Too Bad You Can't Taste It

"It's borrowed! Give it back to me now! Woof!"

"Huh? Wasn't this a gift for me? Or should I buy you a new one?"

"No! Give it back!"

"Meow, I won! Consider this a reward!"

"No!"

"Meow, you're so stingy!"

Megumi Tadokoro and Tamamo Cat were bickering there, while the others turned their attention to Soma Yukihira.

Everyone knows that the last game belongs to him.

Everyone has seen his performance during this period, and everyone acknowledges Soma Yukihira's strength.

"Don't worry, leave it to me!"

He grinned and walked out of the lounge, striding towards the venue. This time, his opponent was the number one seat among the Elite Ten, Eishi Tsukasa.

Soma Yukihira is confident, but that doesn't mean he's arrogant. He knows very well that this will be a tough match.

The final battle is finally here, and the theme of this Shokugeki is beef.

The time is two days later.

The two teams were evenly matched, with two wins, one draw, and two losses in the previous five matches.

This is the last game, and also the most important game.

Soma Yukihira appeared extremely confident, but once he got back, he locked himself in the kitchen, clearly indicating that his pressure was not as small as he seemed.

No one bothered him; at this moment, he had to rely on himself, and no one else could help him.

Yuxian returned to his room, lay down on the sofa, sighed, and said, "It's finally over. I'm suddenly feeling a bit bored."

Mash said, "You probably think it's none of your business, senpai."

"Yeah..." Yuxian pursed his lips, "I was a little enthusiastic at first, but now I find it's not interesting at all."

"Senior, you should think about how you'll explain this to Da Vinci-chan if you lose."

Mash said irritably, "Everyone is working so hard, can't you be a little more serious?"

"I just can't get serious!"

Yuxian said lazily, "Da Vinci-chan was just saying that; he wouldn't really do anything to me."

He stretched while lying down, Yuxian sprang up from the sofa with a somersault, his eyes brightening.

"Mash, I've got a great idea!"

Mash looked at him with suspicion. The contrast between his previous and current behavior was so great. She wondered what Yuxian was up to.

Yuxian glanced around, then leaned close to Mash's ear and whispered a few words.

"Isn't that a bad idea?" Mash hesitated, but didn't immediately refuse, clearly weighing the key points.

"What's wrong with it? I think it's great, it must be very interesting!"

Yuxian thought about it more and more and felt that his idea was brilliant. He made a decision, "It's settled then!"

Mash asked, "Should we tell everyone?"

Yuxian waved his hand and said, "Let's talk about it after Soma Yukihira's last Shokugeki is over. There's no rush now."

He always has to finish what he starts. Now that only the final Shokugeki is left, he can wait and isn't in a hurry.

"By the way, could you contact Da Vinci-chan again, just in case she complains that we don't think of her when we do good things for her, or that we're exploiting her or something?"

Mash was a little worried, "Won't this cause too much of a stir?"

"Bigger is better, bigger is better!"

Yuxian's expression, as if he was enjoying the show, left Mash speechless.

However, she was also very interested in what Yuxian was saying, so she didn't say anything more.

Section 506, Chapter 39: It's a pity I couldn't taste it.

The final Shokugeki was even more crowded today than usual, despite the stands already being packed.

Even the aisles were packed with people; no one wanted to miss such a spectacular showdown.

Eishi Tsukasa, the current first seat of the Elite Ten, enjoys unparalleled popularity at the Tōtsuki Academy.

"The White Knight of the Table," a genius chef who can communicate with ingredients, is an absolute must-see for anyone aspiring to become a chef.

The three judges were already seated on the judging panel early on: Master Li, Nicholas, and Artoria.

For this final Shokugeki, Artoria decided to personally oversee it, which was perfectly understandable, and no one would question her decision.

"Shokugeki begins!"

Eishi Tsukasa vs. Soma Yukihira.

The topic is beef.

It's another very common topic. As a staple food in Western cuisine, it's a topic that's very easy to come up with, but also one that requires a great deal of skill.

Everyone was eagerly anticipating what kind of performance the two players would deliver, watching the competition intently, afraid of missing even the smallest detail.

Eishi Tsukasa's method is very classic and straightforward; it's a steak.

But no one can ignore him; he is the kind of chef who can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, transforming even the most common ingredients into something wonderful.

On the other hand, Soma Yukihira is quite incomprehensible.

Instead of using the frying pan for steaks, he used a large iron wok.

"Is this going to be... stir-fried?"

As expected of Soma Yukihira, he never takes the usual path.

Tender beef is best cooked by pan-frying to retain its original flavor. Depending on how well-done it is, each level of doneness offers a different texture and suits various tastes.

However, when stir-frying beef, the only option is to cook it well-done.

Moreover, excessive heat when stir-frying beef can easily cause it to lose its moisture, making it dry and tough, and losing its tender and juicy flavor.

From this perspective, Soma Yukihira chose a method that was not particularly suitable for processing beef.

Even Yuxian, who prefers stir-frying, has to admit that pan-frying steak brings out the flavor of beef better than stir-frying beef.

Of course, he didn't think Soma Yukihira was unaware of this. Since Soma Yukihira chose to do this, he must have his reasons.

He is never one to follow the rules; he always manages to surprise people and create dishes that defy expectations.

What kind of surprise will it be?

Yuxian couldn't help but feel tempted. At this moment, he wished he could sit on the judges' panel and savor the experience.

"Artoria is cunning; she must have thought of this beforehand!"

Yuxian had ample reason to suspect that Artoria's purpose in becoming a judge this time was not simple.

Hmm... or maybe it's just simple... simply wanting to eat...

While Yuxian was speculating about Artoria's intentions, Eishi Tsukasa finished his steak and elegantly placed it in front of the three judges, his face full of confidence.

While Eishi Tsukasa is extremely insecure in other areas, he is completely different when it comes to cooking; he never believes that his cooking can lose.

I hold the attitude that "in the dishes I make, there is no need for 'self'; as long as the beauty of the ingredients is preserved, I can wholeheartedly study and research them."

It is precisely because of this attitude that his dishes always bring out the best in the ingredients, giving diners an ultimate enjoyment.

The three judges gently cut off a corner of the steak.

The tender steak can be easily cut by the weight of the knife itself, and you can feel the deliciousness just by touching it.

When you put it in your mouth, the aroma of beef lingers on your taste buds.

Does the beef smell good? Yes!

Does beef have a savory flavor? Yes!

But Eishi Tsukasa releases all that umami flavor and blends it perfectly together, that's what a real steak is all about!

The three judges all thought the same thing.

The audience held their breath; just from the judges' faces, they could tell how delicious Eishi Tsukasa's steak was.

I can empathize with you.

Excellent! Absolutely excellent!

Eishi Tsukasa, the first seat of the Elite Ten, the White Knight of the Table, truly lives up to his name.

The judges were engrossed in their performance when a voice broke the atmosphere.

Please try it!

Soma Yukihira smiled and placed the stir-fried beef he had prepared in front of the judges.

The three judges on site were not as willful as children. Although they were satisfied with Eishi Tsukasa's steak, they still examined Soma Yukihira- fried beef very seriously.

Especially Soma Yukihira Eishi Tsukasa's steak was almost perfect, he still wore a confident smile, clearly showing that he also had his own pride.

This is definitely not an inedible dish.

What kind of taste will it have?

This made them start to look forward to it.

Gently scoop up a spoonful and put it in your mouth.

The finely cut beef comes into full contact with your mouth; with gentle chewing, the tender juices seep out from the beef.

It tastes good.

This was the judges' first impression.

However, compared to that, Eishi Tsukasa's steak is clearly more delicious and outstanding.

The tasting continues.

As they continued chewing, a hint of confusion and hesitation slowly appeared in their eyes.

The taste in my mouth had subtly changed compared to before.

What does this taste like?

It's definitely beef!

All three judges have ample experience in this dish and it is absolutely impossible for them to misjudge its flavor.

Adding other flavors to beef usually dilutes its natural taste, but this doesn't feel that way at all.

If they initially thought it was a good dish, their opinion has now changed.

This is an excellent dish.

The tasting continued, and under everyone's gaze, the three judges slowly finished off all the stir-fried beef in front of them.

Yes, it's beef. This is definitely beef.

After putting down her cutlery and gently wiping her lips, the judges' gazes changed completely.

It leaves a lasting impression.

The same word simultaneously came to their minds.

If Eishi Tsukasa's steak allowed them to enjoy the purest and most exquisite taste of beef...

Soma Yukihira- fried beef redefined the taste of beef, showing that beef could taste like this.

I am very satisfied, extremely satisfied.

This is truly a highly anticipated showdown.