Food Wars: Let him cook

"When you go back in the evening, make another pot of soup. Add some dried scallops to this soup; it can elevate the umami of the soup by a notch."

"Dried scallops? I'll try that tonight."

"Dried seafood products, through processes like dehydration and sun-drying, acquire a uniquely enhanced texture and flavor, significantly elevating the complexity of a soup."

"Of course, this doesn't mean you can just casually toss them into any soup. Due to their different flavor profiles, pairing various dried seafood items also requires careful consideration."

Seeing Hisako Arato's eager-to-learn expression, Dylan decided to explain it to her.

"I see…"

Hearing Dylan's words, a thoughtful expression appeared on Hisako Arato's face.

She knew that adding dried seafood to soup could greatly enhance its flavor, but it wasn't her area of expertise.

This was the main reason she hadn't done so.

She definitely didn't want to make a fool of herself in front of Dylan, to have her cooking criticized as not tasting good. She wanted no part of that!

Not seeking merit, but seeking no fault.

That was her mindset.

"Alright, it's getting late. I'll go call them over for lunch. Then a half-hour nap, and after that, we'll start the afternoon training!"

Looking at the alarm clock before him, Dylan gave all the remaining meat in the clay pot to Hisako Arato, then stood up and went outside.

At this moment, the students were already exhausted and collapsed in a heap.

"Don't just sit there! Stand and rest for a bit, then come eat. Today, a beautiful girl has stewed chicken soup for you all, so you can properly replenish your strength!"

"This morning was just a warm-up, to let you adapt a little. This afternoon, I expect more than ten times the effort from you!"

"Thank you, Professor Dylan."

On the cliffside, looking down at the bottomless abyss below, a boy who had just missed his footing and was about to fall, only to be caught by the arm by Dylan in the nick of time, said with lingering fear.

"Look forward, don't lose focus. Next time, I won't intervene."

"Yes, sir!"

In response to the thanks, Dylan spoke coldly, then lightly tapped his feet and dashed elsewhere, moving as effortlessly as if on flat ground, to prevent any student from actually falling.

In fact, he had already saved quite a few. It was precisely because of his absolute confidence in his own abilities that he dared to do this.

Ten people at a time, or even more, was possible, but it would reduce his control.

After simulated tests, ten people was optimal. After all, this was the world of Shokugeki; life wasn't taken so lightly here, and he didn't want any accidents.

And this training method primarily trained the culinary students' mentality.

Even when facing a cliff that seemed like a natural chasm, they wouldn't be afraid. As long as they could scale this peak, their entire beings would undergo a transformation.

At this moment, it was the tenth day since the hellish training began.

"Uncle Mitsui, Ren Tendo, Hakusai Mitarai, your performance in this test was very good. You three can go rest now."

"The rest of you, an extra thousand servings. The standard remains the same. If you don't meet the standard, continue!"

"Yes!"

"This time, I'll definitely make it!"

"A thousand servings… hiss… my hands are already numb. But, persistence is victory!"

Trucks were parked one after another in the temporary parking lot built in the mountains, transporting ingredients while also taking away the salads made by the students to be sold.

"Professor, we won't rest! We'll continue with everyone else!"

Hearing Dylan's words, Uncle Mitsui, Ren Tendo, and Hakusai Mitarai glanced at each other, then stepped forward together and said to him.

"Then return to your positions."

"Remember, you only have two hours! After two hours, anyone who hasn't finished will get another thousand servings added, until it's completed."

Without praise or criticism, Dylan glanced at them and spoke in an indifferent tone.

At this moment, it was the thirteenth day since the hellish training began.

"The most important thing in cooking is patience. Good food shouldn't be rushed; you can't eat hot tofu if you're impatient. Today, you will work in groups of five to cook a banquet."

"The most basic seasonings, along with ingredients like scallions, ginger, and garlic, will be provided here. You'll need to forage for everything else in the wild mountains."

"It's currently five in the morning. The inspection will be at noon. You only have seven hours. When the time comes, the groups ranked last will have their afternoon training doubled. Do you all understand?"

In the early morning, looking at the students who had changed their clothes and were waiting on the field less than three minutes after the cock crowed, Dylan announced the content of the assessment.

"Understood!"

A resounding voice erupted from the crowd, a testament to their training during this period.

"Group up quickly, then get moving!"

At this moment, it was the eighteenth day since the hellish training began.

Under Dylan's high-intensity training.

The hellish training had already lasted for twenty-five days. Compared to when they first arrived, these laggards had undergone a dramatic transformation.

The most obvious change was their appearance.

If at the beginning they were frail students, now they had clearly visible muscles.

Dressed in black clothes, they all bore some injuries, more or less.

"I've seen everyone's performance during this period. Although there are many areas I'm not satisfied with, there are also commendable points."

Looking at the youths before him, Dylan began to walk back and forth in front of them.

"There are only five days left until the end of the mid-term assessment. It's time to let you go down the mountain and clash with those guys."

"These last few days are mountain training. You'll have to find your own breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I won't provide any ingredients or seasonings."

"This mountain has all sorts of wild game, as well as some wild fruits that can be used for seasoning, and even ingredients like honey."

"Of course, there are no large animals, so you don't need to worry too much about safety. If you get 'solo-killed' by a pheasant or wild rabbit, then consider it starting from zero."

"Follow this road straight down. Two people will be waiting for you on the essential path at the foot of the mountain. You need to use the wild game from the mountain to create a dish that satisfies them. Only by passing their test can you return to the hotel you came from."

"This is my final test for you."

After saying these words, and seeing that some people before him were moved but their expressions were restrained, holding something back, Dylan stopped in the very center.

"Go give them a taste of what you're made of, brats!"

Looking at the young men and women standing before him with their hands behind their backs, their expressions serious as they looked at him, Dylan's voice wasn't loud, but it was deafeningly inspiring.

"OOOH!~"

Hearing Dylan's final words, the scene was briefly silent for a second, then an excited roar erupted, excitement dawning on everyone's face.

"After working so hard for so long, they can finally go down the mountain!"

"Revenge! I'm going to beat all those guys down! Let them know that even laggards can fiercely slap the mouths of those who look down on them!"

"Make all those who despised us kneel! This is a battle of revenge!"

"Take them down!"

"Shokugeki! Shokugeki! Shokugeki! To crush them in the area they're most proud of—just thinking about it is incredibly exciting!"

For a moment, the crowd was in a frenzy. They had trained in hell for 25 days, all for this very day!

If you want to show off your skills in front of others, you must endure countless hardships behind the scenes. They had experienced this profoundly over the past month.

"Good, very spirited! Go."

Dylan looked at the scene before him, a satisfied expression on his face. This was precisely the effect he had wanted to achieve.

After his training these past few days, these kids had unleashed all the accumulation of the previous few years; it could be considered a sudden emergence of success after long preparation.

Having studied for three years, even without talent, how could they not have accumulated anything at all?

After 25 days of hellish training, five of these laggards had stably reached the skill level of a second-rate chef, eighteen were between second and third-rate, the remaining seventy-six were third-rate chefs, and one was a culinary apprentice.

That culinary apprentice was Anzu Yasuda.

Because her foundation was truly too weak, even undergoing the same special training as everyone else, she still lagged far behind.

At this moment, looking at her excited companions around her, her expression wasn't very good; she looked laden with worries.

"Anzu Yasuda, you wait a bit before leaving."

Watching the crowd gradually descend the mountain, Dylan suddenly spoke to her.

Although her ability was the weakest on site, she was the most hardworking in training. Dylan had seen all of this and naturally wouldn't ignore it.

Therefore, when he saw Anzu Yasuda's expression, he immediately felt it was necessary to guide her a bit.

"Wh-what is it? Professor Dylan."

Her movements paused. After being stopped by Dylan, Anzu Yasuda's expression worsened, and she felt a little uneasy.

"Are you afraid?"

"Eh…"

"Tell me, Anzu Yasuda, are you afraid?"

Looking at the girl whose body was trembling slightly, Dylan strode forward, came to stand in front of Anzu Yasuda, looked into her eyes, and suddenly spoke.

"A...a little."

Anzu Yasuda answered softly, lacking confidence.

"It's normal to feel fear. After all, you're the weakest here. If you didn't have any fear, that would be extreme arrogance."

Looking at Anzu Yasuda, who was a head shorter than him, Dylan spoke in a calm tone.

"It's normal to feel fear…"

"That's right. What you need to do now is to give it your all, to use action and a great deal of thought to leave yourself no time for fear!"

"Go find ingredients, think about how to cook them, instead of wasting time on the most useless fear and worry. Can you understand what I'm saying?"

Hearing Anzu Yasuda's soft murmur, Dylan elaborated further.

This kid's talent isn't actually weak; otherwise, she couldn't have smoothly passed every assessment he had set, gritting her teeth and persevering until the end.

It was just that the amount of training was too little; otherwise, she definitely could have stood out and surpassed the others.

"What I need to do now is act and think? I understand! In any case, I will give my all in this final assessment!"

Dylan's few short sentences dispersed most of the fog in her heart. Anzu Yasuda's eyes lit up, and she nodded seriously.

"Go on, quickly, before all the ingredients are snatched up by the others."

"Yes!"

Seeing Dylan's expressionless face, Anzu Yasuda responded loudly, then turned and headed down the mountain path, preparing to give her all in this assessment.

During this period, Dylan had conducted multiple outdoor training sessions, which had significantly improved their wilderness survival skills.

Setting traps, catching fish, and hunting rabbits were all within their capabilities.

They also understood the characteristics of wild mountain vegetables, could distinguish poisonous from non-poisonous, tasty from not, and how to cook them.

It could be said that all the preliminary preparations were complete; what remained was up to them!

"Although they've trained for so long, the most skilled among them are only second-rate chefs, with most being third-rate."

"While that's not considered weak in Tōtsuki, wanting to compete for the top fifty rankings is still quite difficult for most of them."

"After all, those who were already skilled have also undergone very rigorous training. If they treat them as they were before, they'll likely suffer a great loss."

As the students descended the mountain, Leah emerged from the wooden hut and came to Dylan's side, looking in the direction they had disappeared with a hint of worry in her voice.

After this period of special training, she had developed a different kind of affection for these students and naturally hoped they could achieve victory.

"The most important thing I've taught them during this time isn't actually technique, but the courage to face difficulties head-on, and creativity in cooking."

"Just watch and see how far they can go. As long as more than ten of them can ultimately remain, this special training will have been worth it."

Also looking in the direction the students had left, Dylan's eyes were deep, possessing an indescribable charm.

"Use ingredients from the mountain to create a dish that satisfies the two judges on the essential path."

Walking on the slightly rugged dirt path, Anzu Yasuda tilted her head in thought.

The final assessment, it could be said, took everything they had learned previously into account. It didn't have to be exceptionally delicious, but creating a decent-tasting dish using ingredients from the mountain should be no problem.

"Overthinking is useless. In any case, let's start by gathering ingredients for now!"

After thinking for a long time without any breakthrough, Anzu Yasuda decided to gather ingredients first. Once she saw what ingredients she could collect, she would then decide what to cook.

"Besides considering the assessment, I also have to take care of my own food if I don't pass the assessment. Does that mean both assessments are happening simultaneously…"

Picking up a wild mushroom from the ground and placing it in the basket on her back, Anzu Yasuda couldn't help but ponder.

This assessment sounded like it was just about satisfying the judges, but in reality, she also had to be responsible for her own meals and lodging in the mountain forest.

No matter how she looked at it, it didn't seem like an easy assessment.

"It really is difficult! If it weren't for Professor Dylan's targeted training during this period, just being responsible for our own food and lodging, at least sixty percent of these hundred people would have starved to death, and thirty percent would have been poisoned."

Anzu Yasuda couldn't help but grumble inwardly.

She walked and collected ingredients along the way. Because she had come down relatively late, most of the wild vegetables on the path were already gone; this was even after she had chosen a more remote path.

As for wild rabbits and pheasants, those were precious ingredients that required a bit of luck to obtain.

Furthermore, with her abilities, catching a wild rabbit or pheasant was no small feat, so she hadn't even considered it from the beginning.

Wild vegetables and mushrooms—these were the only two types of ingredients she could obtain in large quantities. She had found a bird's egg on the road, so perhaps she'd make a pot of wild vegetable and mushroom congee.

Looking at a small patch of wild amaranth in front of her, this idea surfaced in Anzu Yasuda's mind. She then began to pick it, collecting fallen dry branches from the surroundings, preparing to make a simple breakfast.

She had an accurate understanding of herself, clearly knowing that this assessment was very difficult, and the possibility of passing with just one dish was very low.

Therefore, before the official assessment, she planned to stay in this mountain forest for a few days, until she developed a qualifying dish that could pass the assessment.

Because she knew her skills weren't good enough, she didn't have any high expectations for herself.

Successfully complete Professor Dylan's final assessment, and then get expelled in a not-too-miserable manner.

After being expelled, she would return to her hometown and open a bakery. Although she hadn't learned bread-making skills here, she had developed decent self-study abilities.

With this ability, she would go back and work in a bakery, be an apprentice for a year or two, and then open her own shop after completing her apprenticeship.

After collecting all the wild vegetables from the amaranth patch into her basket, Anzu Yasuda didn't choose to stop but looked around and continued in one direction.

Soon, she heard hawking.

"Bamboo pots, bamboo tubes, bamboo chopsticks!"

"Can be exchanged for just a small amount of ingredients! Don't miss out as you pass by!"

The young man was full of enthusiasm. Beside him, several bare-chested youths were swinging simple stone axes. Several trees had already fallen around them, and some girls were making utensils.

And on the stall of the hawking youth were simply made bamboo pots, bamboo tubes, and bamboo chopsticks—all essential items for wilderness survival.

"Sure enough, I came to the right place."

Anzu Yasuda thought to herself. Such scenes were not uncommon, so she had come here hoping to try her luck after collecting enough ingredients, preparing for an exchange.

"This whole set, only needs two jin (approx. 1kg) worth of ingredients. Anything will do."

Arriving at the stall, Anzu Yasuda asked a few simple questions and received this answer.

Without much hesitation, she put down most of the ingredients from her basket, exchanged them for a basic set of cooking equipment, and then headed in a less crowded direction.

Soon, she found a relatively flat piece of land with a river nearby.

She then put down her basket, piled up the firewood she had collected, and began to make fire by drilling wood.

Because the weather was dry, this process went very smoothly. In just over five minutes, faint white smoke began to rise from the wood shavings.

"Hoo, hoo~"

Looking at the smoldering wood, a satisfied smile appeared on Anzu Yasuda's face. Then, a small spark emerged from the firewood.

After some simple handling, the spark gradually grew into a flame, burning brightly in front of Anzu Yasuda, which also made her sigh in relief.

At least the first step wasn't a failure.

Taking out the ingredients from her basket and washing them simply with spring water, Anzu Yasuda drew the kitchen knife from her waist and quickly processed them on a bamboo cutting board, then added them to a bamboo pot filled with spring water.

This was Dylan's requirement.

As a chef, one could go without anything else, but not a familiar kitchen knife. This was the soul of a chef, their very foundation.

If it were a pastry chef or noodle chef, it would be that rolling pin or staff in his hand. That is the condensed soul of his culinary art!

_____

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