Everyday Life Starting with Food Wars

Chen Yuxing's previously somewhat lazy demeanor vanished, replaced by a sharp, sword-like aura.

"Soma Yukihira's cooking evaluation is complete. Next, please have Yuxing Chen submit his dish!"

He picked up the tray in front of him and walked to the judges' table, placing the five dishes in front of the judges one by one.

He then opened all the lids.

"Improved Bouillabaisse, please enjoy."

The moment the lid was opened, it was like a long-suppressed volcano suddenly erupting, and a very complex aroma burst forth from the plate.

The first aroma is the strong, exotic scent of saffron; followed by the smoky aroma of fish bones after grilling; and finally, a complex fragrance of rockfish, sea bass, lobster, shellfish, and other seafood ingredients.

Kikuchi Yoko approached the plate first, her eyes lighting up as she smelled the aroma.

"Wow... such a strong seafood aroma..."

She looked at the dish on the plate with some surprise: "It's clearly seafood soup, but there's not a trace of seafood smell. Instead, it has a floral fragrance like sunshine..."

"Bougainvillea..."

Kojiro Shinomiya pushed up his glasses and stared intently at the dish in front of him.

Large chunks of snow-white fish, bright red lobster, and a few pieces of blackish-purple mussels float on the surface of the soup.

Shinomiya Kojiro frowned and looked at Chen Yuxing, asking, "Chen Yuxing, you should know that traditional bouillabaisse doesn't allow shellfish to be added."

"Because shellfish have a very strong flavor, they release a lot of amino acids when they are cooked."

"And this would break the brief connection between the rockfish and the saffron."

“I think since you chose bouillabaisse, you should know these things.”

Upon hearing Kojiro Shinomiya's words, whispers began to circulate among the audience.

"Really? You can't put shellfish in bouillabaisse?"

"It's true, just like Chef Shinomiya said. Shellfish can easily overpower the flavors. Local fishermen in Marseille never put shellfish in this dish, but they can put crabs and the like."

"It's all over, it's all over, it's all over!" Yoshino Yuuki looked at the scene with some worry. "How could A-Xing make such a mistake..."

"Don't worry, just keep watching and you'll see. I think there must be a reason why A-Xing chose to do this." Hojo Miyoko comforted Yoshino Yuuki, then turned her attention back to the field.

"Chef Shinomiya, this is indeed the authentic bouillabaisse."

Chen Yuxing remained calm and replied, "But I made my own modified version of bouillabaisse. The reason why shellfish overpower the flavor is partly because traditional bouillabaisse relies too much on spices to mask the taste, while Chinese cuisine has ingredients that can compensate for this by removing the fishy smell from the soup."

He pointed to the mussels in the dish and continued to explain: "I pre-treated these mussels with scallions, ginger, garlic, and white wine. The scallions, ginger, and garlic can perfectly remove the fishy smell of the shellfish, while adding white wine can enhance its original sweetness."

"I only added them to the bowl at the very end, letting the heat of the soup cook them through."

“That way, the flavors won’t overpower each other.” Chen Yuxing smiled. “On the contrary, it can elevate this fish soup to a whole new level.”

"No matter what, you still have to taste it in the end."

Kakuzaki Taki couldn't wait any longer and picked up the spoon.

She skimmed off the layer of golden saffron oil on the surface with a spoon, then scooped up a large spoonful of fish soup and ate it.

She stopped abruptly.

The scalding soup surged wildly in her mouth.

The caramelized aroma of the fish bones, fried in olive oil, was like a cannonball, unlocking the doors to her closed taste buds.

The intense and intoxicating fragrance of saffron filled her entire mouth as she opened the door.

With these two strong flavors, the fish soup made from different seafood is very thick, incorporating the collagen from all the fish.

"This is too...too outrageous..."

Kakuzaki Taki was panting heavily, and an unnatural blush rose on both cheeks.

She couldn't stop what she was doing; even though it was very hot, she kept scooping up spoonful after spoonful of fish soup and fish meat.

The outer layer of the fish had a slightly charred smell, but the inside was snow-white and tender.

With a gentle bite, it feels like biting into a popping bead.

The mussel also showcased its uniqueness among them.

After being marinated in white wine, scallions, ginger, and garlic, the clams absorb all the essence of the seafood soup like a sponge, resulting in an exceptionally bouncy texture. The moment you bite into it, its own sweetness and the umami of the soup burst forth.

"what……"

Kikuchi Sonoka, who was next to Kakuzaki Taki, had completely fallen for him.

She covered her flushed face with her hands and slumped into the chair, emitting a series of blush-inducing gasps.

In the world of Kikuchi Enka.

She was wearing a pure white dress and walking along the rocky coast of Marseille.

The sunlight was blinding, and the sea breeze caressed her face.

Suddenly, the once calm sea began to churn violently, and the seawater gradually turned golden. In the sea, a huge carp covered with golden scales broke out of the water and transformed into a red dragon.

The dragon was surrounded by various things such as fennel, lobster, shellfish and fish. It let out a deafening roar and stirred up golden waves that rushed towards Kikuchi Sonoka and swallowed her whole.

"No...it's too strong...no...I'm overwhelmed by the umami flavor..."

Kikuchi Sonoka suddenly opened her eyes in reality, and if you looked closely, you could see a few tears sliding down her cheeks.

She felt as if her soul had been cleansed when she drank the soup, and the comfort that spread from top to bottom throughout her body made her not want to move a single finger.

After tasting it, Kojiro Shinomiya's hand holding the spoon trembled slightly.

He never imagined that shellfish could actually be incorporated into bouillabaisse.

"Onions, ginger, and garlic remove the fishy smell... does white wine enhance the flavor?"

Shinomiya Kojiro gritted his teeth and looked at Chen Yuxing: "What should I say about you...?"

"That's not all, don't forget the bread you prepared."

Dojima Gin suddenly spoke up, then picked up the toasted baguette that was placed on the side of the bowl.

The baguette was toasted until it was rock hard, and the surface was covered with garlic and spicy mayonnaise.

"Crack!"

Dojima Gin dips the bread crust, which is covered in sauce, into the fish soup to absorb the broth, and then takes a bite after it has soaked up the sauce.

The originally hard bread slices became firm on the outside and soft on the inside after being soaked in the fish soup.

One bite, and the seafood broth overflows.

And most importantly, it's the sauce spread on the bread slices.

Bouillabaisse is originally very rich and flavorful, so it can be a bit cloying if you eat too much of it. However, when paired with this bread slice, the flavors of garlic and spicy mayonnaise break up the heaviness of the soup, and the spiciness stimulates the tongue, making the original cloying taste disappear completely.

"The spicy sauce on this slice of bread is the perfect finishing touch."

Dojima Gin ate large bites of bread and drank fish soup and fish meat, his forehead already beaded with sweat, but he kept eating.

The silent commander-in-chief drank all the fish soup in his bowl, leaving not a drop.

He lowered his head, his whole body trembling slightly.

Everyone in the moonlit sky fell silent, staring intently at the commander-in-chief's performance.

How will the commander-in-chief react?

"boom!"

Senzaemon Nakiri suddenly slammed his hands on the table and stood up.

This time, there was no sound of fabric tearing.

The moment the commander-in-chief stood up, the kimono he had recently changed into shattered completely, leaving no fragments behind, as it was dispersed by the shockwave emanating from his body.

The old man's perfect physique gleamed with a bronze glow under the lights, and even his trousers had been shattered by the shockwave.

"My God..."

At the Polar Star Dormitory, Daigo Aoki's eyes nearly popped out of his head at the Commander-in-Chief's performance.

"Isn't Ah Xing going a bit too far... directly calling the Commander-in-Chief..."

“I feel like a commander like that could kill me with one punch…” Sato Shoji said, swallowing hard.

The remaining people were also speechless with surprise.

"A blend of Chinese and Western styles, grand and sweeping yet exquisitely detailed."

Senzaemon Nakiri looked at Chen Yuxing, a satisfied smile appearing on his dignified face.

The entire audience erupted in uproar upon hearing the commander-in-chief's evaluation.

Standing on his cooking station, Soma Yukihira felt not defeated by the strength of his opponent, but instead clenched his fists and felt his blood boil.

"That's awesome! You're incredibly strong, A-Xing! I'll definitely catch up with you!" Soma Yukihira clenched his fist, looking at Chen Yuxing with excitement.

"Now, esteemed judges."

"Both contestants have finished tasting their dishes."

"Next comes the final scoring stage!"

"Please make your choice!"

Chapter 89 Hayama Akira VS Kurokiba Ryo

"Both contestants have finished tasting their dishes. Now, judges, please give your scores."

Five blank squares appeared on the screen between the moon and the sky.

The entire venue fell silent, and all the spectators stared intently at the big screen.

The five judges on the panel were also somewhat conflicted at this point.

"drop--"

As the first sound rang out, the square below Kiko's name on the big screen lit up in blue, revealing the name Chen Yuxing.

"I would like to cast my vote for Chen Yuxing."

Kikuchi Sonoka's face was still a little red. Her voice was soft but firm as she said, "I think Chen Yuxing's bouillabaisse was excellent. The seafood was also prepared very meticulously. In particular, the spicy bread slices at the end completely eliminated any greasiness that might have been present."

"The final taste makes you feel like you're enveloped by a warm ocean."

"drop--"

Immediately afterwards, the color red appeared on the big screen.

Kakuzaki Taki gritted his teeth and pressed the button in front of him with all his might; it was the red button that belonged to Yukihira Soma.

“That bouillabaisse was truly amazing.” Kakuzaki Taki glanced at Yukihira Soma in the audience and said, “But I also really like the wildness in Yukihira Soma’s red wine beef stew. The hawthorn softens the fiber and the apple balances the flavor.”

“I really like this simple and straightforward approach. This dish really brings out the wildness of the beef, so I’m casting my vote for Soma Yukihira.”

One to one, even!

The audience in the stands erupted in gasps of surprise.

Everyone in Polaris Dormitory was on tenterhooks, extremely nervous.

Yoshino Yuuki's palms were sweaty as she gripped the banner, barely daring to breathe.

Megumi Tadokoro closed her eyes, clutching the amulet tightly in her hand as she began to pray.

Then came the third tone.

"drop--"

Red, Soma Yukihira.

"Yukihira, your performance today surprised and delighted me."

Dojima Gin said in a deep voice, "To be honest, I've been in Totsuki for so many years and I've rarely had a difficult choice. Both of your dishes have been improved by yourselves, breaking the traditional framework and leaving your own mark."

"Chen Yuxing's bouillabaisse is a bold crossover, using different processing techniques to make shellfish, which shouldn't be in this dish, fit in perfectly."

"However, the same reason why Soma Yukihira chose to use beef shank for his red wine stew is the same. He used hawthorn and apple to overcome the difficulty of stewing beef shank, and used different red wines and sauces to achieve a balance and change the flavor."

"If I could, I would really like to vote for both of you."