The story begins in Food Wars, when Alice took him home.

However, there were also many discerning people in the crowd who knew that great dishes would glow, and they immediately recognized that this was a glowing dish that only a master chef could make!

Only a top-tier five-star chef can casually present glowing dishes in public.

Only top-tier five-star characters can reliably produce glowing dishes and are willing to share them with others.

When an ordinary master chef creates a dish that shines like a light, he either tastes it himself, disassembles it for research, or even enshrines it for blessings.

Could this young girl be a top-tier, five-star chef?!

How could that be? She's so young!

“The number of places is limited and it’s on a first-come, first-served basis.”

Seeing that everyone was momentarily stunned by the sight of the golden light, Tadokoro Megumi's voice rang out again. This sentence was like flipping a switch, and in an instant, everyone on the street ran towards Zhuang Huiyuan.

Some people had just arrived in town and hadn't even checked in yet, but they immediately went up to register and moved in with just their bags.

Some had already checked into other hotels and were now asking Tadokoro Megumi if she could pay for it, but were ruthlessly refused.

Only those who stay at this hotel can enjoy the food served at this restaurant; otherwise, no matter how much money you spend, you can't buy it. This is the only mandatory condition.

Unfortunately, those who were originally staying at other hotels checked in directly on the spot in order to enjoy a top-notch meal, and then went back to get their luggage.

The hotel's Hundred Birds Gate was the most affected because it was right across the street. Large numbers of guests rushed out of it to check in on the other side, and then came back to check out, dragging their suitcases across.

This action infuriated the manager of the Hundred Birds Pavilion. He knew that the other party was targeting them, but there was nothing they could do.

Once a luminous dish is presented, all beings are equal; the only way to counter it is to bring out a dish of the same level.

However, they run a hotel, and although the chef's cooking skills are good, they are not at the level where they can casually serve up dishes that are considered "glowing" in quality.

"No wonder they dared to challenge us to a food battle. There's a chef on the other side who can make dishes that are absolutely amazing. Luckily, we didn't accept the challenge rashly."

The manager's name was Bai Niao Yi, the third young master of the Bai Niao Group. At this moment, he was gritting his teeth, because this was a practice project given to him by his father, and he could not afford to fail, otherwise he would lose his inheritance rights in the group's hotel business.

The Bai Niao Group has businesses in various fields, the most famous of which are hotels, restaurants, and poultry meat products.

His two older brothers had already taken over the restaurant and poultry sectors, leaving him with only the inn.

A field with relatively low profit margins, but strong stability.

Below him are a younger brother and two younger sisters. If he fails this test, he will not inherit the hotel business and will only be able to live a life of idleness in some smaller businesses.

For a person with lofty ambitions, this is something he absolutely cannot accept; he must get the guests back no matter what!

At this point, the only option seems to be a food battle.

Looking at Zhuang Huiyuan not far away, Bai Niaoyi frowned so much that he could almost trap a fly. Since the other party was so stubborn, he didn't mind using some extreme measures.

"I never imagined that the daughter of a rural innkeeper would be a top student at Totsuki Academy, and even the champion of this year's Summer Selection, capable of creating luminous dishes..."

Because his underlings had just been taught a lesson the day before, he ordered people to investigate Bai Yuan and Tadokoro Megumi's identities overnight, but in the end they only found out about Tadokoro Megumi.

As for Bai Yuan, there is no mention of him in the records, so he is most likely an insignificant figure.

She might also be a student of Totsuki Academy, but her strength is probably not as good as Tadokoro Megumi's, otherwise she wouldn't be so unknown.

"Manager, what should we do now?"

Beside the Hundred Birds Wing, the burly man who had come to the door yesterday had recovered from his injuries and was now wearing a black suit.

Looking at Zhuang Huiyuan across the street, where people were crowding together and the threshold was almost worn down, he spoke with utmost respect and behaved very meekly.

Has Old Wang arrived?

Bai Niaoyi glanced at the big man and asked about the location of the outside help he had requested. The other party was his secretary, who was responsible for handling and conveying his instructions.

"We said it would take a while, so we didn't notify him. We just got a last-minute notification that even if he takes a plane, the earliest he can arrive is tomorrow afternoon."

The big man opened the document in his hand, took out Old Wang's schedule and handed it to Bai Niaoyi in front of him, then stepped aside and said nothing more.

"I can wait a day. If it's Old Wang, even if the other party is a top-level chef, we still have a great chance of winning."

"Let's go see what's going on. Maybe we won't even need Old Wang's help. I don't believe that little girl alone can make a luminous dish; it must be the recipe's power."

Looking in the direction of Zhuang Huiyuan and smelling the rich aroma of fish stew in the air, Bai Niaoyi thought of this possibility.

Judging from their age, they cannot be a top-tier five-star chef; there are very few chefs of that caliber in all of Japan.

The only possibility is a high-precision formula.

If you have the skills of a master chef, coupled with a recipe accurate to the gram, there is a high chance that you can replicate a dish that shines.

This is not uncommon in the culinary world.

Many head chefs in large hotels do not cook themselves; they are only responsible for developing new dishes, writing down detailed recipes, and controlling the quality of the food.

As a student of Totsuki Academy, it's not surprising that Tadokoro Megumi has one or two such high-precision formulas.

A true culinary showdown always involves an impromptu theme and a time limit, which is when her true colors will be revealed!

With a hint of malice in his eyes, Bai Niaoyi left the Hundred Birds Pavilion and, feeling rather humiliated, joined the queue at Zhuang Huiyuan, preparing to personally taste the dishes that the other party used to attract customers.

As the saying goes, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated."

However, just as he had been queuing for almost half an hour and it was about to be his turn to register, a staff member in uniform walked out of Zhuang Huiyuan, first standing still to count the number of people, and then came straight to him and bowed.

"I'm so sorry, we've calculated the remaining rooms, and the one in front of you is the last one. So we'll have to ask you and the guests after you to come back tomorrow."

After saying this, the staff member ignored their reaction and quickened her pace to leave; she didn't want to hear a bunch of complaints.

"Huh? How come this is! We've been queuing for ages already."

"Unfortunately, it seems I'll have to come earlier tomorrow."

"We were just two short! Damn it! If we had arrived five or six minutes earlier, it would have been perfect! We'll just have to make do at the hotel across the street for now."

Complaints like these arose one after another. They had only arrived a little late, but there were no rooms available. Are hotel rooms really that sought after now?

As for Bai Niaoyi, who already harbored strong hostility towards Zhuang Huiyuan, his face was now even more gloomy, and he eventually returned without saying a word.

Zhuang Huiyuan, kitchen.

Megumi Tadokoro was operating three iron pots at the same time, watching the guests waiting outside for their meals. She was so busy that her feet barely touched the ground, but she was enjoying herself.

Mieko Tadokoro helped out while she served the prepared fish stew to the guests, one small portion per person with a bowl of rice, which could be refilled.

"When the number of dishes made at the same time is slightly increased, the quality drops very quickly. Even with the same proportions, it is no longer possible to make dishes that are truly 'glowing'."

Looking at the dishes being completed one after another, Megumi Tadokoro couldn't help but sigh. Although these dishes all reached the special grade level, none of them were glowing dishes; they were generally special grade two stars.

However, even the fish offal stew, which was of a special two-star standard, still left the guests who came and stayed there extremely satisfied, their faces filled with enjoyment and contentment.

There's no way around it; even a special-grade two-star dish is a rare delicacy for ordinary people, something they could never normally afford to eat!

"It's so delicious!"

I had eaten at a restaurant in town before that had a really unique fish offal stew, which was also delicious, but it wasn't on the same level as this place at all.

A stylish young woman, her face flushed, breathed softly as she savored the exquisite flavors of the dish before her, and couldn't help but gasp.

The freshness of the fish and the sweetness of the seafood blend perfectly, and the soup is rich but not greasy, with a hint of the fresh ocean flavor.

"During the stewing process, both the fish offal and seafood absorb each other's flavors, making each bite delicate, smooth, and almost melt-in-your-mouth!"

The man sitting next to her was also enjoying himself, his voice light and cheerful. It was hard to imagine that such a delicious meal could be found in a hotel.

"I still prefer the potatoes inside because they've absorbed all the broth. When you bite into them, the soft outer layer and the warmth inside intertwine, releasing a subtle sweetness that creates a delicate balance with the savory flavor of the seafood."

The girl sitting at the next table overheard their conversation and couldn't help but join in. Compared to fish offal and seafood, she still preferred potatoes soaked in juice; the satisfaction of that bite was priceless!

"It's not just potatoes, but also other vegetables. The sweetness of carrots, the slight bitterness of burdock, the richness of shiitake mushrooms, and the freshness of chrysanthemum greens all dance on the tip of the tongue! In my opinion, this is how fish offal stew should be made. Adding some vegetables makes it much more delicious than pure seafood!"

One local commented that compared to a simple stew that only showcases the deliciousness of fish offal and seafood, adding vegetables not only makes the flavor richer but also adds a touch of freshness to the broth.

"Fish offal stew, fish offal stew, the key part here is the fish offal."

Don't mistake it for just ordinary fish offal; there's a lot more to it than meets the eye!

Take, for example, the pot we're eating right now.

The fish head in this pot is from a carp. After stewing, it releases a rich umami flavor and collagen, making the soup thicker and more flavorful.

There are two types of fish bones used: crucian carp bones and grass carp bones. After long-term simmering, the bone marrow releases its rich flavor, adding depth to the broth. Root vegetables like white radish are also added as accompaniments; these vegetables absorb the umami flavor of the fish bones and add a touch of sweetness to the soup.

Then came the fish skin, the fish meat…”

An elderly man also spoke up, tasting the soup while talking at length: "It is precisely the combination of these elements that makes up such a complex and delicious soup base. The person who initially chose these kinds of fish to pair with it was truly a genius!"

"I've decided. I'm going to stay here for a month, until I'm sick of this kind of food!"

Licking the soup from the corner of her mouth, the stylishly dressed girl thought to herself, "This is so delicious, there's no way anyone would want to leave!"

"Indeed, a night in a hotel only costs a few thousand yen, but this level of cuisine would cost tens of thousands of yen during mealtimes!"

The man next to him agreed, and the others raised their glasses as well. The room was filled with laughter and cheerful conversation as everyone toasted each other.

"The plan has been initially successful; now it's just a matter of whether the fish will take the bait."

Seeing this scene in the hall, Bai Yuan crossed his arms. Under these circumstances, unless the other party was willing to admit defeat, he would absolutely not sit idly by!

Chapter 225 Enthusiastic townspeople, you are the true protagonist of this food battle!

"What a wonderful stew of fish offal! It perfectly brings out the freshness of the fish offal, which works together with the seafood!"

In the dining hall of Zhuang Huiyuan, an elderly man over eighty years old, with a face like a withered tree and a thin body, looked at the fish stew on the table and couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

"Whether it's the use of vegetables or the combination of fish offal and seafood, every aspect is interpreted perfectly."

If the details could be refined further, and the stewing time more precisely controlled, it could reach the level of a luminous dish.

With his cheeks moving, he chewed all the fish, vegetables, and other offal in his mouth into his stomach. A sharp glint appeared in the old man's eyes, and then he raised his hand and tapped the table.

"Tell your chef that this dish is very well made, but the fish offal is too soft and mushy. It was stewed for a bit too long. If it were taken out of the pot ten minutes earlier and left to simmer in the residual heat for a while, it would be perfect."

Looking at the staff, the old man spoke calmly, pointing out the shortcomings of the fish offal stew, before picking up his wine glass and taking a sip.

After a few minutes.

"I'm very sorry that the meal gave you a bad experience. I will try your suggestions next time. You are welcome to visit us again."

Wearing an apron, Tadokoro Megumi quickly walked up to the old man, bowed, and generously admitted her mistake, something Bai Yuan had just mentioned to her.

The old man in front of me is probably a gourmet with unique insights into food. For this kind of customer, we just need to go along with his wishes.

"You're a good kid, not stubborn at all. It's a pity I'm obliged to have a food battle with you today, otherwise I really wouldn't want to bully you."

Looking at the beautiful and refined young girl in front of him, the old man felt a little embarrassed. Bullying the younger girl was something that could only be done once.