Chapter 31 Second Week Stagiaire
"So a Totsuki Student is going to come to my restaurant for the Stagiaire." In the restaurant located in Tokyo, Shinomiya Kojiro asks through the phone. "Why would I have to deal with it?"
"I know you'll cooperate willingly, as long as it's a request from this pitiable Totsuki Employee." Dojima says as he ends the call. Shinomiya mutters as he hears the doorbell, "If it is someone who isn't in the finals of the Autumn Elections, I'm going to kick them out immediately..."
But as he opens the door, it is no other than the Phantom: Yukihira Soma. He smiles and says, "I'll be in your care, Shinomiya senpai."
"You've got to be kidding me..." Shinomiya mutters. "I won't accept anyone who didn't at least get to the finals of the Autumn Election as Stagiaire...but of all the people, it had to be you, Yukihira."
"I was really surprised, too." Soma says.
"Well, that's fine. I also told the school affairs division I would kick out anyone useless." Kojiro says as he gives Soma some cleaning supplies, he says, "There's carpentry work, and the finishing touches to the interior. Come on, get moving! We're going to get this done by tomorrow!"
"Wait, you're still at this stage?" Soma yells in shock. One of the employees, Lucie Hugo, says, "Chef Shinomiya, we need to work on the menu too, you know."
"She's right." Another chef, Gao Wei, says, "We should just hire some contractors!"
"Considering the remaining budget, we have to do the rest by ourselves." Shinomiya mutters. "The interior design, chairs, tables, cutlery, and wine...I was pretty particular about which to choose...we have to do what we can by ourselves."
"If it's you, you should be able to get as many sponsors as you want, shouldn't you, chef Shinomiya? You've won the Pluspol Medal, you know." Lucie says.
"Almost every single one of them was really opposed to opening a new restaurant." Shinomiya says.
Soma sighs and says, "Opening a restaurant sure is hard, well, I feel very lucky for getting to train in senpai's restaurant."
"Once again, it's nice to meet you, Yukihira-kun. We're all part of Shino's main restaurant's staff." Lucie says.
"We're here to help at the Tokyo Branch until things settle in!" Gao Wei says.
"And that man there is the Sous-chef de cuisine for the main restaurant. You can say he's chef Shinomiya's right-hand man."
The man named Abel Blondin shakes hands with Soma as he says, "Nice to meet you, well, do your best."
But the greeting is interrupted by Shinomiya, who asks Soma to help him carry the stuff. Soma asks, "Anyway, Shinomiya senpai, why did you want to open a new restaurant? And in Japan, of all places? It was even on the T.S...that it's odd for someone aiming for three stars to open a new restaurant."
"Stop the pointless chatter and move those hands." Shinomiya says.
"I was just wondering why you did this..when its a time you need to put your back into working on the main restaurant in France?" Soma asks while working on the light bulbs.
"I can ask the same of you, what did you mean by what you said before? You feel lucky to get to train in my restaurant...you say? You would be able to clear this more easily if you went to some random small restaurant." Shinomiya says.
"I want to create another new dish for myself." Soma says. "I want to step into a new world and shed new light on my cooking."
Shinomiya sighs and says, "The reason why I'm opening a restaurant in Japan is that it's something I need to do to reach new heights right now."
And much to the staff's surprise, Shinomiya decides to make lunch for themselves, and he made a Quiche, a baked dish that uses pie batter, eggs, cheese, and milk as a base, and things like bacon and spinach for the filling. They all taste it and feel it very delicious, but Shinomiya thinks that it is not enough.
When the opening is done, Soma is taken to try out the uniform of the restaurant, and much to Shinomiya's dismay, it looks unexpectedly normal on him. And during the time when he is working, the staff and even Shinomiya are surprised to see how Soma manages to overcome the hardships with ease, and he gets to make the dish in the fourth day of opening.
And when the fifth day of the grand opening ends, Soma asks, "Are we only closing so early on the last day?"
"We're not closing. I reserved the place for one last group of guests." Shinomiya says.
And much to their surprise, Hinako, Sekimori, Gotoda, Mizahara, and even Chapelle sensei are there, and Hinako says, "Yukihira-kun? What are you doing here?"
"Long time no see, I'm a Stagiaire here." Soma says.
"Why didn't you let me help with the opening? To think you disregard me and call Yukihira-kun!" Hinako yells.
"You have your own restaurant to attend to, you idiot." Shinomiya says.
"Yukihira, I see...you were training here." Chapelle says to Soma, who bows at the chef and says, "Chapelle sensei, it sure is nice to see you again. But I'm surprised that you were here as well."
"A bit more than ten years ago...was when Chapelle sensei was appointed as a teacher. It was right when we were enrolled in Totsuki." Hinako says.
"Long time no see, Chapelle sensei." Shinomiya shakes hands with the teacher, who replies, "You always were a student full of vitality. Back then, you also had some daredevilry, but I can't see any of that now. I'm really proud of you. Keep moving forward."
Chapelle turns to Soma and says, "And since you are still here, I'm glad that my hard work of teaching didn't get off of you." Chapelle says to Soma, who nods back at the chef.
"So that's how you learn all those French Cuisine..." Shinomiya mutters, which causes the others to be confused. But Shinomiya walks to greet the final guest, which is his mother. As the guests are trying the dishes, Soma asks Shinomiya, "So Shinomiya senpai, why did you choose French Cuisine?"
"Is there any reason why I should tell you that?" Shinomiya suddenly glares at Soma, who flinches a little, but then he sighs, "Remember that Quiche I made on the first day? Greater Burdock is something that westerners only think about as a "Tree Root" They get surprised and say "Japanese eat tree roots?" all the time. During the second world war, they use greater burdock in the food of one of Japan's war prisoners. He then said "The Japanese made me eat tree roots" and things escalated to an international trial for cruelty against war prisoners."
"That's an amazing story." Soma says.
"Besides, greater Burdock, Carrots, Parsley roots...such root crops reminded people of the meager meals they ate during the war, so they weren't used as foodstuff for a long time. Those vegetables are called "Legumes Oublies" in the west. If I had to give a name to the Quiche I made, it'd be "Quiche De Legumes Oublies" I guess. The reason why I decided to open a restaurant in Japan was to reaffirm the foundation...the roots of my own cooking. Once again, I'll face the cooking of the country I was born in. That's something I must do in order to get three stars."
Soma then asks to be a part of the competition of making the new dish in the store, and that catches the attention of everyone in the room. Especially Hinako, who wants to stay and see what will it go.
"This will be the first direct confrontation between the Phantom and Shinomiya-senpai! It's the revenge match after the training camp Shokugeki!" Hinako says.
"Hm? What was that about just now? I'm sure I heard her say "Training Camp Shokugeki"?" Chapelle asks, and Mizuhara quickly shuts Hinako up and says, "I have no idea what she's talking about, Chapelle sensei."
The other two also back up with her, so Chapelle just brushes it off. They also notice the inspector outside of the restaurant, and they know that Soma's dish is going to determine the fate of Soma.
"Normally, Totsuki's students learn the basics of French and other cuisines during middle school, but Yukihira Soma didn't experience that, instead, he travels around the world with his father to learn everything from scratch. He is also good at reproducing already existent French Recipes without a problem. So I wonder what he is going to make for this." Chapelle says.
After the cooking, Soma has been working hard as he remembers the time when he asks his father about the cooking, as well as all the other senpais. After he is finished, he presents the dish and says, "Sorry for the wait."
Everyone is shocked to see him presenting a whole Quail. Chapelle asks, "Yukihira Soma, what is this dish?"
"This is an Oyakodon." Soma says, causing everyone to be surprised. Shinomiya is looking at the dish as he tries to taste it. They also find that there is Risotto inside the whole quail. Soma adds that the Oyakodon has five basic ingredients: chicken meat, eggs, rice, onions, and soup. And he also explains how he does it with the concepts and makes them into a French dish.
"But how is it possible? When you farce quail meat, what you put inside must be something solid. Something soft like a Risotto would make it crumble! Yukihira, how did you stuff it?" Abel asks.
And Soma says that it is cabbage, he wraps the Risotto with cabbage and then stuffed it into the quail.
"You've done it, Yukihira." Shinomiya says after thinking of what he has experienced through the dish.
"Shinomiya-senpai...you said that in order to go even further with your French cuisine, you had to come back to Japan. Then what I must do is probably just the opposite. I need to tear through the cooking I've been doing in the environment I was born and raised in...this is the first dish I made for the new "Yukihira"!"
After thinking, Shinomiya shakes his head and says, "It's no good. The quality is too poor. If we leave it like this...that is. You might as well use it in the small restaurant you'll have in the future...but it's a bit shabby to use it in Shinomiy Kojiro's restaurant. But well, I can correct a few things here and there, what do you want to do?"
Soma is now delighted as he asks Shinomiya to teach him everything, and then they try a whole night for the new dish, and the inspector decides to deem Soma as passing the test.
The next morning is time when Soma leaves the restaurant, Soma says, "I'm sorry I had you teach me all the way till morning."
"Hmph, you're just a slow learner. After you're done here, you'll go to another kitchen, huh?" Shinomiya asks.
"Yes, I need one more before I can go back to Totsuki." Soma says.
"Even if it was just for a week, you trained in my restaurant. If you fail in some other kitchen, it'll tarnish Shino's reputation. Bear that in mind." Shinomiya says.
"Yes, Thank you very much, Master Shinomiya!" Soma says.
"Stop it, who's your master?!" Shinomiya is now blushing with embarrassment as his staff and classmates are teasing him. But before leaving, Shinomiya says, "One last thing, Yukihira. Even though you are the 0 seat, I need you to keep that title and don't let it loose."
"Roger." Soma says as he leaves, and the dish that he made in the Stagiaire becomes one of the most popular dishes in Shinos, called, "Quail Stuffed with Risotto and Eggs ~Brazen Youngster Style~"
And this is the end of the second stagiaire. I have decided to add one more for the next chapter, and I think it will be fun to write that one. I hope you like this chapter.