Turning the Tide

The morning sun rose like a meticulously crafted painting, spreading across the sky. At first, there was just a faint blush of pink, like a shy girl gently lifting her veil, revealing a subtle smile.

As the sun rose higher, the colors of the dawn became richer.

Deep red.

Orange.

Light purple.

Various hues intertwined.

Every ray of light seemed carefully mixed, soft and not dazzling.

A new day had arrived!

At Totsuki Academy, the towering buildings stood proudly among the lush green forests.

Each building had a unique design and style, some with sharp edges, others modern, representing not just Japan's premier culinary school but an era.

The second day of the Moon Banquet Festival began.

In the central area, Kuga's restaurant was bustling with business, filled with customers.

"Souma, you haven't given up yet?"

"If I faced losses on the first day, I would have closed up shop instead of stubbornly hanging on."

Standing in front of his restaurant, Kuga saw Souma still pushing his food cart and couldn't resist running over to greet him.

Hmm!

To say it was a greeting would be more like a taunt.

"Kuga-senpai." Souma greeted him promptly.

He then used tongs to pick up a hot pepper bun, waving it in front of Kuga: "How about a pepper bun?"

"Hmph, I admit you've got skills!"

"You set up a food cart in the central area, facing my restaurant, and you're attracting customers with simple, convenient pepper buns. You've got guts."

"Unfortunately, you don't understand business, nor how to use spice to keep customers."

"In my view, it's almost impossible for you to surpass me in this festival and outdo my restaurant."

"And honestly."

"You're in my way."

"But just for having the courage to challenge the Elite Ten, you've earned some respect despite losing!"

Kuga wasn't interested in Souma's hospitality.

A closer look at his sharp eyes revealed a hint of disdain.

"No, Kuga-senpai, I never thought I would lose."

To Kuga's surprise, Souma shook his head, wearing a confident smile.

"Then let's wait and see."

Kuga shrugged and walked away.

…

Kuga's restaurant always attracted many customers, but it had one fatal flaw:

There weren't enough seats.

There were 20 tables, with 8 seats each.

At most, it could serve over 100 people simultaneously.

But for two consecutive days, the restaurant was always packed, often leaving no empty seats.

Even with the help of over 100 students from the Chinese Cuisine Research Society, there were never any issues with manpower or resources, but now the problem was becoming apparent.

"I've been waiting for over half an hour. How much longer until I can sit?"

An elderly man sighed helplessly.

He had been waiting at Kuga's restaurant since early morning but still hadn't been seated.

"Sir, the restaurant is very crowded. Each customer has only 20 minutes to eat from the moment their food is served, then they must leave."

"Sigh, what a shame."

So, most customers at Kuga's restaurant either waited long without getting food or left disappointed.

The 20-minute meal time rule was frustrating for many guests.

…

Sometimes, a bustling crowd isn't always good.

What's worse is that Souma finally noticed Kuga's restaurant's dilemma!

So, he decided to bring out his signature dish and use a cunning marketing strategy.

He hung a sign in front of his cart saying "Free Pepper Buns" and started calling out.

"Is it true that the pepper buns here are free?"

"No way?"

"Really, a stall giving away free food at the festival."

"Amazing, the students of Totsuki Academy are impressive."

"Wow, it's the first time I've seen pepper buns roasted in a special stone kiln."

"What's a pepper bun?"

Using the ploy of free samples, a seemingly low-level pricing strategy, actually worked.

Souma's stall started attracting many customers.

Though giving away free food increased his losses, it solved the problem of attracting customers.

Everything starts with the customers.

Without them, all plans are in vain.

"Wow, surprisingly good!"

"These pepper buns look ordinary but taste unique, and the meat juice is plentiful."

"Yeah, the meat juice and spices are perfectly balanced."

"Unbelievable to get such good pepper buns for free."

"Cough, pepper buns?"

"A bit spicy. Some noodles to go with them would be great."

One customer pondered after some thought and casually remarked.

That remark made Souma's eyes light up. He raised his head excitedly and replied, "In that case, I have just the right dish."

"Really?"

"But aren't you only selling pepper buns?"

The customer was surprised and curious.

"Yes, but that dish has a higher cost, so it requires a 1000-yen food ticket."

"1000 yen?"

"Alright, after eating several free pepper buns, it feels wrong not to pay for a bowl of noodles."

"Okay, I'll buy a bowl."

"Okay, wait a moment."

Souma smiled lightly.

Then he grabbed the dough for the pepper buns and skillfully stretched it to the desired length and thickness. He added salt to the dough to increase its elasticity.

His smooth movements and expert noodle-making skills stunned everyone present.

"Huh?"

"What's that?"

"Turning the dough into noodles?"

"Fresh shrimp broth, spring onion aroma, and pork belly from the pepper buns as toppings?"

"Amazing, turning pepper buns into a bowl of noodle soup!"

At last, everyone realized what Souma was making, marveling in astonishment.

With Souma's final steps completed, a steaming bowl of noodle soup was ready.

"Everyone, here's the noodles to go with the pepper buns. Enjoy!"

Souma said, taking off his headband.

From that moment, an unexpected factor started to change everything.

…

Unknowingly, it was already dusk.

A new moon rose, with a few stars shining weakly around it.

The second day of the Moon Banquet Festival had ended, and the central area's sales rankings were announced.

Third place went to the Spanish Cuisine Research Society.

Second place went to Kuga's restaurant.

First place went to Souma's stall.

"What? I lost on the second day?"

When Kuga found out his restaurant was overtaken by Souma on the second day, he was stunned!

In the main street area, Alice's stall.

Although the second day had ended, her stall was still packed with customers who didn't want to leave.

Today's bustling business was completely different from yesterday's.

"Wow, so many food tickets!"

"I never thought my stall would get second place today."

Alice, exhausted but happy, looked at the pile of food tickets in front of her.

Clearly, with Zane's guidance, she successfully turned things around using 3D printing technology to make molecular cuisine.

…

In the mountain area, Erina's stall.

It was a grand building with elegant dining halls and salons!

The beautiful white building stood out at the foot of the mountain, like a crane among chickens, catching everyone's attention.

In past festivals, most participating students didn't focus on their shop's sales but purely pursued the perfection of their dishes.

Of course, Souma, who aimed to surpass Kuga's sales, was an exception.

This made the festival more interesting, for example:

Erina's stall used a reservation system. Without prior booking, customers couldn't enter.

Megumi's oden stall was more like a buffet.

Customers could pick whatever they wanted to cook.

Alice focused on 3D printing, targeting children.

Eishi, the first seat, created dishes alone, with only three tables to serve due to his limited energy.

So, the festival's systems varied, and so did the pricing of each stall's dishes.

This meant that a stall's sales didn't truly reflect one's skills!

Eishi's ranking was always low in the mountain area because of his stall's limitations, even behind the tenth seat, Erina.

Kuga dominated the central area but was overtaken by Souma on the second day.

Oh, and Rindo, the second seat, didn't participate in the festival.

…

"Ah, what a wonderful time!"

"Missing Erina's cooking at the autumn election was a regret in my life."

A distinguished customer was eating sukiyaki.

Each bite was amazing, like opening the door to a new world. The sweetness of the sukiyaki, the tenderness of the beef, the smoothness of the egg, it was… perfect!

Such delicious food and excited taste buds made everyone marvel: How could there be such delicious cuisine in the world?

Taking another bite of beef and sipping the sweet broth, the silky egg coating the beef filled every taste bud with delight. This melt-in-your-mouth experience was…

Indescribable!

…

"Erina's sukiyaki is just so tender."

"Every ingredient is perfectly balanced, and each flavor is brought out to the fullest."

"Yes!"

"No wonder it's Erina."

"Her culinary skills are flawless!"

Some diners couldn't help but exclaim.

The richness of the beef, the freshness of the vegetables, the sweetness of the mirin, all boiling together, created an intoxicating aroma.

The sukiyaki's perfect combination of ingredients made it unforgettable.

It wasn't as bold as hotpot, but its delicate charm was unforgettable.

In his mind, the customer began to imagine the green sea, soft like silk, gently rippling.

The refreshing breeze from the sea made him feel relaxed and happy.

…

In this elegant dining environment, a glance around showed every customer's face.

These few diners were all well-known nobles, like:

Osaji, the owner of the Osaji Gourmet Club, a cultured man and food critic, Shingo Ando.

Also

 present were the CEO and COO of Haubi Foods, Natsume and Orie Sendawara.

Clearly, not just anyone could dine at Erina's stall.

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