First day
One week later.
In the month of April, cherry blossoms were blooming from the trees.
Totsuki Tea Ceremony and Cooking Academy.
High school section first years opening ceremony.
"Everyone, congratulations on your advancement to high school." Nakiri Senzaemon spoke through the Mike. His voice manly to the extreme.
"On your three years in the middle school section, you have deepened your knowledge about the basics of food preparing and it's ingredients."
"You've had classes with cooking drills where you actually cooked and all sorts of lectures about cooking theory, nutrition, sanitation, agriculture, management."
"And now you are standing at the entrance of the high school section, but what will be tested now isn't your technique or knowledge!"
"It's if you have the guts to exist as a chef– 99% of you are the sacrificial stones in order to polish the remaining 1% gems."
"Out of the 986 first years from last year, the number of students that advanced to the second year is 85."
"We'll mercilessly cast away incompetent and ordinary pe ople, by the time the 812 first years reach their second year, they will be less than 80. To count the number of people that will graduate, one hand would be enough."
"You, will become one of those handful of chefs!! So devout to your studies. That's all.
The crowd shuddered and shivered due to his grand speech. He could rival the Hokage in that field.
All the kids w ere filled with excitement and desires, the desire to become the top, the desire to be the best. This was an effective way to brainwash kids. A good way at that.
The audience were practically cheering and roaring like they were the ones who were being praised for.
After the students calmed down, the announcer said," err, to finish, we will introduce the student that was admitted to the high school section. He is a weird boy so prepare your tomatoes."
All the students and the Totsuki staff were looking at the student.
The transfer student came to the podium and loo ked at them.
*THUMP THUMP THUMP*
"Hello, My name is Tomoharu Nii and my one and only goal is to satisfy 10 million people through my food. You guys are going to the first thousand of my goal."
He said this and then came to the front of the podium and gave a slight bow to all of them .
He nonchalantly walked away. All the people were ready with various things to throw but they now did not have a chance to.
The problem student was not that problematic. Now they were thinking what should the y do with the rotten things that they bought from the seller.
All of them looked at the person who sold them the rotten eggs and tomatoes but he was gone.
Backstage.
Nakiri Erina was having a little argument with her grandfather Senzaemon Nakiri.
"You can't accept that person grandfather. He is a rude person, he is unfit to be a Chef. The judges m ust have already told you about his behaviour, right?"
"What we see in Totsuki is the cooking quality of the person Erina. His cooking is on the level of Elite Ten and he hasn't shown any talent in cooking or learned from any institutions. He is a talent and we could just fix that behaviour problems of his in the Resort."
"But grandf– "
While Nakiri Erina and Nakiri Senzaemon were having their small one sided argument, Tomo haru Nii passed by them, completely ignoring their existence.
He was a fast walker and by the time Erina got the gist of the situation, he was already gone.
Nakiri Erina and Nakiri Senzaemon both looked at the each other and now even Senzaemon was thinking of his decision.
This was the decision that he will —
Meanwhile the students began to disperse after they could not find the person who conned them.
This later became the reason why they didn't have rotten things to throw at Soma. They thought that the transfer students would be like him.
Thirty minutes later.
"It iss that person right?"
"Look at him calmy smugging."
"Feeding ah– prepare your last wish."
Tomoharu Nii ignored everything that was going around him. He looked at his partner, it was Isshiki. Isshiki Satoshi.
"Nice to meet you."
Isshiki Satoshi cheerfully said while gesturing for a handshake.
"You too. I will do the preparation, you do the cooking, just tell me how you want them cut, sliced, diced or shredded or ground and I will get them ready." Tomoharu Nii said calmly.
"A hefty one aren't you? Ok, then we will do as you said but will you be able to get the things prepared as I want them to and in time at that."
"I have twenty years of experience in cutting things."
Tomohar u Nii said seriously.
"Nice joke, you are a funny person even though you look like this."
'It is the truth' was what Tomoharu Nii going to say but he then remembered his situation and then changed his words.
"A joke indeed. Let my skills show you if I can stand on your expectations or not."
During their small talk. The examiner, Roland Chapelle, came.
"Good morning, young apprentis."
[ The apprentis is in French.]
"You are responsible to make delicacies the moment you stand in the kitchen, for that, neither your experience nor position matter..."
"In my classes, any dishes that can't take an A will get an E, make sure to remember that."
"Today's menu is Bouef Bourguignon, a standard French dish, just in case, I will write down the recipe on the white board. The limit is two hours! Submit your dishes as soon as you can."
"Then... Let's start, commencez á curie." (Start cooking)
All the students immediately ran to get the ingredients except a few people.
"Who is he?"
Tomoharu Nii asked Isshiki Satoshi.
"Totsuki Academy Lecturer, French cuisine division chief, Roland Chapelle. You must have heard of him at least."
Isshiki Satoshi said with a smile.
"The one from the 1981 cooking showdowns?"
"Yeah that one. You do know a lot, even most of the Totsuki students have forgotten about that title of his. In Totsuki, he has a different title that was given by the students but looking at your expression, you are not interested one bit so I will stop."
Satoshi looked at the glare from Nii and then shut up.
'He looks a lot different from the Anime or his younger days.'
Tomoharu Nii thought.
"What should I do and how would you like them?"
Tomoharu Nii asked Isshiki Satoshi after they have gathered all the ingredients needed to make the dish.
"Well cut the beef into one inch cubes, the carrots diagonally sliced, the onions medium sliced and chop two cloves of garlic. That's it. I want that in five minutes."
"Done."
"Ok... Wait a minute... How? How did you do it that fast?"
Isshiki Satoshi looked at the prepared ingredients in astonishment. He was shell shocked at Tomoharu Nii's speed.
"I liked cutting things so I practiced a lot."
That was the simple answer that Nii gave him. He then went ahead and sat on the chair beside the white board. His work was done and Isshiki Satoshi was left for the other things.
All the students and even Roland Chapelle saw him move from his place to sit in front of the white board.
Then they looked at the prepared ingredients and then they all internally sighed.
"Atleast help me a little, are you not afraid that I will fail both of us?"
Satoshi asked after he was left alone.
"I trust you and I know that you will not fail."
His serious words shut the mouth of Isshiki Satoshi. He was unable to reply to the words of a person who chose to place his future on his shoulders.
Meanwhile our MC was thinking of his first day in Totsuki.
He was first greeted by a group of men when he entered Totsuki and he nearly got ready to fight as he thought that they were the men that Nakiri Erina sent to silence him.
Later the men introduced themselves as the staff from the Totsuki and that they were there to take him to the Opening ceremony as he will not be able to get there by himself. They were right as it took 36 minutes by car to reach the Opening ceremony grounds.
After that he gave a normal speech to them about his goals and then even bowed towards them but the kids still hate him.
'Kids are stupid.'
Thought a Sixteen year old kid.
He then followed behind all the students and then got his class schedule and other things.
Classes in Totsuki were on a whole different levels than other high school. Most of the times, there would just be a single class each day and the rest of the time could be used for anything.
But the problem was that it was a mistake to think th at they could take it slow, you have to give your all in the clubs, if you joined one, or you have to fight with others as they tease you for being weak.
[Pathetic]
In Totsuki, First years have the easiest life. It was the second year that have it rough. They have to take dozens of Shokugeki challenges, which they can decline, and then they have to jumble between their classes and clubs and others.
Around 90 percent of the clubs in Totsuki were actually run by the Second years as the third years were too busy with their classes and all.
The first year was the best and also the smoothest in Totsuki even though only a tenth of them got the chance to advance to next year. (Sarcasm)
And that day, Tomoharu Nii did not have any extra classes after Roland Chapelle. Once the food review will be finished, then the Lecturer will explain and cook the dish in front of the students while talking about the technical and historical knowledge of the dishes.
The teachers also taught about the variants and other various changes that the dish had gone through since its creation.
Totsuki didn't just teach about Cooking but everything related to it. Even the scientific and management aspects.
1 hour and 15 minutes later.
It was finally Tomoharu Nii and Isshiki Satoshi's turn to submit the dish as Isshiki had completed the cooking process and lo behold, Tomoharu was beside Isshiki Satoshi in a flash with no one having any idea when he got there, no one.
Isshiki Satoshi took the dish to Rolland Chapelle and got an A. He looked at the place where Tomoharu Nii was sitting and found it to be empty.
"He is beside you."
Chef Rolland Chapelle said to the confused Isshiki Satoshi.
"Huh?"
Isshiki Satoshi looked behind him and indeed, Tomoharu Nii was there.
"You are fast on your feet."
"You are just unaware of your surroundings."
Isshiki Satoshi was smiling to Tomoharu Nii's taunt but he was cursing him in his mind.
"Tell me the way to Polar star dorms. I need to register myself there."
"You are going to join the Polar Star dorms?"
"Should I not? Is it a bad place? I will try to find a place somewhere else then."
"No no no no. It's a good place. I will tell you later after the classes. I will also introduce you the rest of the school by the way.".
"I know, lead the way."
"Something about you Tone irks me."