" you casually answered, which left Soma dumbfounded. A stupid look was all over his face.
You laughed at his reaction, "hahahahaha! Oh shit, your face!!".
You wiped your tears and gave a warm smile, "sometimes weird things inspire us, Soma...".
You returned to your thinking bubble, back to your deep thoughts as you struggled to squeeze your brain to come up with a new, fresh, and crazy idea.
"Inspiration, eh?" Soma thought, putting a hand on his chin. A soft smile curled up on his lips before beginning his cooking, "guess I'll just try making something!".
-
(Y/N's POV)
"Nnngghh...No...No...Eggs Benedict? No...Boiled eggs? No...Scrambled? No!...UGH!" I mused, scrunching my face as I struggle to think of something.
Probably if anyone saw my face they would think I'm taking a dumb.
I opened my eyes, trying to look a simple clue that'll help me find out what I wanna cook. Fuck, everyone's already trying their dishes and I haven't done anything!
"Ah..."
I hint of an idea popped into my head. I immediately started to look around, my desperate-filled eyes gazed at every corner of the kitchen, trying to find anything else.
It was literally like solving a puzzle, like a child squeezing hardly on a lemon trying to get a few drops out of it.
"Eggs...Eggs...Ah, bread!...Eggs, bread...Eggs, bread...Red cabbage!!".
I gasped loudly with wide eyes, getting the attention of Soma. "O-Oi! You ok?" he asked.
"Y-Yes...NO! Don't go!! I have to gather the ingredients now!" I yelled, running to get what I needed.
I totally looked like a crazy person...
-
Later...
"(Y/N), how are things with-..." Shun came to ask, but softly gasped as he saw my dish.
I looked over. "Oh, hi sweetie! It's going soooo fucking good" I said, my face looked like a mad scientist trying to create a potion or something.
He blushed at what I had called him, but at the same time I could feel that he was astonished at the sight of the plate in front of him.
"Is...Is this what're you gonna serve tomorrow?" he stuttered. I nodded, a huge grin ripped through my face.
"It's beautiful, isn't it? You have NO idea how hard it was to come up with a dish like this!" I exclaimed.
"Yeah, it's really beautiful. It's completely different than the one you made at the dormitory". "Watch this" I said, poking the egg white to make it move.
Shun was speechless...
"This time I wasn't inspired by something, I just squeezed the brain a little. Usually when I look at something or someone, I get a great idea for a dish" I stated.
"T-That's amazing! I never knew you had an artistic side" he looked at me. I chuckled, "what? Just because I spend most of my times playing video games doesn't exactly mean I don't have other hobbies!".
He rubbed the back of his head, "yeah, right...". "You done with yours?" I asked, he nodded.
I snickered and locked arms with him, "well, then~let's go to bed~" I winked. His face went red and slowly nodded.
-
Meanwhile...
(Soma's POV)
"All right, I've got the general idea! Now to give it a tria-...Ah!" I spoke to myself, but suddenly some girl showed up in front of me.
"You scared the shit outta me! Who the hell are you?" I asked.
She hummed, "seems like you'll be making something pretty delicious" she said. Not giving a damn that she almost gave me a heart attack.
"Oh, yeah? Thank you" I said, forcing a smile. "What's with her? Her hair and skin are so pale..." I mused, staring at her.
She backed away from the counter, a smile still on her face, yet I have a feeling that it's the fakest smile...
"I look forward to tomorrow morning. It's a shame that I didn't get a chance to meet 'her'" she said. I blinked twice, "'her'? Does she mean E?" I though.
"But it's fine. Well, see you late-..." she finished, but as she turned around to leave, she bumped into someone.
She covered her face and shuddered, "ow!". I sweat dropped at the sight. The person in front of her was a tall guy with black hair, a lock of hair was in front of his face.
The pale girl was wincing in pain, while he just stood there with a blank face watching.
"Hey, darn it! Don't just stand there! Move it!" the girl yelled. "But, Mistress, you told me to stand here" he nonchalantly said.
"I said to do it only when we're intimidating someone! You come across as super fierce when you're lurking there behind me. Oh, and what happened to those balls you're always twirling?" she asked after yelling at him.
The guy searched in his pocket, "I forgot them".
"I DON'T BELIEVE IT! THAT WAS AN AWESOME PROP TO MAKE YOU SEEM EVEN MORE FIERCE! YOU REALLY ARE A BLOCKHEAD!" she shouted at him, cheeks puffing.
She finally noticed me staring at them with crossed arms. "Ah, my apologies. What were we talking about?" she asked, cluelessly.
I clicked my tongue, "is she fucking serious? She didn't even introduce herself" I mused, feeling already irritated by her annoying attitude.
"We weren't talking about anything at all..." I blurted out. "So, you guys have already decided on what to cook?".
"I guess so! Well, good luck with your trial dish. See ya!" she pulled the guy with her and left.
I furrowed my brows, "what the hell was that about...?".
-
Later...
(Alice's POV)
"So that was Yukihira Soma. After all the rumours, he was kind of a let-down. That's what he plans to make? Maybe he really wants to flunk out" I giggled, putting a hand close to my chin.
"Still, it's a shame that we didn't get to see Eguchi (Y/N). I wonder what kind of girl she is, and what kind of food she will present. Getting into Totsuki after just 3 months of training? Sounds too good to be true" I finished, smirking.
-
The next morning...
(3rd Person's POV)
"IT'S SO BIG!!" you and Soma yelled in unison. A large buffet hall filled with student chefs, already assembling their counters.
Some of them were so tired due to the lack of sleep and exhaustion.
"Hey, look over there! It's Megumi" you pointed with a smile. She was busy writing the 'person' character and swallowing it.
"That's Takumi over there" Soma pointed, "what's he yelling about? We can't even hear him" you raised a brow. Soma merely shrugged carelessly.
"I'm gonna go comfort Megumi and go to my counter. So, see ya!" you spoke, waving to him before running to the nervous wrecked blue-haired girl.
"E!" Soma called, which halted you in your steps and glanced back. "Don't forget, once the guests come in....our Shokugeki begins" he sternly said. You sneered, "I won't...".
You continued running towards Megumi, as Soma went to find his counter.
"Megumi..?" you called, putting a hand on her shoulder. She jumped in fright and turned to see who it was. She soon sighed in relief after seeing you.
"Jeez, chill. Why're you so scared? You'll do great!" you reassured. She took a deep breath, "I'm scared that I'll screw up. I-..I just-.." she stuttered.
"Hey..." you stopped her, your hands cupped her cheeks. The sincerest, hope-filled smile appeared on your face, "you'll do great...Trust me...".
Her eyes widened, she blushed as she softly smiled at you, leaning her head on one of your hands. "Thank you...".
-
Meanwhile...
(Soma's POV)
"Well,looks like this is my spot" I mumbled. I suddenly saw Nakiri putting trays, she glanced at me.
"Oh, Nakiri! So we're neighbours, huh?" I asked casually with a smile on my face.
"Yu...Yu...Yu...Yukihira-Kun!" she became a stuttering mess. "We've seen a lot of each other in this training camp, huh?" I pointed.
"This'll be my first time to see your food, huh? I can't wait!" I smiled.
She smirked, "please, feel free to have a taste...of the gap between your, and Eguchi's cooking and mine!".
I looked at her, dumbfounded, "um...E is at another counter. How's she gonna get a taste? She can't leave her station".
Nakiri clicked her tongue, and furrowed her brows, her cheeks were red.
"Let's do it after the challenge, though" I casually said.
"W-What?! No!...T-That's not what I meant!" she screamed. "Well, either way, let's do our best".
She looked at me seriously, "are you planning on making a soufflé or something?".
"Oh, I'm gonna make omelette" I answered, whisking the egg whites.
"I'll whisk the egg whites into a meringue before cooking them, which will give it a different texture from your regular omelette. It will be a soufflé omelette. Delivering an unexpected texture is part of the 'wonders' of cooking, right?" I explained confidently.
She stared at me with wide eyes. I looked at her with a confused look, "what?".
She shook her head quickly and turned away, "nothing. Nothing at all. By the way, what's Eguchi-Kun going to make?" she asked, still facing away.
"Actually, I don't know. She didn't tell me anything" I answered.
Nakiri hummed in response and continued her work quietly...
-
A few minutes later...
(Y/N's POV)
"Ah, great...perfect! This is gonna be great!" I cheered, feeling the rush of excitement run through my veins.
On a massively large screen, chef Dojima appeared on it for announcement.
"I assume you've all finished prepping for your dishes. I will now explain the conditions that will let you pass. But first, let me introduce your judges" he spoke.
Suddenly, doors opened, revealing parents, and their children coming in running. "Those are the suppliers of the ingredients used at Totsuki resort, and their families" chef Dojima introduced.
I put a finger on my lips, "I see now, so the suppliers see our work by using their ingredients. Well, they're gonna be so wow'ed after they taste my food" I mused, smirking.
"They serve as judges here every year, and also provided the theme of egg dishes with a sense of wonder. When it comes to judging, they're very precise" Dojima continued.
We then see three old men cackling, a dark aura surrounding them. "Many thanks. Keep in mind, we'll eat nothing that's not to our standards!" one of them said.
"They have some serious presence!", "They're fucking scary!" the students murmured fearfully.
"Those old men....they're perfect! I need to get their attention!" I mused, grinning.
"And, Totsuki resort's staff from the cooking and service divisions will also be serving as judges" Dojima introduced, a group of other chefs and waiters and waitresses stood at the entrance.
It freaked everyone out, while I was dumbfounded. "Who the hell are they? Why's everybody all scared? I don't see the big deal about them!" I thought, raising a brow.
"There are two criteria for passing: First, both the suppliers and our skilled staff must give their approval! Second, our guests must eat at least 200 of your plates in the next 2 hours!" Dojima instructed.
I observed the guests walking nearby my station, as I instantly stood politely with my hands behind my back, a happy smile on my face as an 'employee' should do.
"Now then, judges in all assembly halls, enjoy this breakfast to your hearts' content! Let the judgment...BEGIN!" Dojima declared.
-
Meanwhile...
(3rd Person's POV)
"My, what a rich scent. What is this?" one of the girl judges asked. "A frittata" Takumi presented.
"That's an Italian egg dish, right? You fold cheese into the eggs and cook them" she stated.
"But, it's still a little ordinary for a breakfast item-..." the other girl judge spoke. "Not at all..." Takumi interrupted politely.
"I'd like you to please eat my frittata on a bed of salad. The frittata is broken into rough chunks and used as a topping for the vegetables. Next, it's drizzled with balsamic sauce and topped with grated parmesan cheese. And it's done!" he explained.
Presenting a beautiful, delicious egg dish with fresh vegetables.
"An 'Insalata Di Frittata'!".
"'Insalata'? That means salad, right?" girl judge asked.
The both of them then tries Takumi's dish...
*FOODGASM*
"It's delicious!", "This texture, fluffy eggs, and fresh, crisp vegetables! When you take a bite, it all blends with this refreshing sauce!" the two girls commented.
"It's incredible!" they said in unison, feeling the taste of beautiful Italy.
Takumi grinned, "grazie!".
-
Meanwhile...
"U-...Um..." a stuttering blue-haired girl called. The angry-looking old men looked towards her, which made poor Megumi jump. Fear was drowning her face...
"P-Please have some if you like! I call it 'Bite-Size Morning Oden'!" Megumi offered.
"What? Oden?" one of them asked. "What's more, at the end od each skewer, she's added a quail egg!" the other said. "I see, chicken eggs aren't the only kind of eggs, huh? So, you came up with this, eh?" the old man asked, taking a bite of the hot egg.
*FOODGASM*
The bald man happily smiled all of a sudden. "Goodness! This taste is so soothing! Each bite exudes the mellow flavour of the soup base!".
"The vegetables were chosen to match the size of the quail egg and are so colorful! You can't help, but reach for the next bite!" the other old man stated.
"Would you..." the third old man begin, making Megumi jump out of terror.
"....please marry my grandson?!" he asked, holding her hands dearly.
Megumi became a stuttering mess, "huh?....uh....um...".
-
Meanwhile...
"Oh, this is interesting. A 'Loco Moco' on a buffet line, huh?" the judge asked, looking at Mito's dish, and tried a bite...
*FOODGASM*
"It's standard to top a 'Loco Moco' with gravy, but this is vinaigrette! The refreshing acidity of the white wine vinegar elevates the egg yolk's runniness and the juiciness of the meat! It's like this dish is brimming with power! Such splendid execution!" he happily stated.
"All right! Thank you so much!" Mito cheered.
As Mito was in the middle of her thoughts, she felt a warm breath close to her ears which sent a shiver down her spine.
"I recognize you from somewhere" Alice spoke. "W-What the hell?!" Mito jumped.
"Ah, you were one of Erina's underlings, right? Hmm....I haven't seen you recently, though. Oh, I know!....Did Erina abandon you?" Alice mocked, which obviously upset Mito.
"Shut up! I'll kick your ass!" Mito yelled. Alice kept on behaving like she didn't say anything wrong, "oh, dear, my apologies". She skedaddled back to her station.
Mito noticed that Alice's station was....rather empty.
"What the hell's up with her dish? She's got a fried egg, an egg still in the shell, and a boiled egg cut in two? She thinks that's cooking? She's not getting any customers at all! Just what is she thinking...?" Mito thought, sweat dropping.
-
Meanwhile...
(Erina's POV)
"Welcome. I'm serving 'Eggs Benedict'" I said with a charming smile, presenting my dish.
Two guy judges gasped, with a look of amazement of their faces.
"Those look so beautiful!", "They're dazzling and sparkly, like jewels!" they stated.
Another, older looking judge approached me.
"'Eggs Benedict'...A poached egg and bacon are set a top a muffin, and covered with a tangy hollandaise sauce. It's a classic breakfast item in America, and can hardly be called new. Where is the 'wonder' in this dish?" the judge stated, clearly underestimating my power in cooking.
I mentally snickered as he took a bit, his eyes shot open...
*FOODGASM*
"The poached egg is cooked perfectly and fairly melts on the tongue. The hollandaise sauce has just the right acidity. Then, there's the crispy bacon and the faint sweetness of the muffin. These flavours all blend together, enveloping the tongue...." he explained, but suddenly stopped.
"N-No! That's not all! This powder, sparkling amidst the eggs' gold....it's mullet roe! She coated the muffin with powdered mullet roe?! I get it now! Roe are eggs as well! The sublime saltiness of the roe pairs with the egg yolks, creating a depth of flavour!" he cheerfully stated.
"The deliciousness will make you bow before you know it!" he finished.
I smirked, "of course...".
The guests ate my fabulous dish, making them glow in pleasure...
"Nakiri Erina! 200 hundred plates reached!" chef Dojima announced.
-
Meanwhile...
(Y/N's POV)
"WOW! MOM! DAD! LOOK!" a kid yelled so loud my ears almost bleed. I gave a heart-filled chuckle, "welcome, my dears".
"What is this, miss?" another kid asked, "it's so beautiful, and fluffy!" another one stated. Their screaming and comments caught the attention of the other passing guests.
Curiosity grew and spread all over like fungus, as in a matter of minutes, almost half of the hall's guests came to my station.
"This, my dear, is 'Rainy Cloud Eggs'..." I presented. A dish that had a beautiful, white and fluffy cloud, held by piece of metal.
Under it, was grilled sprouted bread, cut into circles, and had slices of avocados on top of it. All placed specifically under the cloud. The side dishes were two small bowls, one with small cut vegetables, and one with fruits.
The only difference was the side dishes are different. For example, if a bowl had a few cut carrots, the other is lettuce and corn in another 'Rainy Cloud Egg' dish.
"Please, do not hesitate to taste" I offered one of the guests a dish. The little girl in front of me ate it, and gasped.
"IT'S SO DELICIOUS!" she shouted, the judges from the other side got interrupted in the middle of their judgment, as they noticed a lot of people at my station.
The guests were astonished with my dish.
In a moment, "please make way!" a man yelled. Everyone turned their heads and saw all the judges came as a group.
The guests dispersed to make way for them. I had my eyes on the old judges in the middle, and smirked.
"What's all the fuss abo-..." the bald man asked, but soon he shut his mouth after he saw my dish.
"W-What is this?" the other old judge asked. "As I presented to our humble guests, this is a 'Rainy Cloud Egg' dish" I answered, smiling.
"Oh, my! This looks amazing!" girl judge pointed. The not-so-old judge put a hand on his chin, "hmmm...this dish doesn't seem to belong to a known cuisine, does it? Care to explain, young miss?"
"It's true, it doesn't. In fact, I've just created this dish" I stated, their eyes shot open.
I blinked slowly, giving the judges a reassuring smile, as I handed each of them a plate.
"I wanna give people the chance to try new things..." I soothingly spoke.
They stared at my plate for a minute. Hesitantly, they all took a bite from the cloud...
*FOODGASM*
"It's delicious!", "So fluffy, like marshmallows!", "It's so light and melts in your mouth!", "I feel like I'm sitting on a cloud!" they all exclaimed.
"The egg whites were whisked with salt until it took a stiff peaks form, then she spooned them onto the oven trays and baked them until they became firm. Making it look like a cloud!" the not-so-old judge stated.
"Then why is it called 'Rainy Cloud Egg'?" the young judge asked.
"Watch this.." I took one of the dishes, as all eyes were focusing on what I'll do. I gently poked the cloud from below with a fork.
In a moment, the cloud turned blue from below, and a few drops came down onto the grilled bread and avocado.
The judges and guests gasped.
"I-Is this the egg yolk?" girl judge asked, I nodded. "How come then it's blue?!" the other girl judge asked.
"I used red cabbage. When you want to make a natural blue food colouring, red cabbage is the perfect option. Regardless of its name in 'Red', and its colour 'Purple', if you mixed baking soda with it will result in turning the purple to blue. Then, I injected the colour into the egg yolk to make it represent the rain for the cloud, and it's an extra addition to the grilled sprouted bread and avocado. I purposely put them under it so the egg yolk can drip on it" I explained.
"I-IT'S MARVELLOUS!", "SO IMPRESSIVE!", "WOW!" everyone cheered. I giggled as I waved a 'thank you' to them.
"Even though there are other kinds of bread, she choses the sprouted bread! A nutrient-dense bread that's loaded with sprouted lentils, protein, and grains that keep you going on your day!" the young judge stated.
"And the avocados are a great source of Potassium. It's high in fiber, rich in folate, and has unsaturated fat! And it tastes so well with the blue egg yolks!" one of the girl judges said.
"I WANT A DISH!", "ME TOO!", "I WANT ONE, AS WELL!" the guests begged. Of course, I was quick enough to make more.
After I finished, sweat dripping from my forehead, one of the judges cleared their throats as I approached them, panting.
"You've made a dish that's rather interesting. Yet, you've really showed us the 'wonder' of cooking, and experiencing something new" the not-so-old judge spoke seriously.
"And you've done an absolutely creative thing making this dish. Literally making a cloud-looking egg whites rain blue egg yolk? That's something you don't see everyday!" one of the girl judges continued.
"What's more, this challenge is already difficult as it is, yet you choose to make something that looks more difficult and takes time to make. Your speed in making more for our guests is very impressive! Kids as creative as you are very rare nowadays..." the old man said, gently smiling.
A huge grin plastered on my face...
"Eguchi (Y/N)! 400 plates reached!" chef Dojima announced, I suddenly heard a round of applause from the judges. I happily bowed, thanking them before they left.
"Ugh, finally!....Huh?" I mumbled, but then noticed 2 girls not too far away.
Erina, and some pale girl next to her. I could tell that Erina had a rather shocking look on her face as if she saw a fucking ghost.
But who was the other girl...?
I shrugged carelessly, as I made my way to exit the hall. Before I left, I took a glance at Soma, who had customers coming to him and eat his dish..
"Yukihira Soma! 200 plates reached!" chef Dojima announced.
I smiled in relief, and left...
-
Chapter End.