Polar Star Dormitory, Room 303!
It was pitch black in here. Sōma sat by the balcony, resting his chin in his hands as he gazed at the moonlight outside the window.
Suddenly, a gentle evening breeze blew past, making him feel a bit cold. A complex expression appeared in his half-closed eyes, as if he was deep in thought.
"Sigh, I wonder how all those customers who used to frequent the Yukihira Diner are doing?"
Finally, Yukihira Soma sighed softly.
As soon as the Practical Training ended, he had the idea of reopening the Yukihira Diner.
However, he hadn't anticipated that his father, Jōichirō, would come to Totsuki to meet him, and he also learned that his father was a Totsuki genius who could rival Gin Dojima!
"Sōma."
"What are you thinking about?"
Upon entering and seeing his son spacing out, Jōichirō asked.
"Dad, are you really not planning to continue running the Yukihira Diner anymore?" Sōma turned his head slightly and asked in return.
"Hmm, no, I'm not."
"In two days, I'll be leaving Totsuki to work as a Chef at a five-star hotel owned by an old friend in France, Europe!"
Jōichirō walked over to Sōma's side and admired the view outside the window with him, then said calmly.
"A five-star hotel?"
"Is it a hotel on the same scale as Yueyuan Rimiya Hotel? And he's going to be the Chef?"
Upon hearing this, Sōma couldn't help but show some shock in his eyes.
"Haha, do you suddenly feel that your dad is even more amazing than you imagined?"
Seeing his son's reaction, Jōichirō chuckled, after all, he rarely mentioned anything about his past to Sōma.
"Dad, you really kept it a secret from me my whole life!"
Yukihira Soma said helplessly.
…
Afterward, the father and son were silent.
The atmosphere in the entire room felt a bit awkward.
Perhaps knowing that Jōichirō's thoughts were no longer on the Yukihira Diner, and also knowing that neither he nor his father could return to their original lives, Sōma remained crestfallen!
Seeing that he wasn't in a good mood, Jōichirō patted him on the shoulder and smiled, "Isshiki Satoshi told me you got stomped shortly after school started."
"The Beef Bowl you made, you actually lost 5:0 to that… what was her name, Mito?"
"Dad, that happened a long time ago. Can you stop using it as an excuse to mock me?"
Sōma's mental state collapsed even further.
He brought up the one thing that he still held a grudge about every time he thought of it!
"Hahahaha, that's my son."
"You lost to me 499 times, and now you have to lose to someone else once!"
Unexpectedly, Jōichirō burst out laughing, which made Sōma even more speechless. He could only say exasperatedly, "Dad, you're really happy when I lose to someone else, aren't you? And I lost to you 498 times, not 499."
"Hmm, then do you fear failure?"
Jōichirō stopped smiling, suddenly turning serious as he asked.
"Dad, you still don't know me?"
"It was just one crushing defeat. Although it did feel incredible at the time that the opponent could win the match in that way, I quickly got over it!"
"Thinking back to before I came to Totsuki Culinary Academy, my mindset was always quite frivolous."
"I even thought that this group of students, who hid in the Totsuki Culinary Academy, constantly studying and dedicating themselves to various dishes, would surely not be as good as me, a Chef who had been running a restaurant with you since I was six and had rich practical experience!"
"But this setback made me fully realize that this academy is not what I imagined."
"Dad, you were actually right."
"If I had kept hiding in the Yukihira Restaurant, I would have been like a frog in a well, lacking knowledge of many things outside and becoming arrogant!"
Sōma finally poured out the thoughts he had suppressed for a long time to his father in one breath.
Upon hearing these words, Jōichirō was stunned for a long time. Finally, the corners of his mouth curved slightly, and he felt immensely relieved in his heart!
…
Stars filled the sky, and a cool, refreshing breeze gently blew, making the night even more serene.
"Sōma!"
"Do you know about the God Tongue's curse?"
Finally, Jōichirō's gaze deepened as he asked Sōma.
"I know about the God Tongue, but I didn't know there was a curse associated with it."
Sōma was momentarily stunned, then shook his head.
"Hmm, it's good that you don't know. Anyway, in this era where cuisine is supreme, most Chefs tend to care too much about something invisible!"
"Little do they know, once what they insist on cannot solve the immediate predicament, it can easily lead to a mental breakdown."
"And Chefs who become dejected from then on due to psychological problems."
"I've truly seen so, so many in my life."
At this point, Jōichirō's tone became very sad. These words were not only describing his past self but also all those Chefs who were once glorious but ultimately collapsed due to being too obsessed with something!
"Dad, don't worry."
"I really won't completely fall into depravity because of one or two setbacks!"
The current Sōma naturally couldn't understand the meaning behind Jōichirō's words; he naively thought his father was trying to encourage him in this way.
"At first, I didn't really want you to come to Totsuki. This place can indeed rapidly improve your strength, but how many geniuses have been defeated and fallen here?"
"As someone who's been through it, I naturally don't want to see a tragedy happen to you again."
Yukihira Jōichirō thought for a moment, then finally sighed deeply: "But seeing you now, I am very relieved, because you are truly completely different from me. Perhaps in the near future, you will completely surpass me, even growing to a realm I have never reached!"
…
The night deepened!
Over at the Izakaya, after listening to Sosuke's analysis.
Hojo Miyoko quickly realized that she had indeed overestimated Tadokoro Megumi, and her purple autumn eyes couldn't help but dim.
But then, her gaze gradually brightened. After staring at Sosuke for a moment, she asked, "Chef, can I order anything as long as you have the ingredients or know how to make it?"
"Yes, that's the rule."
Sosuke nodded.
"Hmm, since I'm a Chef specializing in Chinese cuisine, I'd like to try Dongpo Pork, if that's alright?"
After a moment of thought, Hojo Miyoko asked softly.
"Dongpo Pork?"
Sosuke was stunned for a moment.
He had just received the check-in reward for Dongpo Pork, and now this new customer, who was visiting the Izakaya for the first time, actually ordered this dish. Could it be that there was some kind of destined connection?
"Then, as you wish, one bowl of Dongpo Pork, plus two bowls of rice?"
"Alright!"
"Okay, please wait a moment."
After speaking, Sosuke turned and returned to the cooking station, preparing to make the Dongpo Pork.
…
Dongpo Pork was created in Xuzhou, perfected in Huangzhou, and became famous in Hangzhou.
The main ingredient, of course, is pork. Its dish characteristics are thin skin, tender meat, bright red color, rich flavor, soft and intact texture, and a fragrant, glutinous, non-greasy taste.
First, prepare skin-on pork belly.
Heat the Chinese iron wok, and continuously rub the skin side of the pork belly against the bottom of the wok until it's charred black.
The purpose of doing this is to remove residual pig hair, and it's also key to removing the pork's gamey smell.
Then, put the pork belly in clean water to soak, and wash it thoroughly.
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