Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　Success hinges on mastering the details and ensuring the freshness of the ingredients. With good attention to detail and fresh ingredients, it's even possible to achieve the level of a premium dish!

　"I've done everything I needed to do. Now it's just a matter of how I feel tomorrow. I should get some rest tonight."

　With that thought in mind, Tadokoro Megumi returned to her room.

　After finding a change of clothes, I rushed downstairs to the bathroom, ran the water, took a bath, dried my hair, and completely relaxed.

　She quickly fell asleep.

　·

　·

　"Tadokoro Megumi, after I defeat you, I can enter the semi-finals, and then the finals. As long as I become number one, I will definitely be a part of the China tour!"

　Thinking of what Bai Yuan had said when the list was announced earlier, a fiery glint flashed in Kurokiba Ryo's eyes. This might be the opportunity for him to become a top-tier chef!

　He had participated in the Japanese master chef examination a few years ago, but unfortunately he only got third place, and was still quite far from getting the master chef's armband.

　"It's about time to rest. I never expected to be able to buy such fresh ingredients from far away."

　A smile appeared on Kurokiba Ryo's face as he glanced at the fresh butter crabs and botan shrimp in the tank.

　He never expected to encounter such a rare item on the market, and despite the high price, he bought it without batting an eye.

　The butter crab is the result of a natural mutation in the roe crab.

　During the spawning season in the hot summer, mature crabs are stimulated by high temperatures, causing their roe to decompose into golden oil, which then permeates into various parts of their bodies, filling the entire crab with butter.

　Because of its short season and limited supply, it is all the more precious.

　Of course, the more important reason is that it is made in China and is very expensive to ship to Japan, which is the real reason why he was able to find a bargain.

　Ordinary people rarely buy such expensive ingredients.

　As for the shrimp, he chose the peony shrimp. Its meat is tender, plump, and very elastic, offering a fresh, sweet taste with a long-lasting aftertaste.

　Of course, most importantly, this is the peak season for botan shrimp, and their quality is better than at other times.

　With a clear advantage in ingredients, Kurokiba Ryo didn't know how he could possibly lose.

　No matter what, Tadokoro Megumi has absolutely no chance of winning!

　·

　·

　The next day.

　Between the moon and the sky.

　Kurokiba Ryo pushed his cart to the judges' table, then distributed the dishes to each judge with a slightly arrogant expression.

　"Eat up, everyone! Our predecessors!"

　At this moment, Kurokiba Ryo, wearing a red headscarf, was in full force, staring at the judges in front of him with an exaggerated smile on his face, and his attitude could even be described as arrogant.

　"Is the headscarf the real body?"

　Kakuzaki Taki muttered to himself, before putting on the headscarf, Kurokiba Ryo acted normally, but after putting on the headscarf, the kid became incredibly arrogant.

　"Botan shrimp sashimi? That's definitely a cold dish. Anyway, let's try it first."

　Dojima Gin spoke softly, then turned his gaze to the dish in front of him.

　The dish was emanating a chilling aura. Thinly sliced ​​botan shrimp lay quietly on ice. A drone flew to the judges' table and displayed the dish in front of Dojima Gin.

　Chapter 197 Using an opponent's strength against them, Kurokiba Ryo has an epiphany.

　"Sliced ​​so thinly and translucently, it's visually appealing enough to make your mouth water."

　No wonder he insisted on bringing over that tank of live botan shrimp; it was to ensure the absolute freshness of the ingredients.

　"Isn't what you're saying obvious? Look at that golden, glistening sauce over there; it's definitely not comparable to ordinary mayonnaise!"

　Even through the screen, I could still feel the light texture of the sauce in the bowl; it would absolutely pair perfectly with the botan shrimp sashimi!

　"Hey, did you guys notice how he handled the butter crab just now? If I'm not mistaken, that sauce was most likely made by carefully simmering the roe from that butter crab."

　In the audience, everyone was talking excitedly, filled with curiosity and anticipation for the sauce that Kurokiba Ryo was about to serve.

　After all, the essence of sashimi largely lies in the sauce, and the deliciousness of the sauce directly affects the overall flavor of the sashimi.

　"call……"

　Reach out and gently grasp the shrimp tail, slowly immersing the paper-thin shrimp body into the crab roe sauce. Then, slowly put it into your mouth, close your eyes, chew carefully, and immerse yourself in the wonderful taste.

　"this……!"

　Dojima Gin's eyes widened suddenly.

　At that moment, it felt as if countless bubbles were churning in his mind, and with the gentle collision of his upper and lower jaws, these bubbles burst one by one.

　Salty, umami, and fishy – these three flavors intertwine to create the most direct and intense sensation.

　"The crab roe of this butter crab is carefully stir-fried, giving off a rich crab aroma that blends perfectly with the freshness of the crab meat, creating an intoxicating flavor."

　Mizuhara Fuyumi savored the sauce carefully, speculating, "You added minced ginger, minced garlic, soy sauce, salt, and pepper as a basic seasoning to the sauce. However, I'm curious why the sauce tastes so rich, as if it contains endless profound meaning..."

　Her tone carried a hint of doubt, clearly puzzled by the rich flavor of the sauce.

　"Indeed, that makes me very curious."

　Dojima Gin raised his head and looked directly at Kurokiba Ryo.

　Ryo Kurokiba didn't hide anything. Faced with the judges' curiosity, he frankly revealed the secret of this crab roe sauce: "I added lard to the sauce. It not only significantly enhances the aroma of the sauce, but also increases the richness of the taste, improves the stability of the sauce, and promotes the perfect fusion between the ingredients."

　Lard, that's his sauce.

　The core secret.

　"Can just adding a spoonful of lard really produce so many effects?"

　Kakuzaki Taki frowned slightly, a faint look of doubt appearing on his face.

　The flavor of this sauce far exceeded her expectations. Could it be that just adding a spoonful of lard could achieve such an effect?

　"Yes, just one spoonful of lard is needed."

　Kurokiba Ryo's voice was firm and confident; this was his trump card.

　"What a bright young man."

　Lard exhibits extremely high stability at high temperatures, effectively preserving the original flavor of ingredients and perfectly releasing the rich aroma of crab roe.

　Furthermore, the lubricating properties and strong penetrating power of lard allow it to easily penetrate the interior of ingredients, thus greatly promoting the fusion of the ingredients.

　Zhou Tai's voice rang out from the audience, filled with admiration.

　As expected of a young chef, his fresh mind is really useful.

　Beside him, Alice Nakiri displayed a subtle expression.

　This method was developed by her during their duel three years ago and was later refined by Bai Yuan.

　Unexpectedly, Kurokiba Ryo absorbed this technique and cleverly applied it to his own cooking.

　"No wonder it is said that even a casual revelation from a powerful person can greatly benefit the younger generation."

　Alice Nakiri sighed inwardly.

　It seems that even though Bai Yuan didn't actively teach him, Kurokiba Ryo has learned a lot through his own efforts over the years.

　"Besides that, you also added caviar, right? Judging from the texture and taste, it should be sturgeon caviar. The overall flavor is a mix of freshness, aroma, and saltiness."

　The freshness of the seafood, the rich aroma of the crab, the savory flavor of the sauce, and the unique fishy and salty taste of the caviar intertwine in the mouth.

　On the judges' panel, Dojima Gin's voice was clear and insightful. He succinctly revealed the mystery of the bursting bubbles in the mouth—it was the masterpiece of sturgeon caviar!

　"That's right. The granular texture of sturgeon caviar contrasts with the rich texture of the sauce, thus adding layers of flavor to the dish."

　Kurokiba nodded. Besides, the fishy and salty taste of the sturgeon caviar perfectly complements the aroma and freshness of the butter crab meat.

　"The sashimi is as delicate as silk, so smooth and tender that it seems to melt on the tongue with just a gentle touch."

　When paired with a sauce made from butter crab meat and crab roe, the two complement each other perfectly, creating a harmonious balance.

　Hinako Inui looked completely intoxicated, her eyes tightly closed, as if her entire being was immersed in the vast ocean of crab roe.

　The crab roe, like gentle ocean waves, softly surrounds and tightly embraces her, bringing a wonderful feeling of both restraint and release, which is intoxicating.

　"This dish is truly excellent. It perfectly showcases the freshness of the peony shrimp and the richness of the crab roe, leaving a lingering and delightful aftertaste."

　Kikuchienka finished the last botan shrimp, her face still flushed. This dish was absolutely perfect in both texture and taste!

　The ingredients are top-notch, and the chef's skills are superb, so what kind of dish will his opponent need to present to win...?

　Just as Kikuchi Sonoka was lost in thought, she suddenly looked up, her gaze passing through Kurokiba Ryo's back and settling on Tadokoro Megumi's figure.

　At that moment, Megumi Tadokoro slowly walked over, holding a colorful platter of vegetables in her hands.

　Vegetable salad?

　A ripple of doubt stirred within Kikuchi Yoko, as questions flooded her mind.

　Faced with Kurokiba Ryo's top-notch seafood cuisine, Tadokoro Megumi actually plans to respond with a plate of vegetable salad?!

　Not only Kikuchi Enka, but the other judges also lost interest after noticing that Tadokoro Megumi had made a vegetable salad.

　After all, Kurokiba Ryō's cuisine is already a feast of top-notch seafood cold dishes, with carefully selected ingredients and a uniquely crafted crab roe sauce.

　Overall, it has almost reached the threshold of premium cuisine.

　"Please enjoy the maple lemon vegetable salad."

　After glancing at Kurokiba Ryo who had stepped aside, Tadokoro Megumi distributed the dishes to the judges, glancing at their dishes as she did so, a faint smile on her face.

　"Maple syrup lemon?"

　Kakuzaki Taki looked at the dish in front of him, drawing out his words with curiosity in his eyes.

　"It really is a vegetable salad!"

　Kikuchi Sonoka muttered to herself, she had thought she was seeing things, but when the dish was placed in front of her, her anxiety finally died.

　"Vegetable salad is indeed a type of cold dish, but compared to the peony shrimp sashimi we had earlier, it felt like it was a whole level below.

　But what's more important is how it tastes...

　Looking at the vegetable salad in front of her, Hinako Inui didn't have high hopes and tentatively put the salad into her mouth to taste it.

　If judged by the standard of cold dishes, Tadokoro Megumi's cooking is fine, but because Kurokiba's cold dish was served first, the standard is higher.

　"Let's try it anyway."

　As soon as Dojima Gin finished speaking, the surrounding discussion stopped abruptly, and everyone's eyes focused on the vegetable salad in front of them.

　I must say, this vegetable salad looks especially appealing.

　The bright red of red bell peppers, the bright yellow of yellow bell peppers, the deep purple of purple cabbage, the fresh green of cucumbers, and the orange-yellow of carrots.

　In addition, peanuts,

　Nuts such as almonds, walnuts, cashews, and macadamia nuts are scattered throughout, giving off a rich aroma.

　"The nuts here must have been roasted, because they have an exceptionally rich aroma. It's a unique flavor that blends rich caramel, roasted notes, and milky notes."

　Kikuchi Sonoka gently twitched her nose, her gaze fixed on the scattered bits of nut pieces, and then she gently stirred them with her chopsticks.

　As you stir, the aroma of the crushed nuts gradually intertwines with the freshness of the vegetables and the sweetness of the maple syrup, blending together yet remaining distinct, creating a more complex and captivating flavor profile.

　"It feels so refreshing."

　On the other side, Hinako Inui put the vegetable salad into her mouth and her eyes lit up.

　A golden river seemed to appear before her, filled with the refreshing sweet and sour aroma of lemons and maple syrup.

　Ah, that feels so good!

　"If the scene just now was like a magnificent waterfall, then at this moment, it is like being in a babbling brook."

　The gentle, delicate flow of water caressed my skin; this indescribably wonderful sensation was so captivating that I couldn't help but be drawn into it!

　At this moment, she stood in the middle of the golden stream, the water flowing quietly like liquid gold, slowly seeping into every inch of her skin.

　This unique experience prompted her to let out a soft, joyful moan.

　"What's most amazing is that it seems to know we just came across a waterfall, so it chose the stream, just like a tranquil rest that we longed for after a fierce battle."