"Trial by Cookfire"
by Furor Scribendi
2008 Scribendi Productions
August 3rd
The following day was bright and clear, not too hot as of yet, but that was soon to change. Mahoro and Suguru walked to the auditorium, Mahoro carrying a domed tray, which she had polished up the night before. Suguru had to walk behind her, as it really reflected the sunlight off of it.
Mahoro was lost in thought, but she didn't have her 'bo' expression on. She was fairly floating down the street, singing one of her songs." I have a little dish, filled with tasty food, and if you eat it all up, I'll have some more for you."
"It smells so tasty, Mahoro. What did you finally decide to make?" Suguru closed his eyes and trailed after her, lost in the marvelous aroma.
"It's just Pork Curry with croquettes."
"Uh, do you think that will be enough to impress the judges?"
"Sometimes the simplest dishes work the best. If you get too involved with meals, you miss what the goal of all this is: a tasty meal that brings out the best of the food. Besides, since there are no cooking facilities set up at the auditorium, it can't get too complicated. Remember that first meal I made for you at the house?"
Suguru closed his eyes. "Oh, yes, it was, uh…seaweed miso soup and uh..pickled cucumber slices and…uh….something else, but it was all very delicious." Mahoro giggled.
"And all very simple. It just takes dedication to do the job right."
"How many people do you think will show up for this? I mean, do we have that many hidden chefs in town?" Suguru was having a hard time keeping up with Mahoro, as she did have a rather brisk pace.
"That would be hard to say, as you never know what people think inside. I was surprised when Shikijo-sensei said she would enter."
Suguru looked about, trying to find something that wasn't there. "Have you seen any cicadas? I mean, I hear this buzzing sound, but I don't see any of them."
It's just that cicadas are very secretive, you may not see…" Mahoro gasped as they turned the corner.
The buzzing sound was actually the sheer amount of people who turned out for this event. The streets around the auditorium were jammed, as the police tried to shoo away the cars. Wannabe chefs, gawkers, curious on-lookers and other interested parties clogged the front of the building, making it hard for the police to keep things under control. Numerous security staff was trying to clear a way for those who were submitting dishes to get into the facility.
Suguru took in all in slowly. "I haven't seen this many people out all at once since…forever!"
As they neared the auditorium, a man spoke into a bull horn. "If you have a dish to submit, please go to the person in the blue apron. We only want to see those people who are submitting dishes."
"Well, this is where I have to let you go, Mahoro. It's all up to you now," Suguru told her.
Mahoro looked unhappy for a moment. "It would be nice if you could come along with me."
"Oh, that's OK; I might jinx you or something." Just then, Chizo came up to them.
"It's about time you two got here. Judging starts shortly and I don't want to miss a moment of it. You come with me, Suguru-san. I have those special tickets so we can all get inside to see the show. Good luck, Mahoro, not that you need it." Chizo took Suguru by the hand and led him away. As Mahoro watched, a guard came up to her.
"Ah, another entrant. Please follow that man," he said pointing to the person in a blue apron, who promptly took Mahoro into the facility.
Inside, it was a hive of activity. Mahoro had never seen so many dishes laid out. How can they sample so many dishes and know which one is the best? she thought. She placed her entry down on a table and was given a numbered card, 146. Then she was escorted to an area where all the other entrants sat.
The tables were laid out with dish after dish, and the number tag under each bowl, plate or covered item. There were just so many tables, covering the floor of the auditorium. The seating was filled to capacity, as people tried to take it all in.
She saw the greengrocer, the fish merchant, the man who ran the noodle shop. Shamelessly flirting with one of the judges was Shikijo. Looking over the dishes, Mahoro was amazed at what she saw and felt perhaps she wasn't fancy enough. She saw a roast suckling pig, something using a marlin, a rack of lamb. Some people went all out, she mused.
On stage, a moderator spoke into a microphone. "If I could have everyone's attention, please. In a moment, the Cooking Shogun will be out to preside over this preliminary cook-off. At that time, the entrants will be asked to stand by their meals and answer any questions that the Shogun or the judges may have of you.
"At the end of this day, five will be chosen to do battle the following day with a theme that the Shogun will select. Although we are still receiving entrants, there is close to 300 submissions. We will have a series of pre-judges going out and checking the dishes once we meet the deadline and start that round.
"When they make their decisions, the Pool of 30 will be presented to the Shogun, who will pick the Final Five. You will also notice a variety of people with video cameras. This is part of the production crew so they can record the events for later insertion into the show. Just give them the space that they need and they will try not to be too annoying. And now, here he is, the Cooking Shogun!"
The auditorium erupted in applause as the curtains parted and Hattori Hanzo strode out. Wearing traditional Shogun garb, he was not as tall as Mahoro had thought, but he did have both a regal bearing and a strong presence. He made his way to a throne and sat down. One of his aides brought the microphone. He spoke in a firm, solid voice.
"Chefs, to your creations!"
The area was cleared out as all went to their dishes. Mahoro got a glimpse of Shikijo. At least she was a couple of tables over and wouldn't be bothering her. When everyone was in position, the Shogun spoke again.
"Let the judging begin!"
A series of judges, dressed in samurai outfits and chef hats, began to go down the tables, sampling the food. Mahoro was halfway down one side, so it would be a few minutes before the judge came to her. The person at 147 spoke to her.
"This is my third time doing this. He did this in Yokohama three years ago and at Otsuki five years ago. I didn't make it those times, but I feel my Beef Surprise will get me in. Third times the charm, right?"
"It is sometimes very difficult to understand what they look for, but I believe that a simple dish done well can be better than a grand meal done badly," offered Mahoro.
"Ahhh, but the food is not enough, presentation is a strong factor as well. It doesn't matter how delicious the food is, should it be showcased poorly, that can lose points for you. You have to create in the mind of the diner that the food is as palatable as it looks."
Up in the loge, Chizo had a pair of binoculars and was feverishly scanning the room. "I wonder how they did up that octopus dish? It can be so tricky. Lots of Miso soups. I heard that someone was actually going to try a fugu sushi. That is a feat in and of itself."
Hamadi sighed. "This is the boring part, waiting for a decision to be made. It could take hours and hours."
Chizu spoke up. "Not the way these guys work. 10 working judges, 30 dishes per judge, not more than two minutes a dish, they are done in an hour, 90 minutes at the most. And they have a pretty good assumption who or what they want while they are sampling. They go back stage and confer, perhaps another 15 minutes or so.
"See that judge on Table Two?" Chizo got everyone's attention and pointed to a painfully tall and skinny judge, who looked as though a mere gust of wind could knock him over. "That is Kenji Yamaguchi, known as 'Yummy,' as everything is so yummy to him.
"Judge Seven is Shogi Sahahari; he has a weakness for fish soups. Judge Three is Iishii Mitsubishi. No relation. She talks and talks and talks. Very cagy, that one. Where is Mahoro's judge? I just hope it isn't….oh, no. it IS!" Chizo took down the binoculars.
"Who?" everyone asked.
"Yuudai! "
"That's a rather harsh assessment, don't you think, Chizo?" asked Rin.
"No, it's Yuudai. He only goes by the one name as had a style that is unlike…That is the second dish he did not sample. Wait, is that Kobe beef he passed over? There was a rumor that he was removed from the staff last year for his overly hard-nosed approach. He once flunked his entire table." Everyone crowded around to watch the judge in action
Mahoro also noticed how oddly her judge acted. Despite lots of note taking, he wasn't doing a lot of sampling. In fact, he didn't do any sampling. How can you tell how it tastes if you don't taste it? Mahoro looked over to see Shikijo. She was wearing an outfit that was a bit too short in the skirt and a bit too tight in the blouse. It was almost shameful how she was presenting herself. Hmmmm. 'Presentation is a strong factor as well.'
She imagined what Shikijo-sensei was talking about. "I find that the more succulent the breast is, the more pleasing it is to the palette. You want to have something firm in your mouth but not so hard that you cannot enjoy it, yet not so thin that it just fades away, leaving no memory of it."
Lost in thought, Mahoro barely noticed the judge coming up to her. She uncovered the dish as a wave of fragrance engulfed the table. He looked at the dish for a moment and headed off to the next person. He then looked at his dish and moved on. Number 147 sagged. "This is not good at all." Mahoro slowly put the dome back over the food. She turned to see the cameraman taping her reaction to it all.
In the loge, Chizo shuddered. "He…he never even took a bite of it. This is not good, not good at all!" She peered intently at the judge as he circled the table. She was surprised when he did stop and sampled a teriyaki chicken dish, but only to look at it closer, not to eat it. "What is wrong with that guy?"
Mahoro did turn around to watch the judge. Everyone on the table was watching the judge with great interest. He finished his circuit of the table and walked off, disappearing back stage. The rest of the judges were still in the thick of things. Mahoro looked at the clock. He took all of 17 minutes. Mahoro stared at the other tables. Some of the judges were talking with the chefs and scribbling down notes. The judge at Table 3 was only to her third chef.
Several minutes passed. Then, there was a commotion as their judge came back out. He was wearing a bib and was carrying a bottle of water. He also had two holsters at his side, one filled with chopsticks, the other empty. At the first chef of the table, he opened up a fresh pair of chopsticks and sampled the food. The used chopsticks were now placed in the empty holster. He took a swig of water from the bottle and went on down the line. The routine was the same: fresh chopsticks, sample, discard, water, and move on.
The judge got to Mahoro and looked at her. She lifted the dome to allow the aromas to waft out. She did notice that everyone else at the table leaned in to catch a whiff. The judge took a quick sample and left.
He spoke to no one as he did this, and the sampling was done in less than 12 minutes. Chizo had the binoculars glued to her face. "Well, it is a completely different style. Don't be intimidated, Mahoro, have faith!" When the judge finished his thirty, he, again, left the floor and headed back stage. Mahoro noticed that the other judges were still on the floor, just finishing up, even Judge Three. Soon, all the judges left the floor, leaving behind a general hubbub, as everyone spoke with each other.
"This is the hardest part. It's the waiting that gets to me," said 147. "You never know what it is they are discussing back there. At least they are quick about it; no need to drag it out endlessly. One good sign is that they come back out for one more sample. That means that you are in contention for…wait!" 147 looked over Mahoro to the backstage area.
Their judge came back out and did a quick circle of the table, focusing on the dishes, and went in back again. "That was odd," said 147.
"That was odd," muttered Chizo. Everyone else was in extreme boredom.
"When are we gonna eat?" cried Kawahara, his stomach making an obscene gurgling noise.
"As soon as they make the pronouncement," said Chizo.
"I may not live that long!" responded Hamadi, flopping dead in his seat. "I…need…FOOD!"
Mahoro looked over at Shikijo, who stuck her tongue out at her. She would not mind losing, but not to…her! She would never hear the end of it. Time dragged and dragged and dragged, as though the clock's hands had been nailed to its face.
There was a stir in the crowd as they noticed the activity on the stage. Chizo stood up. "It's decision time!"
The judges came out and lined up on either side of Hanzo. One judge came from the back and handed paperwork to the Shogun, who stood up and went to the microphone. "To all the chefs here, you have done well. There is nothing to feel badly about. I commend you in your efforts and your commitment. However…" He paused for dramatic effect. "…we can only take 30 to go to the next round. When you hear your number called, please raise your hand." He read off the numbers.
"009…022…038…"
Suddenly, Shikijo broke out in whoops and hollering. "Yes, yes, yesyesyes! My breasts are the best!" The cameraman was all over her as she went out of control.
Suguru looked down at her. "Well, she does have that right."
Shikijo continued her victory dance as the Shogun read off more numbers. "…056…071…088…101…109…114…133…141…"
Mahoro perked up. They were close.
"…149…159…162…"
Mahoro drooped. It just wasn't good enough. Meanwhile, in the loge, Chizo detonated. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! That isn't right!" She began pulling her hair. Everyone around her recoiled in shock to her reaction. The Shogun continued, unperturbed by the audience reaction or other chattings.
"…177…184…191…212…225…237…243…254…269…270…271…282…293…298…and 304. If your number has been called, please stay at your station. For the rest of you, we thank you deeply." He gave a great bow to all.
Number 147 turned to Mahoro. "Don't feel so badly. These things happen." Mahoro turned to her friends in the loge and waved to them. As she went to take her dish, the Shogun's voice was heard.
"All chefs, please hold. Please hold. We have miscounted our tabulations. We need for Chef 146 to remain as well. Please, again, Chef 146 to remain." Chizo let out a big whoop while Shikijo fumed. One of the people in the blue aprons came up to her table and escorted those three from there to the main stage.
"I hope you do well," Number 147 called out.
"Thank you. I hope that you will succeed in all that you do." As she approached the stage itself, she passed by the judges and made eye contact with Yuudai. He said nothing but gave her a thumbs up. Mahoro slightly bowed as she walked by.
On the Main Stage, a long table was set up, each chef now placed behind their dish. The Shogun came up and looked at each and every offering. Shikijo is nine spots away from me, thought Mahoro, so at least there would be no tormenting from her.
When the Shogun got to Shikijo, she turned up the charm and lust. Wiggling and squirming, she certainly got the Shogun's attention. After the initial pass-through, he started at the other end and took a sample of the dishes. There was no betrayal of his feelings or reactions on this as he silently headed down the line, taking a little bite of each. When he had finished with 009, the Shogun delicately wiped his mouth and went back to the microphone to speak.
He held for a moment, as he looked at a piece of paper and did some writing on it. He was very serious as he looked back over to the Pool of 30 while he made his final thoughts on things. The tension could be felt throughout the convention center, as Hanzo was very deliberate in everything he was doing. He looked up and began to speak.
"I have taken into consideration that many of you made warm dishes and that by the time it gets to me, it may not be at its best. But that is the mark of a good chef, that the food always tastes marvelous, despite external condition. Of the five of you that will be selected today, you will come back here tomorrow for the contest itself. For the rest of you, there is the honor of getting this far.
"I have made my decision." A hush descended on the auditorium as all eyes and cameras were focused upon him.
"The following five finalists are…293…114…009…146…and…038." There was a great roar and riotous applause throughout the auditorium. Shikijo clenched her fists in victory. Pictures were taken as they all gathered around the Shogun for a group photo opportunity.
"Chizo stood up and cheered wildly. "This is great. Now, when can we eaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?"
MAHORO'S SYSTEMS WILL CEASE TO FUNCTION IN 350 DAYS
End NotesSome of you may notice that I have given these tales a "T" rating, when my debated about giving my first story a K+. That boils down to Shikijo.
She is a 25-year old, single, school teacher, who has a warm personality, a slight drinking problem and large breasts. She has a condition known as the "Shotaro Complex" where she fixates on prepubescent or underage boys. She is always trying to help Suguru on "the road to manhood" and some of her fantasies are rather funny, but always erotic.
In order to showcase Shikijo properly, I have to be able to use the caliber of language that best reveals her true nature, thus the rating.
Note that the original manga is rated "OT" (Older Teen, Age 16+) as they are far more explicit in things that the anime can only partially showcase. I mean, some of her fantasies get rather steamy and in the Valentine's episode, she gives Suguru a chocolate treat, which is a mold of her fabulous bust line, life size!
In reading the manga, you realize that Mahoro and Shikijo are in vicious competition, from the very first time they meet (that is on the rooftop when Mahoro forgot to put the dessert in Suguru's bento and she brings it by for him) and is really put into motion with the "investigation" of her at the house, one reason Shikijo drops in all the time.
And if we list the confrontations they have had:
Shikijo was the Dance Maiden at the Summer Festival (potentially) the year before.
Shikijo out-guns Mahoro at one of the booths at the Summer Festival
She was the Dark Arts Festival winner for two years in a row.
At the New Year's Celebration, they challenge each other constantly at the booths.
At Christmas, she gives the "better" present to Suguru of her warm undergarments.
She tries to out-sauna Mahoro at the baths the first time Mahoro goes.
Mahoro out-eats her at Aoshima Flats, the local noodle shop, where Shikijo was champion, but recently bested by Mahoro.
With the ever-escalation concern about the bustline, best seen in the Crab Robot episode where the suit Shikijo wears (or hardly wears) is like, "WOW!"
The infamous Pi Plus Alpha machine where Shikijo truly out-points Mahoro.
So, a few more of my episodes (beyond this one) are also going to be "T", just so I can examine aspects of Mahoro's personality and mindset more freely.
As to the show itself, part of this is based off of my experience with the Antiques Roadshow. They came to my neck of the woods in 1997 and it was an absolute zoo and it went on for all day. I had to take some liberties with my tale, as food is not going to be as durable as a Civil War-era chamber pot, and certainly, when the word gets out about this caliber of event (which it would) you would draw from the surrounding area, not just your city.
But I don't think I want to have 3000 people showing up for all this, as it would make a more chaotic scene even more so. Admittedly, where this little town is located is (possibly) only 30 km southwest of Yokohama, so it would naturally draw from there, and with Tokyo not all that distant, well, you see the logistical problem that ensues.
And how "little" is this place? In the Summer TV Special, we have a panorama of Hiryu, it looks absolutely vast, perhaps as big as San Francisco and not just a suburb (like a Daly City or a Sausalito). Yet, in the Dark Arts Festival, it gives the impression of a much smaller city, where things are more cozy and compact.
Sometimes, the best thing to do is to ignore the problem and forge ahead.