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

Some audience members were wiping their drool while searching for nearby molecular gastronomy restaurants on their phones.

"Oh no, I can still barely make out the taste of the traditional pasta in my mind."

But the molecular gastronomy presented by this genius of the dark cuisine world completely overturned my imagination—the ingredients were deconstructed and recombined, transforming into completely unfamiliar forms. I couldn't find any reference in my taste memory bank, and I had no idea what it would taste like!

A chef in the front row covered his head. He had come to learn from his seniors' experience, but Erina Nakiri's cooking completely distorted his common sense.

It's going to break!!

"What a heartbreaker!"

Seeing the judges' surprised expressions on stage, the audience was all curious about the taste of the dish that Erina Nakiri served. Just how delicious could it be to elicit such reactions from the judges?

"The sweetness of the pumpkin mousse balls blends with the savory aroma of the pork belly, creating a delightful sweet and salty flavor with a smooth and creamy texture."

Tan Guai's hands couldn't stop; he ate and muttered to himself, his face full of excitement and joy.

"It's not just a combination of whole grains and pork belly crisps, but also can be paired with crisps of other whole grains."

The interplay of softness and strength, no matter how they're combined, offers a novel experience, like a series of unknown treasure chests, each opening representing countless possibilities!

Su Yan's eyes were glazed over as she listened to the vegetarian meat combination of meat slices and even tried the vegetarian combination of mixed grains and mixed grain crisps. Then, as if she had discovered a new continent, she began to talk to the two people next to her.

"Indeed, every combination represents the same possibility. With adjustments to their flavors, they can create sparks no matter how they are paired together. They won't become unpalatable, but rather they will blossom with new charm."

The dish was probably topped with some black truffle powder, which not only provided excellent balance but also added a touch of luxury, perfectly complementing the flavors of all the ingredients.

"The only downside is that the portion is too small; it's not generous at all."

Looking at the empty plate in front of him, Tan Guai spoke.

"The sauce made with pork belly broth is also great! It's rich and flavorful, with the aroma of pork belly, and it blends perfectly with all the ingredients. Most importantly, it's very smooth, giving you a unique sense of satisfaction!"

Su Yan followed closely behind, lightly touching the sauce in the plate with her spoon; the consistency was just right.

It's not too sticky or too runny, with a light salty and savory flavor and a rich umami taste. It must have been made by adding some kind of mushroom while cooking the meat. The flavors are perfectly matched, making it the perfect sauce for this dish!

"The five kinds of grains symbolize a bountiful harvest, signifying the abundance of resources in our country and the prosperity of our people. The scene of a bountiful harvest, slow-cooked pork belly, black truffles, and edible flowers and herbs symbolize the prosperity and peace of the nation. The application of molecular gastronomy technology represents scientific and technological progress and innovation, injecting new vitality into the country's development."

An aged but imposing voice came from Zhang Zhong, attracting the attention of everyone present.

At this moment, Zhang Zhong rested his hands on the table, having already cleared the dishes in front of him. He was now in the final evaluation stage, interpreting the relationship between the dishes before him and national peace and prosperity.

Compared to Soma Yukihira's concrete expression, Erina Nakiri's expression is undoubtedly very abstract. However, despite its abstract nature, all aspects are interconnected, allowing the audience to clearly perceive her thoughts.

"It seems that both contestants' dishes are very much in line with the theme and have received high praise from the judges. Now let's see whose dish tastes better!"

"I'm so nervous! Even though I'm not competing, I feel more nervous than the contestants!"

"That's normal; it's a sign that you're completely immersed in the role."

"It's unknown who will ultimately emerge victorious..."

The audience's attention was focused on the judges, who had their eyes closed, seemingly deep in thought.

"The dish 'Four Colors of Splendid Landscape' is indeed exquisite, with profound meaning and excellent taste, and it uses very traditional pastries."

But...it feels like something's missing.

Su Yan pinched her chin and spoke her thoughts: purely in terms of the theme, although Yukihira Soma made the dish very exquisite and expressed the grandeur of the Yellow River, it was too superficial, and the fusion of flavors was not as refined as Nakiri Erina's Harvest Symphony.

"Although the traditional craftsmanship of the Four Colors Brocade River is exquisite, it lacks innovation and is difficult to impress people."

Zhang Zhong nodded in agreement. When talking about the Young Chef Competition, the core idea is actually to encourage chefs to innovate and create dishes that haven't been made before, such as Erina Nakiri's molecular gastronomy, which gives people an indescribable surprise.

"Adhering to tradition should be a plus, and in terms of portion size and appearance, Xingping's Four Colors of Splendid Mountains and Rivers is better, allowing tasters to feel the grandeur of the Yellow River and a unique sense of satisfaction."

Sensing the optimism in Su Yan and Zhang Zhong's words, Tan Guai frowned and voiced his thoughts.

Innovation is certainly valuable, but we should not abandon tradition because of it!

"Besides, isn't molecular gastronomy a bit too focused on form? While it excels in the details, it lacks the grand feeling of peace and prosperity that comes with a nation in peace and prosperity!"

After thinking for a moment, Tan Guai spoke his mind. Erina Nakiri's dishes were exquisite and small, with each ingredient only enough for one bite. They were high-end dishes that only appeared in high-end restaurants, which felt strangely out of place with the down-to-earth theme of peace and prosperity.

I don't think so.

Su Yan shook her head, still sticking to her own ideas.

As a master chef, she has a complete evaluation system in her mind. Once she has made up her mind, she will not change her mind because of a few words from others.

"That's right! This dish is not only incredibly creative, but also tastes outstanding. The key is its unique molecular gastronomy technique, which completely overturned my understanding of traditional whole grain dishes. This is quite rare in the Young Chef Competition."

Zhang Zhong nodded in deep agreement. Innovation is the key to excellent cuisine. It seems that this old man also needs to hurry up and learn new things, lest he be eliminated by the tide of the times in the future.

This molecular gastronomy looks quite interesting.

"Now, judges, please choose your supporters. The one with the most votes will advance to the semi-finals!"

Seeing that the atmosphere was just right, the host's voice rang out, captivating everyone present.

"Ah."

Upon hearing the host's voice, the judges exchanged glances, ceased their discussion, and simultaneously pressed the buttons in front of them, selecting the chefs they approved of.

The final score appeared quickly on the big screen.

Chapter 260 The Winner: Alice Nakiri's Home Ground!

Soma Yukihira VS Nagi

"The winner is Nagi!"

As the final score was displayed on the big screen, the host's passionate voice rang out, and his body trembled slightly with excitement.

"Wow!"

"Molecular gastronomy is amazing!"

"What an exciting competition! I never expected that molecular gastronomy would win in the end. This groundbreaking product is sure to be a huge hit in the future."

"0:3, this is an absolute stomp!"

Looking at the numbers on the big screen and feeling the host's high spirits, a discussion immediately broke out in the room, and the temperature around them gradually rose as everyone debated, all thanks to their passion for cooking.

"It may seem like a crushing victory, but the actual gap isn't that big. It's just that Yukihira handled one aspect very poorly, which is why it appears to be a crushing victory."

Bai Yuan's voice rang out, and he calmly looked at the two people in the arena with a wise and composed demeanor.

On the surface, Erina Nakiri won 3-0, but the truth is not so.

Which step was handled poorly?

"Because we were quite far apart, I could only judge by the aroma of the food."

Yukihira's dishes are enormous, requiring a lot of time to prepare. This results in some parts being done well while others are only so-so. A single dish has parts at the peak of Grade 1 cuisine and parts at the initial stage of Special Grade cuisine, representing two different levels. Therefore, the final flavor is somewhat unbalanced.

Seeing that Yoshino Yuuki and the others were somewhat puzzled, Bai Yuan looked at Yukihira Soma's steamer and explained.

Some parts of that dish end up being eaten by no one; these are the lower-grade and less tasty parts of the pasta dishes.

"In other words, Soma Yukihira chose the big picture but neglected the details. The focus of the dish was only on a small part, which led to an imbalance in the overall taste of the dish."

Alice Nakiri added from the side, "This dish is good in every way, except for its lack of refinement."

"So that's the reason for his failure?"

Upon hearing their explanations, the three members of Polaris Dormitory murmured to themselves.

Among them, the three of them had the best relationship with Yukihira Soma, and naturally they cared about his wins and losses.

"That's just one reason. In fact, even if Yukihira performs perfectly, there's still a 90% chance he'll lose, since there's a fundamental difference in their culinary skills."

Bai Yuan revealed the cruel truth.

Soma Yukihira's idea was excellent. He used the scenery of the upper reaches of the Yellow River to concretize the theme of national peace and prosperity, and then made a point of the dough color and filling to express his attitude, perfectly expressing this theme.

But now it's a cooking competition.

If both sides have valid themes, the final winner will be determined by the taste of the dishes.

Erina Nakiri has recently undergone special training, which has greatly improved her sense of smell.

In terms of cooking, this means a more precise grasp of flavor. Coupled with my good form during the competition, the dishes I served this time were already at the level of a top-tier one-star dish.

"In that case, Yukihira would be like an ant trapped in a spider web, unable to break free no matter how hard he struggles, and all his efforts would be in vain..."

Thinking of this, a touch of sadness appeared in Yoshino Yuuki's eyes. Who knows who she was thinking of as she looked at Yukihira Soma's lonely figure?

"How could it be in vain? By giving your all time and time again and constantly striving, you can improve your culinary skills until you transform into a true master."

Hearing Yoshino Yuuki's words and sensing her pessimism, Bai Yuan raised his hand and gently tapped her head.

Effort is never in vain. Even if it doesn't show results in the short term, it will gradually come to life over the countless days and nights that follow.

It's like planting a seed in spring. You won't see any changes in a short time, but once autumn comes, it will take root and sprout, gradually growing into a towering tree.

"I see…"

Yoshino Yuuki seemed to understand only part of what she was saying, but she nodded seriously and then lowered her head to think.

Effort cannot be transformed into strength immediately; it requires the tempering of time. This is the point where so many people give up.

If you can understand it, you can soar to great heights; if you can't, you'll just fade into obscurity.

"Try it, you loser, Yukihira-kun."

Looking at Soma Yukihira again, Erina Nakiri's gaze softened considerably. After all, she couldn't muster much hostility towards a little dog who had lost the match and could only wag its tail and beg for mercy.

As she spoke, she handed him the plate containing the Harvest Symphony.

"A loser?"

"Hehe, I was indeed the loser in this match, but I won't stay a loser forever. Just like last time I lost to Liu Yu, I won back this time, didn't I?"

Taking the plate from Erina Nakiri, Soma Yukihira looked up at the sky, thinking that having lost once, he would no longer hate the taste of defeat.

Unfortunately, the unforgettable pain emanating from his heart made him realize that he could never truly let go.

Then let's carry on with this grief!

Holding the plate and spoon, Yukihira Soma began to eat heartily. The moment his mouth touched the food, he experienced the magical flavors. The taste of corn, sweet potatoes, and other grains spread across his tongue, delicate and mellow, making it worth closing his eyes to savor the experience.

"Is this what they call molecular gastronomy? Breaking down and reconstructing ingredients, combining them with other flavors, and ultimately creating an unparalleled taste."

Opening his eyes and looking at Erina Nakiri, Soma Yukihira's voice was filled with admiration: What amazing technique!

Is this your real source of confidence?