Alright guys, sorry this took so long to come out. I have been surprisingly busy lately which is highly unusual for me. So to make up for it, I give you the longest chapter thus far! Because I was so busy I had to write this chapter in segments, so if the writing style shifts during the story; I am sorry. As stated before, I get that the Elite Ten has already been revealed in the Manga, however this is my version that sidetracks from the original so they don't exist unless I mention them alright :P For a reference point, this is the middle of the story basically. So half way there! In this chapter we are going to be introduced to Tsozin's henchmen, and we'll get to see why he is so sly as winning Shokugeki's. We will also get to understand Tsozin's motives, which are totally cliche (sorry). Thanks for being loyal readers, we're getting about 70 hits per day which I think is spectacular so let's keep this going!
Chapter 7: A Recipe for Disaster
The chamber was silent a young man stood up to address the council. In this room, there was a long table, with each member sitting in ranking order from the outside in. The young man about to speak, was tall and average sized. His hair was white, with gelled spiky hair. He always wore his dark shades, that reflected everything around him like mirrors. Hanging out of his mouth was a toothpick, and his ears were pierced with gold loops. His jacket was a traditional chefs jacket, only black and a gold trim lining the shoulders and cuffs.
"My friends, the judges have been decided for this afternoon's festivities! No doubt you have all heard of them, and they come highly recommended from my father." Tsozin boldly announced with a grin.
"The first judge, is a retired french chef Jacques Dubois. At his prime, he was the head chef of the famous 'Le Sixieme Sens' in Paris. He was also voted the top chef in all of France seven times! Our next judge is Sabine Moreau, an alumni of Totsuki academy and currently the assistant head chef of the world famous 'Le Chantecler!' Our third judge is Max Ferrari, another Totsuki alumnus who is fifth chair on the Shokugeki Administration Board."
Both Erina and Damian sat with their arms folded as Tsozin was announcing the judges. As he announced each judge, they entered the room before the council and the council bowed before them as a sign of respect and gratitude. Clearly disturbed by what was going on, Damian clenched his fist and waited until the last judge exited the room.
"What is this mockery Tsozin! How can you even begin to explain why two French Chefs are asked to judge a culinary battle between two Italian dishes! What's worse! France is Italy's rival, how can you even begin to explain how this is fair. Don't you guys understand what Tsozin is doing to the integrity of this academy! Of the Shokugeki! How can you all stand by right now, and do nothing!" Damian said in aggressive manner, still clenching his fist in anger.
Tsozin looked over at Damian smugly, and shook his head with a slight sigh. "Damian, we've already been through this. Young Mr. Aldini already accepted the terms and the Bureau already confirmed the match and sent us our decorated judges. This is how things have always been done."
"And it just so happens that two of the judges are French, the longtime rivals of Italy? Oddly suspicious that there is only one Italian judge overseeing a contest of Italian cuisine."
The seventh chair stood up, Hayami Yamamoto; a second year student who has a strong affection towards Tsozin. "How dare you question the authority of the Bureau! Know your place Damian, this contest honors the rules of the shokugeki! Your accusations and implications are both unwelcome and unwarranted." She said in a sharp voice.
The sixth chair also stood up, Mitsuru Kobayashi; a senior and right hand man of Tsozin. "I agree! You should be more respectful Damian, to question the Bureau means to question your place on the council. How can you be on this council and question the validity of the Shokugeki?" He said in a condescending tone.
The first chair stood up, and slammed his fists on the table. "Know your place Mitsuru! Enough of this, we have a shokugeki to prepare for. This council is dismissed." He said in a booming voice.
Tsozin just smiled and turned his back towards the door. Both Mitsuru and Hayami attended his side, as he began walking. Before he left, he smugly looked back at Damian. "By the way Damian, tell your young friend Takumi that his parents will have front row seats to our match. I hear that they also brought their national flag from home. Would be a shame if he lost, and they had to witness him burn their flag right before their eyes." Tsozin laughed pompously.
Damian again clenched his fists and was ready to go after him, but he was stopped short by Erina who grabbed his arm.
"Don't make things worse for yourself." She said calmly.
"I can't just stand by and do nothing!" Damian answered angrily.
"You already put yourself on thin ice by blatantly accusing the Bureau of fraud. You know Tsozin's father will catch wind of this, and his presence on the board will certainly have them watching your every move now. One small error, and they can use that to have you expelled." Erina answered.
Damian looked down in frustration. "I don't see how you and the rest of the council can just stand by and let this happen. Tsozin and his two henchmen has everyone on the council in fear. The others don't agree, but are too afraid of his father to speak out against him."
"Tsozin doesn't have all the cards rigged in this match, I called in favor that can help with the current situation. It isn't going to help Takumi or any of the other students now, but it will undermine Tsozin's plans." Erina said confidently.
"What did you have in mind?" Damian asked.
Everyone had met up at Polar Star to support Takumi's match today. They had all put in a substantial effort to help him perfect his Lasagna entry for today's match. They all worked together to hand make the noodles and Takumi got some help from Akira to make the cheese filling. Isami had also helped out with the preparations to support his brother as well.
"Well Takumi, I'd say you've got the best Lasagna recipe ready to go! There is no way Tsozin can outclass an authentic Italian recipe made by a pure blood Italian!" Yukihira said with a smile.
"Thanks Yukihira! It's a family recipe as old as our lineage itself. With a couple of welcome additions thanks to you guys. It's hard for me to accept help, but i'm glad you guys all worked hard to help me out." Takumi answered.
"I'd do anything to see that oaf Tsozin get what's coming to him." Ryō said, as he stood with his arms crossed.
"Look, I don't know what is going to happen with Tsozin today. He no doubt has a lot of things working against you Takumi." Satoshi said.
"I can't let that stop me now. I have to represent my country, and my family today. There is no way I am giving less than my very best." Takumi said confidently.
"I know you can do it brother! I can't help you out there, but I know you'll make our family proud!" Isami said with comforting grin.
"I'm not even competing today, and i'm a little nervous haha. I really hope Tsozin rolls his ankle or something during the match. I don't like him one bit!" Yuki stated.
"Takumi, don't underestimate your opponent. He is still an Elite Ten member, and much like our match against Damian; taste and technique alone isn't going to win." Akira said quietly, as he stood against the wall entering the kitchen.
"Takumi is a pure blood Italian, and Lasagna is one of the most culturally significant dishes in Italy. Takumi is the perfect candidate for this shokugeki." Zenji said.
"Yeah, and with my gastronomy techniques between the sauce and cheese is sure to put him over the top. The combined effort of us all is sure enough to overcome Tsozin!" Alice said confidently.
"Yeah, and with Nikumi's quality ground beef she let us use; there is no way Tsozin can compare!" Yukihira said.
"Thanks guys, but I think it's time we head to the arena. There is a lot going into this, and I need to prepare myself. I know it won't be easy, but this is my families Italian Lasagna recipe, passed down through each generation. With it, the very essence of the Aldini name and family!" Takumi said out loud with pride.
The entire Polar Star gang all gathered their things and headed out the door to make their way to the stadium. Takumi said his thanks once more, and left to go meet his parents before he entered the arena. Alice, Ryō, Megumi and Akira all headed off to meet up with Jun and get some fresh basil she had cultured just for Takumi's match. Ryōko, Zenji and Yuki also wandered off to the stadium to get front row seats on Takumi's side so they could cheer him on.
Yukihira and Nikumi were left alone as the rest of the gang had elsewhere to be. Nikumi and Yukihira hadn't said much to one another since Yukihira determined to win over Erina's heart and find out the missing piece to his "essence." The silence between them was slightly unsettling as Yukihira wad unsure of what to say, and Nikumi was still bummed that Yukihira chose Erina over her.
"Thanks again for helping Takumi get some of your families 100% lean ground beef for today's match! It'll definitely go over well with the judges." Yukihira said, trying to break the silence.
"Takumi needs all the help he can get. Everyone else is contributing so much, I figured I also have to do my part." Nikumi replied.
"Hey, is everything alright? You seem to be a little distant from everything lately." Yukihira asked.
"Yeah, everything's fine. Really. Just really worried what might happen to Takumi, or any of the others to be honest. I know we all want to take down Tsozin and everything but we aren't even entirely sure what he's capable of! All we know is what Damian told us, but Takumi is the first one to go up against him."
"We may not know what we are up against, but we all worked together to help Takumi. No matter what Tsozin tries, its all just cooking right?"
Nikumi nodded at Yukihira. Although she was concerned about Takumi, it wasn't the reason she was distant from the rest of the group. For her, Yukihira was someone who she would do anything for. When they first met, she thought nothing of him; but after he showed his resolve and bested her in their first shokugeki, she knew there was something to be admired about his spirit. At that moment he won her over, and his resolve to better himself made her respect him more. However, when he revealed his feelings for Erina to her, it dampened her spirits. Still, she can't hate Yukihira and she has become quite friendly with the other polar star dorm residents as well.
Yukihira looked over at Nikumi and saw that something was still bothering her. Oblivious to her actual feelings towards him, he decided not to pry any further for the time being as they had to make their way to the arena to support Takumi. They continued walking until they arrived at the rear entrance where competitors usually entered to get to the preparation rooms.
As they were about to enter, two figures appeared behind them.
"Hey you two, hold it right there!" A female voice sharply said.
Yukihira turned around to see two students wearing black chef uniforms. One was an average height woman, with long black hair tied in a ponytail with a black bow; and what appeared to be a flat chest. The other was a tall and skinny male with jet black hair slicked back like an Italian mobster. He had a silver necklace chain and platinum watch on his left wrist. It was Hayami Yamamoto and Mitsuru Kobayashi.
"Where do you think you two are going?" Mitsuru asked with a snooty voice.
"We were just going to see Takumi Aldini before his match, and wish him luck. He is a friend of ours." Yukihira replied.
"Oh really? That's interesting, because we were about to go see Tsozin and wish him luck!" Mitsuru said.
Yukihira and Nikumi both visibly got tense after learning they were friends of Tsozin.
"Well, yeah should be a good match! Haha." Yukihira said nervously, trying to get out of the conversation.
"Who is this pretty girl you got with you? Yukihira Sōma is it? Yeah... that's right. You're that first year diner boy that climbed his way to top four in your class. She's pretty gorgeous isn't she, fame serves you well eh?" Hayami teased.
"I'm Ikumi Mito! Yukihira isn't just some diner boy! Hes one of the most talented chefs in our class and this entire academy!" Nikumi stated hotly.
"My, my, my feisty aren't we? Perhaps you are unaware of colleague here: Third Year Mitsuru Kobayashi, sixth chair on the Elite Council. I, of course: Second Year Hayami Yamamoto, seventh chair. Perhaps you want to watch your tone next time when speaking your upper class men." Hayami said smugly.
"We meant no disrespect! We are just on our way to see Takumi, that's all." Yukihira said, trying to cut out of the conversation before things got worse.
"Hehehe. Your friend is no match for Tsozin. Tsozin can't be beaten by the likes of him. Takumi Aldini is going to embarrass himself again! Live! In front of the whole chef community! Hahaha." Mitsuru taunted.
Nikumi blurted out in a tense voice. "The match hasn't started yet, we'll see Tsozin crushed when he has to cheat so hard to win and still loses. That would be humiliating!"
Hayami face turned from a smug smile to a more aggressive look as her face tightened up, and her cheeks flushing red. "How dare you speak of Tsozin that way, you blonde haired bimbo! Wait until Tsozin dusts your friend in humiliation, then it's your turn. Consider yourself warned." She growled angrily.
"Oh my Hayami, let's not waste our time with these losers haha. Don't crush her dreams too, there will be enough of that for Mr. Aldini today ahahaha!" Mitsuru joked as he pushed Hayami forward.
Nikumi was visibly insulted and wanted to say something, but Yukihira shook his head at her as he motioned for her to stay silent. The two students walked down the hall, and once they passed out of sight Nikumi and Yukihira made there way to Takumi's preparation room. As Yukihira and Nikumi entered Takumi's prep room; Isami, Akira, Jun, Alice, Ryō , and Megumi all sat around him. Jun was explaining who each of the judges were, while Isami was wishing his brother luck. Nikumi and Yukihira got next to others to give their wishes to Takumi before the match began.
Hayami and Mitsuru entered into Tsozin's room, to surprisingly find that he was by himself. Usually Tsozin would have a few female groupies hanging over him, which constantly made Hayami jealous. Tsozin was wearing his shokugeki uniform, which was a modified version of his regular clothes. His jacket was still black, but was embroidered with red trim and had the Shokugeki Administration Bureau patch sewn onto the right sleeve. On his shoulders, was a silver badge that had the Ikaharu crest on it. Tsozin looked up at Hayami and asked in a smooth voice.
"What's wrong with you dear?"
Hayami quickly went from an angry scowl, to a flushed red face and hard blush. "Oh, n...n...nothing Tsozin. Just saw that Yukihira kid and some blonde chick who needs an attitude adjustment." She said.
"Heh, yeah. They are in Takumi Aldini's room wishing him well before the match." Mitsuru said, as he began to chuckle.
"Luck? He'll need a damn miracle haha! Nothing less than a natural disaster will help him now. Soon this school will understand the real power within this academy." Tsozin said pompously.
"Is it going to be enough though? This display of power wouldn't really change the attitude of the student body, aside from the shock value. In fact it might just incite the school to challenge us." Mitsuru answered.
"Insightful as ever my friend, I think you are right. This Aldini kid will just be martyr for them to resist the changing times. What we need is to make a statement that would crush the spirit of would be challengers from ever wanting to challenge the new authority of the school. After all, if we can control who succeeds and who fails depending on their loyalty and servitude; the entire world of cooking could be under my family's control. Then, no chef would ever make their up and up without paying tribute to the Ikaharu family." Tsozin stated.
"Wow Tsozin! You're so ambitious. If your family controls the entire professional cooking industry, then that would make your father one of the most powerful figures within the Yakuza syndicate! Then, you'd be heir to all of it as well. How dreamy." Hayami said expositionally. (Humor haha)
"Yes love, it would be. If I complete this task of creating a firm grasp over the premier Academy for chefs around the world, I can earn my right to sit among the other bosses and make my father proud. He has always said that our family had to make our own way in this world. My great grandfather used to own his own noodle stall in Tokyo. The Yakuza forced him into a life of servitude, extorting him for all his goods. It was this act, that my grandfather busted his back learning to become the best noodle chef in Tokyo, to build a better life for his father. Showcasing his skill, earned him the respect of the Yakuza and even became the personal chef to the bosses. With this honor, my father worked hard to gain reputation within the syndicate, making powerful allies and cementing our families stake in the organization. This quid pro quo system allowed the Yakuza to assist my Father in becoming such an influential figure within the shokugeki bureau. Now, its my time to prove my families value. I will honor my great grandfather by elevating our family to the top, and the sweet irony of being servants to the Yakuza now a boss within the syndicate." Tsozin recounted.
"So, what do you suggest then?" Mitsuru asked.
Tsozin pondered for a moment. "Yukihira Sōma."
"What about that little dweeb?" Hayami sharply spouted.
"Word from the rest of the students within the academy are astounded by his meteoric rise within this academy. A nobody transfer student, rising to one of the top chefs in his class and even challenging an Elite Ten chef in Damian. This is the key." Tsozin said with a dark smile.
"What's so special about him though? He's just some kid, that's all." Hayami pointed out.
"That's the point Hayami. I think you are right Tsozin, the other students look up to Yukihira. If some nobody, no name chef can make such a bold rise among student chefs who are well known, then other less talented students might start believing they can too! To see some common diner chef compete with prodigies, its an inspiration that could complicate Tsozin's plans. How then do we deal this?" Mitsuru, explained.
"We cannot underestimate young Yukihira Sōma however. You see, at first he might be just a nobody diner chef but I had some information dug up on him. It seems fishy someone like him made it up so well, so I looked into his past and discovered something interesting. His father just so happens to be Jōichirō Saiba! Then it all made sense." Tsozin announced.
"Jōichirō Saiba? Well, then he may be more crafty than I originally thought. Just challenge him to a shokugeki and beat him out of the school." Mitsuru replied.
"That's too simple, and it would seem oddly suspicious that someone of his caliber would be challenged by the Elite Ten. Remember, it was a rule implemented for us to weed out the weak. We aren't invulnerable yet. Too many prying eyes, while the field is still being set, could expose things that would blow our operation. Still, he must be dealt with. In order to set the stakes as we want, we have to goad him into a match. But how?" Tsozin asked, looking at Hayami expecting an answer.
"His friends! Nice! We'll just humiliate his friends, and that will certainly pressure him to accept a shokugeki. Finally, a reason to put that blonde in her place!" Hayami said with a hint of excitement.
"No no. I want you two to gather up information on those around him, and challenge the two weakest friends he has. After that, he and his friends will certainly try to get some sort of vengeance. This will place them right in our clutches. We can then sweep off the remaining competition. This display of power, would certainly deter any chance of rising against us." Tsozin said as he grinned.
"Leave us to it then Tsozin. Your match is about to begin, so good luck. Not that you'll need it haha." Mitsuru laughed as he grabbed Hayami's hand to walk towards the stands.
As both of them walked out, Tsozin looked down for a moment and grinned cynically. In his mind, this academy was just a pawn meant for him to control on his way to becoming a figure within the Yakuza. It was the Yakuza who pressured the dissenters within the Shokugeki Administration Bureau to allow the new rule to be implemented at Totsuki. It was the Yukuza influence, that bribed the board to allow biased judges enter the competition. Everything was piecing itself together, and now Tsozin's recipe for control was about to be displayed in front of the entire chef community.
The crowd was in an uproar over the anticipation of today's shokugeki. It was hosted within the usual arena, and the dome was opened to let to cool fall air seep into the stands. Also scattered across the floor where the competitors would be, were news trucks and cameras with their own personal commentators. This event was being streamed to several websites around the chef community. Rarely were small matches such as this, given huge emphasis; but Tsozin's influence had garnered enough attention to warrant this level of coverage.
"Welcome ladies, gentlemen, and distinguished guests to today's Shokugeki! The match today will be a contest between Tsozin Ikaharu and Takumi Aldini. We have three distinguished judges for today's match. Jacques Dubois, Sabine Moreau and Max Ferrari! Let's all give our guest judges a round of appreciation."
The guest judges entered the arena to meet a crowd with roaring applause. They lined up behind the judges table and prepared to take their seats. It was at this moment at Takumi and Tsozin both entered the arena from their respective sides. On Tsozin's side were several female groupies and envious boys cheering him on. Hayami and Mitsuru in a box, up above that section of the arena looking over at Takumi's section looking for Yukihira. In Takumi's section, his parents with Isami were holding up an Italian flag while the rest of the polar star dorm gang surrounded them in overwhelming support.
The announcer spoke up again. "Today's contest will pit both competitors to create an authentic Italian classic recipe: Lasagna. The shokugeki will be determined by a majority vote, and the terms for today's shokugeki are: If the challenger Tsozin wins, Takumi Aldini must burn a national flag of his home nation of Italy or drop out of Totsuki Academy. If Tsozin loses he must publicly apologize to Takumi Aldini and present him with an authentic Mezzaluna crafted in Italy. The terms have been set, and now the challengers are set. Begin!"
At the words of the Announcer, Takumi opens up a large clear container which opened up to reveal the hand made Lasagna noodles he would need for today's recipe. He also opened up another container which contained the ground beef gifted by Nikumi. Finally, he pulled out a small wooden chest which had several glass bottles carrying various herbs and spices, with two extra bags of spices that were black and couldn't be examined easily.
Takumi's concentration was rock solid. As continued to lay out his ingredients, he ignored the ambient sound of the arena and only focused on the recipe he knew like his own name. Takumi Aldini, thought to himself how much his pride meant to him in this match. With this great recipe, there was no possible way he could lose. He had the highest quality of ground beef, authentic Italian sausage brought from Italy by his parents, the finest quality of spices and herbs given to him by Jun, and personally hand picked vegetables from Megumi.
Jacques Dubois spoke to the announcer as he watched Takumi over at his station prepare. "It appears the young Mr. Aldini has brought imported sausage from Italy. It would seem he intends to make us an authentic Italian Lasagna. Doesn't scream interesting to me, so far i'm not impressed."
Max Ferrari interjected. "The match is a contest of Lasagna, and there is no better recipe or style than old-fashioned homemade Italian Lasagna. I am sure his family has a long standing recipe, and with Mr. Aldini being in this academy, has learned a way to enhance it to something beyond."
In Tsozin's corner he was also working diligently, although at a much more casual pace. He seemed to pay less attention to his cooking, and more to the crowd. His smug look, and pompous attitude resonated throughout the arena. Everything he did, he did with flair. It was as if he was performing in a show rather than competing. The crowd was virtually ignoring Takumi, as everyone took interest in the bizarre ingredients Tsozin was using.
Sabine Moreau exclaimed as she saw what he pulled out from the refrigerator. "Mr. Ikaharu has pulled out Chicken and Ham? An interesting meat substitute for Lasagna. I wonder what he intends to do with it?"
"You see, now this indeed is very curious Mr. Ikaharu. What Lasagna recipe will you prepare for us?" Jacques remarked.
"Hmph! Ham. Chicken. In a Lasagna? Hardly an Authentic Italian Lasagna." Max said haughtily.
The announcer spoke up. "Both contestants have nearly completed their preparations, and now Takumi Aldini is placing his meat, sausage, and herbal mixture in the oven. He also seems to be preparing the sauce and cheese mixtures now. Tsozin Ikaharu has just finishing cubing his ham and chicken bits, and now it appears he is creating his own sauce!"
"What's this? Takumi Aldini is bringing out more ingredients for his sauce. Several tomatoes, white sugar, basil leaves, fennel seeds, crushed peppers! Takumi Aldini is making the sauce from scratch. Takumi has finished the red saucy paste, and has now added the herbs and ingredients into a five different pots!"
Max Ferrari commented on Takumi's method. "Mr. Aldini has learned well, that when time is factor for making pasta sauce from scratch one can use a method to drastically reduce the cook time by placing smaller amounts into pots spread out to shave the time down significantly to work within the time constraints."
Sabine Moreau also commented. "Mr. Aldini also is also placing his Lasagna noodles out and spreading something on them, a red powder of some sort? Very little that you can barely tell, but still a small tinge of red."
Jacques interjected. "Mr. Aldini, like traditional Italians has already made his noodles by hand, and oddly hasn't pre-boiled them. Perhaps this is a new technique to prevent the edges from burning?"
The announcer then shifted the focus over to Tsozin. "Tsozin appears to shredding a lot of Parmesan cheese, and is he crushing garlic? Is't the Parmesan cheese supposed to go with the ricotta cheese mixture to place on top of the meat and sauce?"
Jacques said in a brash, and excited tone. "Ahh, a classic Alfredo sauce! I know that simple recipe all too well. Still, this is the substitute he has prepared instead the usual ricotta cheese mixture and crushed tomato sauce. Could it be?"
Sabine Moreau answered. "Cordon Bleu! Mr. Ikaharu is going to make a Cordon Bleu with Lasagna noodles. Now that is interesting indeed!"
Max Ferrari stated in a loud outburst. "Cordon Bleu!? This is a match about Lasagna! An authentic Italian Lasagna! Mr. Ikaharu can't hope to win with that!"
Jacques swiftly answered. "The contest is only to prepare a Lasagna. It's an authentic Italian dish, but Mr. Ikaharu seems to have created a more interesting variation of the classic Lasagna recipe. But look my colleague. He is still using a cheese and sauce combo, paired with a mixture of meat! That at it's very core is a Lasagna"
Max just folded his arms and grumbled as the rest of the crowd gasped in shock, as the revelation was made to them.
As Tsozin put the final touches on his Alfredo Sauce mixture, he took a small moment to taunt Takumi as he placed his thicker than normal Lasagna noodles into his pan.
"My, my, Takumi, your parents are watching you over there. I wonder what they are saying right now, are they proud of their boy? Representing them, and a part of their Nation as well? It will be so disappointing to see the look on their faces when you burn that flag in front of them. Ahahaha!"
Takumi ignored Tsozin as he was checking on the final stages of his Lasagna. Takumi already layered the noodles, with cooked sauce and cooked beef. Now all he needed to wait for was for it all to melt together. As he heard Tsozin taunts, he felt a slight chill as he did wonder what would happen if he lost. He looked over at his family, and saw his little brother with an innocent look in his eyes. Behind them, all his friends in the Polar Star Dormitory cheering him on. For only a moment he felt worried, but his Lasagna was finished.
As Takumi opened the oven door, a powerful aroma filled the arena. It was the smell of melted cheese and pasta sauce, with a hint of herbs sprinkled in gently. The crowd swooned as the heavenly smell infiltrated their nostrils. It was so powerful, that it even caught Tsozin's attention. Takumi prepared each of the judges plates, a large square portion of Lasagna in the middle surrounded by a small moat of extra sauce and a parsley leaf on the top for good measure.
As Takumi walked towards the judges table, he held his head up proudly. He had created very best variation of the Lasagna recipe he could think of. The highest quality ingredients, and perfect attention to timing and technique, coupled with his pride; it was as close to perfection as he had ever been. Takumi confidently served each judge their plate. The crowd grew very silent, as they all leaned in to hear the judges remarks.
The judges took their forks and cut out a piece of Lasagna. They each remarked on how easy it was to cut through the noodles. As each took a bite, they were overwhelmed with a mix of flavors. All three were vibrantly surprised, as they remarked on how well the dish was made.
Jacques Dubois went first. "Mr. Aldini, this dish takes me back to my time as a young chef in Napoli, under the great white moon with the smell of pasta and bread outside the small bistro! The sweet texture of the sauce, and the nice coupling of the meat and cheese to bring out a resounding, sweet but meaty dish. Oh I can taste every herb as if it was meant to be the focus of the dish! The basil, the parsley, the ricotta and parmesan! Delightful Mr. Aldini!"
Sabine Moreau commented next. "Oh my Mr. Aldini, this recipe is truly incredible! It takes me that feeling of being on a bunting ride in Venice, smelling all the cuisines of the beautiful city and the sauce and flavor pushes me along the water ways. Whats more, there is a slight sweetness in the dish that isn't coming from the sauce or the cheese, but the noodles?"
"Yes, I brushed my noodles with a light coating of Cinnamon to extract all the flavor from the sauce and mixture and combine with the noodles so the entire dish would as one single entity of mixed flavor."
Max Ferrari responded last. "Mr. Aldini, this Lasagna truly reminds me of home; a testament to your families lineage and place in Italy! The explosion of sweet flavor, and rich mixture of herbs and fresh vegetables is like running through the market as a young boy. Overwhelmed with all the stalls, and inter workings of the city and still it all worked in unison, together. Still, what makes this unique in its own right is this fresh chill I have as I take each bite. Its as if I taste the warm, sweet flavor of the Lasagna to warm the heart but then another breath cools it gently, like a summer breeze."
"Most people only add sugar to their sauce, but for generations my family has added grounded mint into the parsley!"
The judges were blown away by Takumi's announcement.
"Incredible!" All three exclaimed time. The crowd went wild as the judges were clearly impressed and stunned by Takumi's entry. From the smell, to the flavor, and to the exactness of its purpose in the shokugeki; truly Takumi made a bold statement with this incredible dish. However, Tsozin had just pulled his Lasagna out of the oven and was preparing to deliver it to the judges as well.
Tsozin walked over confidently, as if he was unphased by the judges amazement and adoration over Takumi's dish. As Tsozin handed each of them his dish, he smugly announced over to Takumi.
"I have to thank you Takumi for going first, for if you went after me my dish would have enhanced yours. However, it seems your pride has again failed you, as now my Cordon Bleu Lasagna will dwarf yours!"
The judges looked down at their plates. It looked like Lasagna, except in the middle was thick white cheese and chicken/ham bits. Around the outside was more Alfredo sauce, but not as thick as the cooked sauce on the inside. The judges each sliced into their Lasagna and prepared to take a bite. The crowd gasped as they saw the judges reaction. With a single bite, all three judges seemed to be ensnared by Tsozin's dish.
Jacques exclaimed. "This is incredible Mr. Ikaharu, the Alfredo cheese and salty tenderness of the ham coupled with the strong chicken flavor is simply unmatched. The delicate balance of the cheese with the meaty interior is so irresistible! The thickness of the inner sauce, to give the dish a more flexible flavor as the sauce on the outside balances the creaminess!"
Sabine also added. "Mr. Ikaharu your dish has such an incredible appeal. This incredible cheese interior is both thick, and gentle like true Alfredo sauce. The meat and ham jump out as the primary focus of this dish, like a strong couple paired in the gentle strong sauce. Its so incredible, I can't hold back! I have to eat more."
Max interjected. "This Alfredo sauce is so delectable it is almost as if Fettuccine crafted it himself! This pairing of chicken and ham is so abundantly prevalent, even with the rich creamy texture of the sauce. I too am intrigued Mr. Ikaharu, I must have more!"
"You see Takumi Aldini, they have all taken an interest in my dish and now it's time to secure the win! Excuse my honorable chefs. Before you finish the Lasagna, id ask you apply the contents of that small plastic container on your plates and add it to your Lasagna and then take another bite." Takumi said arrogantly as he smiled with a sinister smile. "Now watch the prideful fall Mr. Aldini, Hahahaha!"
The judges opened their containers to reveal a white cream. Intrigued they applied the white cream to the top of their Lasagna, and then took another bite. Suddenly, every judge snapped back in what seemed like a moment of ecstasy.
Jacques shouted out loud. "This! This incredible ingredient, it has turned this dish into a new love! I love this dish, I love it like the bright moon that hovers over the Eifel Tower in France. I feel like i'm in the heart of Paris, at the top of the tower gently being kissed by the sweetest Italian lady I've ever met."
Sabine responded equally. "This incredible substitute, it turns a night of romance, into temptation. What once was enjoyable has now ensnared my mind and became irresistible! Its like i'm being caressed softly by a strapping young man, Mr. Ikaharu late at night. Take me away!" Sabine said as she felt slightly aroused.
Max Ferrari also answered. "It is with a heavy heart that I too am ensnared by this dish. Mr. Ikaharu, it was incredibly clever of you to add crème fraîche to a thicker Alfredo sauce! The thick flavor, combined with another thick flavor doubles the effectiveness of this dish. Now it is a mixture of meat, cheese, sauce, and an explosion of flavor all wrapped up into one."
The judges proceeded to write their judgments on their respective cards. No deliberation was held, and the crowd was still in suspense as to what the final verdict would be. Takumi's was the pinnacle of traditional Italian Lasagna and even made it into his own by adding a touch of mint to enhance its sweetness and flavor. Tsozin's dish was a radical take on the traditional Italian dish, but utilizing Alfredo as the sauce maintained it's integrity to the challenge. Using this to make a cordon bleu out of Lasagna really hit home with the judges, and using crème fraîche to enhance the sub-textures in the Alfredo sauce really enhanced the dish ten fold.
The judges were ready to announce their verdicts. Jacques Dubois announced his verdict first.
"Mr. Aldini, Mr. Ikaharu; clearly both dishes were incredible. To you Mr. Aldini, your Lasagna was traditional in every sense of the word. Your ingredients and passion really shined with every bite of your dish, and you truly displayed a mastery of knowledge with your cuisine. However, Tsozin your take on the Lasagna dish was executed perfectly. You took a bold risk changing the definition and expectation of a Lasagna dish and delivered something truly Italian. Having the Alfredo sauce as the main component to your dish gave it a resounding Italian personality, and the addition of the cream substitute enhanced the dish even further. Mr. Aldini, your dish was flawless but Tsozin's was more impressive therefore my vote is for Tsozin!"
Sabine Moreau commented next. "Like Jacques said Mr. Aldini, your Lasagna was flawless. The Epitome of an Italian Lasagna dish. However, Tsozin brought us something unique that existed outside the confines of traditional pasta and was able to create a dish that could excel past its perceivable limits. Unfortunately Mr. Aldini, traditional Lasagna will always be the same. Therefore my vote is also for Mr. Ikaharu."
Max Ferrari interjected. "Mr. Aldini, I regret to say this as well. Tsozin's dish had a much larger impact during this match than your dish did. While amazingly prepared and delivered, Tsozin utilized another timeless cultural staple of Italy using Alfredo sauce as his main ingredient for his Lasagna and therefore it pains me to say, but this match goes to Tsozin as well."
Tsozin laughed. "There you have it Takumi! Bested in an Italian contest by Chicken Cordon Bleu! Ahahaha. Well 'Mr. Aldini' rules are the rules and an agreement was made. It's time for you to pay the price. Deface your Italian heritage and burn the national flag, or resign from Totsuki. The choice is yours Takumi, and the world is watching ahahah!" Tsozin said pompously.
Takumi was in bitter shock. The results of his match shook him to the very core. How could he lose? He made the perfect Lasagna! He had the best ingredients, the best spices, the best recipe! The judges said it was flawless, there was no error! How could he have lost!? What's worse, his parents witnessed the whole thing. Now he had a dire choice to make. Completely abandon his pride and insult a nation of his countrymen, or resign from his passion and insult the honor of his parents.
As Takumi walked over to them, a man in a black suit handed him a folded flag of Italy and a lighter. Takumi now stood in the middle of the room as everyone was in an uproar over the results. Many of them felt that Takumi wasn't judged properly, and others believed that Tsozin may chose them next. Amid all the noise, Takumi looked over at his parents who had a sullen look on their face.
Takumi stared at them for a long minute. It brought back memories of his father when he was younger. His father would always talk about how Takumi and Isami would carry on the Aldini pride and name. His mother always fawned over relatives how her boys were in Totsuki academy. Now a large pit devoured his stomach, his knees felt weak and his eyes started to feel heavy. This feeling of emptiness overwhelmed him, the very essence of his pride was shattered. His spirit crushed, his will to endure, lost. Tears began to fall from his eyes, and though he desperately tried his hardest to hold them back, his heart was truly torn. With one last gaze he turned to see his brother, Isami who was sitting next to Alice. Isami looked back at Takumi with the deepest remorse, and though he didn't have the words he projected his inner thoughts to Takumi the best he could. At that moment, Takumi took the flag and gave it back to the man in black and bowed. In one swift move he ripped off his chef's jacket, and headed towards the exit of the Arena.
Alright my fellow readers that concludes this chaptah! I hope I delivered for all of you who waited patiently for this chapter. 7k words I believe. I know I keep saying every chapter there will be romance, and I promise it's coming lol. Just have to get all this pesky stuff like plot out of the way (haha, "plot" in anime, haha) . Anyways, so yeah Tsozin is a total crony and his henchmen are just as bad. The way the story develops from here is pretty clear cut. I'm sure there are enough clues now to piece it all together, so the mystery is pretty much over. Even still, I hope you all continue to keep reading and follow along. Like I mentioned at the beginning, we are at the halfway point. It's all about creating more chaos and romantic tension. I really do enjoy reading your critiques and criticisms, but anything about comments on the story as well would be appreciated. I mean, do you like the concepts, is the pacing alright, is the vocabulary good? I mean, I am a writing machine and if you guys think I'm good enough, I can pen out more of your favorite fanfics about other anime and stuff. Anyways, its my birthday tomorrow (09/21) so the next chapter will probably drop Saturday. Football season is currently in full swing, so its why things have taken a little longer. Thanks a bunch my loyal readers, leave feedback for this chapter and I'll personally reply in the next chapter!