A platter of bluefin tuna sashimi diffused wisps of cold mist before the judges' table.
On the surface of the clear crushed ice in a slanted sea bowl, the most exquisite cuts from an entire bluefin tuna were arranged like a staircase, from bottom to top.
On the first level, the finest part of the akami, the "tenshin" cut near the spine, was sliced thick and then diced into small cubes. Marinated in a soy-based sauce, the pieces glistened with a succulent and delightful red hue.
Just above the akami, the slightly lighter-colored chūtoro was cut into somewhat thick rectangular strips, neatly laid out and overlapping at a slant.
Further up, the dominant color shifted to a pale pink. Against the backdrop of verdant shiso leaves, the serpentine belly cut, shaped like willow leaves with diagonal white streaks of fat, and the upper layer of beautifully marbled meat arranged in an open fan shape were particularly eye-catching.
Of course, the essential lemon, chopped green onions, and wasabi for a sashimi platter were placed neatly in a corner.
"Judges, I've kept you waiting. This is my dish, the bluefin tuna sashimi platter." Dressed in a white chef's uniform, Harano Katsuya pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses, his confidence plain to see.
"Bravo!" Colson's sudden shout startled the two beautiful young female judges who were lost in the beauty of the presentation.
The tabby cat in Chiba Eda's arms shot the bald man a look and gave a listless yawn.
"This is what gourmet food should be! Presentation! Flavor! Neither can be lacking!"
"Yes, this is the first time I've ever seen such a beautiful sashimi platter," said Takagaki Kaede, coming to her senses and clasping her hands together in amazement like a cute young girl.
"Mhm, mhm, the knife work is incredibly skilled." The sweet miko, Chiba Eda, nodded her head rapidly.
"How astonishing! The first to finish his dish, Harano Katsuya, seems to have won unanimous praise from all three judges the moment it was served." Kasuga Yanagi quickly wiped away some drool while the camera wasn't on her, silently weeping inside. Being the host was great in every way, except she couldn't eat any of the food! "What scores will the three judges give after tasting it? Let's wait and see."
"Let's begin tasting," Colson said, gesturing for the two lovely female judges to go first. "This sashimi platter should be eaten from the bottom up to experience the best flavor."
"Mr. Colson is correct," Harano Katsuya agreed.
"Well then, I'll dig in." A certain older idol who wished to remain anonymous, who at 25 years old still needed a 17-year-old girl to look after her, was the first to pick up a cube of akami.
Her pearly teeth gently closed, and the fish, saturated with the soy-based sauce, burst with flavor in her mouth.
"Mmm! Mmm! Mmm!" The 25-year-old idol's eyes lit up as she bounced in her seat like a restless little rabbit.
Her actions could be roughly interpreted as "so delicious it makes you jump."
"Incredible! This sauce must be Haranoya's secret recipe, right? Not only does it blend with the fresh sweetness of the fish, but its refreshing taste also perfectly stimulates the appetite," Colson commented.
"Yes, the secret recipe for the akami sauce has always been central to Haranoya." Hearing the praise, Harano Katsuya appeared neither arrogant nor overly humble.
"Hmm, I'm starting to look forward to the three cuts above," Colson said, then looked down to see the two girls beside him with their cheeks puffed out.
Takagaki Kaede and Chiba Eda were single-mindedly devouring the food, showing no desire to comment whatsoever.
"...Damn!" Seeing the fish on the platter rapidly disappearing, Colson could only cast aside his gentlemanly demeanor and compete with the two girls for the food.
The bluefin tuna sashimi platter was declared empty!
"Thanks to contestant Harano Katsuya's skill, the first dish has been completely finished by all three judges!"
"What an incredible achievement," Kasuga Yanagi said, swallowing hard as she hyped up the atmosphere. "What scores will the three judges give next? Let's wait and see!"
Seeing the satisfied expressions on Colson and Takagaki Kaede, the relatively experienced Harano Katsuya breathed a sigh of relief. He knew he could probably get high scores from these two judges. As for the sweet miko Chiba Eda, whose expression hadn't changed since she started eating, merely focusing on the food... Harano Katsuya felt he couldn't quite figure her out.
"The akami was refreshing and appetizing, the chūtoro was rich and substantial, the serpentine belly was both tender and chewy, and the marbled cut melted in the mouth."
"The quality and fresh sweetness of the fish progressed in layers across the palate."
"It's as satisfying as eating an entire bluefin tuna!"
"This bluefin tuna sashimi platter ranks among the best I've ever had." Colson, the chief food critic for the IGO Hokkaido division, grinned. "I give you 95 points."
"This is the most delicious sashimi I've ever eaten." After finishing the dish, Takagaki Kaede returned to being that popular idol who was mature with a touch of playfulness. "So, I'll give you a perfect score of 100."
"Following the high score of 95 from food critic Mr. Colson, Miss Takagaki Kaede has given a perfect score!"
"Next, what score will the miko from Chiba Shrine, Chiba Eda, give?"
"Your dish is indeed excellent. If it were me, I probably couldn't make better sashimi."
"So I'll give..."
"Meow~" The tabby cat tapped the miko's arm with its tail.
"...60 points, I guess?" Chiba Eda gave the score hesitantly.
"Our dear miko has given a score of six... sixty points?!" Kasuga Yanagi's excited, high-pitched tone abruptly shifted to one of shock.
"60?" It wasn't just the host, Kasuga Yanagi, who was shocked. Colson, Takagaki Kaede, and Harano Katsuya, who had served the dish, along with the many chefs watching the judges' table, were all dumbfounded.
"Could this miko be one of those types who seems friendly on the outside but is super strict on the inside?" Everyone thought at the same time.
"Can I—" Harano Katsuya adjusted his tone, which had cracked. "Could you please tell me why?"
He was initially stunned by Chiba Eda's score, but it wasn't that he couldn't accept it; he was long past the age of hot-blooded competition. It's just that he had a reason he couldn't back down—he had been stuck as a three-star chef for many years.
Even if it might be seen as disrespectful, a six-star chef's score must have a basis. Perhaps this was his opportunity for a breakthrough?
"Meow meow meow~" The tabby cat wagged its tail, shook its head, and forced itself to look at Harano Katsuya.
"Because... it's just a fish," Chiba Eda said, her eyes filled with apology.
"Because it's just a fish?"
"Are you saying I need to cook with more heart?"
"Thank you." Harano Katsuya exited under the guidance of an attendant, lost in thought.
Some people left, while others wanted to leave but couldn't.
After witnessing the strange process of the tabby cat meowing twice before the miko spoke, Colson was now determined to flee the instant the cat made the slightest move.
From now on, he would give any place related to a shrine a wide berth.
Holy crap! This tabby cat is definitely one of those things! The evidence is irrefutable!
A full half-hour passed after Harano Katsuya left the stage before other chefs began to submit their dishes one by one.
The chefs weren't stupid. Serving a dish earlier meant it was easier to capture the judges' palates. Once a judge's palate was captured, it meant that all subsequent dishes would have to battle the previous ones on their taste buds.
No one wanted to pit the fish they had against a kingly ingredient like bluefin tuna.
The best time to serve their dishes would be after the judges' sense of taste had recovered.
However, the judges' reactions quickly threw cold water on the chefs, especially the sweet-looking, long-haired miko. She had become the nightmare of every chef present.
"0 points." "0 points." "0 points."
She gave out three zeros in a row, successfully slowing the pace of the competition once again.
The scores that came from Chiba Eda's delicate mouth, so unbefitting of her image, were like blades of ice cutting into the chefs' hearts.
===
The number of chefs in the arena continued to dwindle. When the electronic clock showed the final 40 minutes, the only person left on the floor was Mo Bai, reclining on a lounge chair.
"Host, it's time."
Mo Bai leaped up from the lounge chair as if he had just been plugged in and rebooted.
"Let's begin."
There was no fluctuation in his tone.
Mo Bai had never felt in better form.
________________________________________
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