Food Wars!: God's Tongue is no match for me.

"You say it."

"I...I won't be angry."

Erina paused for a moment, then turned to her and said something.

……

"Miss."

Hisako took a deep breath and began to speak slowly: "Do you still remember Lin Xu?"

Upon hearing this, Erina nodded.

"That new lecturer has only been at Totsuki for a month."

"As one of his students, I have some impression of him. Although we are not that familiar with each other, I can feel his unique charm."

"During class, I could always observe that the students below had a deep sense of awe and respect for him."

"Admittedly, on the one hand, his teaching level is indeed very high compared to other lecturers; but on the other hand, I think it is his personal charm that is too dazzling."

Hisako's bright eyes flickered as she began to recall those unforgettable moments from the classroom.

"Really? You think so too!"

Upon hearing this, Erina felt a sense of agreement and relief.

Chapter 23 Mysterious Visitor

Fog House.

A Japanese restaurant hidden in the alleys of the city.

Pushing open the cypress sliding door with the character "鮨" printed on it, a refreshing scent of pine wafts out.

The 12-meter-long cypress wood sushi counter gleams with an amber luster, and is decorated with seasonal fresh flowers and ice-sculpted sea bream, the fish's body reflecting silvery light under the warm yellow spotlights.

Chef Hinako Inui, dressed in a navy blue uniform, flicked her wrist as wasabi drew vibrant green arcs on a sharkskin grater.

Three layers of bamboo lanterns hang from the courtyard, their light and shadows shifting across the ukiyo-e mural of ocean waves.

Front seat.

It was covered with Yiyu tie-dyed blue cloth.

In front of each diner stands an Edo-style Kiriko glass cup.

The sounds of ice colliding and the rustling of bamboo flutes used for creating the water feature intertwine to form a harmonious melody.

Inside the refrigerated display case, Hokkaido sea urchins are as yellow as amber, and the frosty patterns on the bellies of tuna are faintly visible in the zero-degree cold air. Live tiger prawns tremble slightly on crushed ice.

……

"Oh?"

"Is this the recently famous Kiriya Restaurant?"

"I heard that it was run by Hinako Inui, a graduate of the 80th class of Totsuki Academy and former second seat of the Totsuki Elite Ten?"

Executive Officer Rantabi, who had passed through the indigo curtain and witnessed the scene before him, was filled with astonishment and doubt.

after that.

Before she could even react...

A waiter approached and asked, "Hello, this customer."

"Our restaurant is a reservation-only sushi restaurant. Please show us your online reservation information so we can confirm it."

"Here!"

"This is the order information I made last month."

Upon hearing this, Rantabhi reacted quickly.

I quickly took my phone out of my pocket, opened the pre-booked reservation page, and showed it to the waiter.

"Okay, I've confirmed."

"Please come with me to the private room on the second floor."

Finally, Rantabhi followed the waiter closely all the way to their destination.

……

The Japanese-style private rooms on the second floor.

Divided by a Kyoto Nishijin-ori screen, temari-shaped cushions are scattered on the tatami mats.

A ukiyo-e painting hangs on the wall, and a light from a Xuan paper lampshade casts a soft, hazy glow, illuminating the rough texture of the Bizen ware tea utensils on the table.

Outside the window is a dry landscape garden.

Three moss-covered stone lanterns stand amidst the white sand ripples, glowing with a firefly-like light at night.

The central area on the second floor is an open-plan dining area.

Occasionally.

You can hear the "thump-thump" sound of the cypress cutting board.

The sweet and sour aroma of sushi vinegar mingles with the savory fragrance of kombu broth, creating a delightful lingering sensation in the air.

When the chef holds the sushi in his hand, diners at the counter can see the rhythm of the vinegared rice gathering and dispersing in his palm.

Tamagoyaki, rolled in a copper pot, reveals thirty-two layers of golden patterns.

On the dark walnut wood wall, a full-length sushi banner displays the daily handwritten notes of fish for the season, the ink stains on the Echizen washi paper tracing the changing seasons.

……

"interesting."

"Is it specifically stated that only the finest tuna must be used?"

"It seems that the diner who just arrived in the private room on the second floor is no ordinary person!"

Looking at the order information for the next menu item that was about to be prepared, Hinako Inui, the head chef and owner, immediately became cautious.

Sushi!

The key is the ingredients.

After all, this dish doesn't require precise control of cooking time or temperature.

However, dealing with ingredients is far more complex than simply kneading octopus.

Many people must have a deep impression of kneading octopus, because there is a Japanese "sushi god" who massaged the octopus for a whole hour in order to highlight its softness.

Ah!

Is it useful?

I'm not entirely sure, but it certainly has a high-class vibe!

It is said that a serving of octopus sushi like this starts at 3 yen.

But don't think that this is the most amazing skill in sushi making, just like:

Just because you see Tsukiji Fish Market full of tuna doesn't mean you can choose ingredients like you would buy vegetables—just go to a familiar fish market and buy the freshest ones of the day.

……

In fact.

In the eyes of a master like Inui Hinako.

Of all types of tuna, the bluefin tuna (Southern Tuna) from the waters near Japan is considered the most delicious.

For owners of high-end sushi restaurants, the preferred tuna is undoubtedly southern tuna.

Different seasons.

Southern tuna will stay in different locations near the coast of Japan.

Due to seasonal variations and different fishing methods, the taste can vary greatly.

Hinako Inui's approach to this difference is to observe and record it over a long period of time, so that she knows exactly what kind of meat and taste the tuna caught at what time, in what place, and using what method...

In her mind, a route map had already formed for tuna to cruise the waters near Japan.

Of course, even if one is aware of it.

The daily supply of tuna at the seafood market is unstable, making it difficult to choose!

Sometimes there are many, sometimes there won't be one for half a month, until one day, a single tuna suddenly appears on the market, but the price is ridiculously high.

So, what choice should Hinako make?

……

As a high-end sushi restaurant.

Hinako will definitely be like other sushi restaurant owners.

Even if the price is high, you have to buy it, because in a season when there is a general shortage, if your store has tuna available, it means that you are indeed "high-end". This is also where her dignity as the head chef of a high-end sushi restaurant lies.

Even if the cost of goods is extremely unreasonable, we will still make tuna sushi.

And now.

This is the new customer.

I ordered a serving of Minami-Tuna Sushi last month in advance.

This shows that she already knew the Kiriya restaurant inside and out, and also had a deep understanding of the Tokyo fish market!

……

"it is good."

"Let me expose your true colors."

After speaking, Inui Hinako's gaze sharpened, and she began to take things seriously.

As a Japanese restaurant that is not yet recognized by the WGO, Hinako's restaurant is small, with only 25 seats.

Dividing the meals into lunch and dinner, we can accommodate at least 1000 people a month.

Although it has long been a "fully reservation-based" shop, those in the food service industry know that only about 10 seats are actually open to the world each month.

Then.

Here comes the problem.

How come there are only 10?

Does Hinako not want to make money, expand her business, or enhance the influence of Kiriya Restaurant?

Logically speaking, many of these seats were reserved for regular customers from the very beginning.

And she persisted in doing so.

The reason is simple: she doesn't want to lose any customers because of this!

……

"There are still 34 restaurants that haven't been secretly inspected and reviewed yet?"

"If I had known this job would be so tiring, I shouldn't have agreed to it in front of Managi-sama last month. Now I feel like I want to die."

Meanwhile, Rantabi, hiding in a private room, was flipping through a thick book.

This book contains detailed information on 1000 famous restaurants, eateries, and other establishments throughout Japan, including each restaurant's head chef, service, signature dishes, and current business situation.

After that, she quickly closed the box and couldn't help but complain.

Chapter 24 Tuna Sushi

tea.

Rice.

These are all traditional crops from China.