Food Wars: Tavern

Unlike sushi and soba noodles, tempura belongs to the "deep-fried" category. Despite contradicting the light eating tradition of Japanese cuisine, it is still very popular.

The reason behind this is that both the ingredients and the batter of tempura contain water.

Following the principle that water and oil do not mix, the heat generated by heating the oil is used to "dehydrate" the internal ingredients and bring out the natural freshness and sweetness of the food!

So, although it looks deep-fried, tempura is actually a kind of steamed food.

The "steamed" tempura can be placed on paper without any oil soaking through, which is why it's liked by many people.

In simple terms, oil is the "soul" of tempura.

The skill in making good tempura is 70% about the oil temperature, 20% about the batter, and only 10% about the fresh ingredients.

And Zane, in his attention to detail, fully demonstrates his meticulousness in his use of oil for tempura.

In his understanding, suitable oil for frying tempura must be fragrant but not too strong, not overpowering the original flavors of the ingredients.

At the same time, it must have enough energy and its smoke point needs to be at the most suitable level.

This is necessary to ensure that the ingredients quickly take on color and release their flavors in a very short time.

Finally, after constant experimentation, he discovered that the most suitable oil for frying tempura is rice bran oil!

This type of oil is light, doesn't overshadow the freshness of the ingredients, colors quickly, has enough energy, emits a pleasant aroma during frying, and is more practical than sesame oil.

…

The atmosphere in the tavern is full of vitality.

Elegant, otherworldly, and charming, this is the charm of Chef Zane.

In him, that sense of hidden mystery, the ability to surprise people with a sudden change from silence, always leaves a deep and unforgettable impression on every customer.

"Chef, your knowledge is really extensive!"

"If I had your level of knowledge, I wouldn't always be getting E grades in my assessments."

Hearing Zane's explanation, Megumi's big watery eyes shone like gleaming pearls.

Deep down, she started to admire Zane.

Perhaps she, among all the boarding students at the Polaris Dormitory, is best at rustic dishes like tempura, which is why she feels particularly connected to it?

At the same time, she also felt ashamed.

After all, in her area of expertise, she was not even as good as the chef of a tavern!

"Ha, this knowledge was gradually explored through constant practice."

"Nowadays, the competition in the food industry is increasingly fierce, with various novelty foods, ingredients, marketing methods, and service levels constantly emerging."

"So, how to retain the purity of a dish, yet make breakthroughs in line with the trends of the times. I think this is a question that every chef should ponder."

Hearing this, Zane just shrugged and nonchalantly said.

He then stopped talking to Megumi and the others, turned around, and went back to the kitchen to continue working.

…

In fact, many chefs in reality.

The dishes they make often lose their original excitement and impact over time and gradually become bland.

This phenomenon is not because the chefs are lazy or use subpar ingredients.

Rather, it's a result of the accumulation of the intensity of sensory stimuli in humans, which has certain qualities of intensity!

Well! Put simply!

It's the difference between being "full" and "fed up."

If being full is the physical effect of stomach capacity, then feeling fed up is a psychological response.

In other words, the same food, no matter how delicious originally, if you eat it for a long time or eat a lot of it, you will eventually become desensitized and develop a sense of disgust.

The curse of the divine palate is actually an upgraded version of this.

However, Zane's dishes always have a kind of magic that makes them more and more delicious the more you eat.

Therefore, for Satoshi and others, to a greater or lesser extent, they have seen through the subtleties and complexities behind Zane's every dish and realized that what he makes is not as simple as it appears on the surface!

…

"Shun, what do you think?"

Satoshi turned to Shun sitting next to him and asked.

"Very strong, so strong that even I feel fearful of this monster!"

Shun thought for a moment and then replied nonchalantly.

Despite usually being taciturn and unwilling to speak his mind in front of others, he actually has a lot of thoughts deep in his heart.

He already knew that this place was not simple from the moment he walked into the tavern.

After all, daring to run a tavern next to Totsuki Academy graduates, he firmly believed the owner must be capable.

But with the first cup of floral tea, Shun felt unusually unsettled, completely altering his perception of Zane.

Later, the crispy and tender tempura made him realize that the gap between people in this world can be even greater than that between humans and dogs!

To make such delicate yet delicious tempura from humble ingredients.

Ask yourself, how many Japanese chefs in the whole of Japan can reach this level of skill?

It's evident that this Chef Zane truly excels in the art of acting innocent while being a mastermind!

"Senior, how long do you think it will take to surpass him?"

Later, Shun asked Satoshi.

"Is it you?"

"Or is it me?"

Satoshi hesitated!

"Do you think I can ever make such dishes in my life?" Shun said with disbelief.

"Well..."

"While my family is a prestigious name in Japanese cuisine, my specialty is not tempura."

On the contrary, I dare to say that the specialty of Chef Zane is not this tempura we see before us!

So, without a direct confrontation, it's actually difficult to see his true strength.

But by my intuition, if he is serious.

It's likely that not just me, but even the current top ten chef, Eishi, would fall for him.

As for when I can surpass him, it's better to ask when I can replace Eishi first before discussing this topic!

Gazing at the still busy Zane, Satoshi quickly looked away and truthfully told Shun.

"So, his identity is definitely not as simple as a tavern owner?"

Shun looked surprised and puzzled.

"It's hard to say, maybe he really is just a tavern owner?"

Satoshi mysteriously smiled, "Shun, it seems we chose the right location for this celebration party!"