Original subtitles

The Third Plate

Twenty-Four

All right, time for the finishing touches.

He's stir-frying it!

He's ruining the 8:2 ratio soba he went to the trouble of making...

The delicate flavors will all be lost.

What, is it bad?

But yakisoba's made by pan-frying the noodles.

That dish may be called "soba,"

but the noodles used in the dish are made from wheat.

It's a completely different genre.

Oh.

In kawara soba, the regional specialty of Yamaguchi prefecture,

the soba noodles are grilled after they're boiled,

but they're made from cha soba, which isn't typical.

If we were to go to a traditional Edo-style soba restaurant for our Stagiaire

and try to pan-fry soba like Yukihira,

we would've been thrown out right away.

That's how eccentric this is.

But it smells so good!

It looks like she finished boiling her noodles.

And here comes the final step— kakiage tempura.

That looks good, too.

I can't stop drooling.

She is a true virtuoso with exhaustive knowledge of soba.

He's at a disadvantage for sure.

Well, Hayama-kun?

What's your nose telling you?

Her dish is not easily overcome, but...

Don't lose, Yukihira!

The other side still has third-years, too.

Soma-kun, hang in there.

You have to win, Yukihira-kun!

Food Wars

The Third Plate

Totsuki Train Arc

First Match Kaburagi Shoko vs. Megishima Tosuke Second Match Shiratsu Jurio vs. Isshiki Satoshi Third Match Kinokuni Nene vs. Yukihira Soma

The third match contestants in the first bout

are about to wrap up their respective dishes!

The Basis for Strength

The snow's getting heavier.

The temperature has dropped.

This arena's really big, too.

I'm getting the shivers from the temperature and my anxiety both!

I'm done.

Our Central's Kinokuni-senpai is the first one up.

Just look at that soba's shine! It takes your breath away.

Behold the power of the Elite Ten!

Kinokuni-style 9:1 ratio soba with sakura shrimp kakiage tempura.

Please enjoy.

Oh, wow!

It looks way too good.

This soba is sexy.

WGO Marshal, Rank 2 Charme

It's like a gracious woman's velvet skin.

A long line of chefs in the Edo-style soba tradition, I see. Impressive.

WGO Marshal, Rank 2 Histoire

She has mastered the techniques that have been nurtured through generations.

WGO Marshal, Rank 1 Anne

Let us begin deliberations.

Kinokuni-kun.

You were never just any girl, ever since you were little.

As part of your responsibilities as someone born into a distinguished family,

your days were spent investing most of your free time into lessons and practice.

You'd watch your friends and classmates with envy from afar as they would stop by

to have fun on their way home from school...

Obsessed

Or, that is, you never did that.

Obsessed Technique Flight Number One Discipline Craftsmanship Soba Fulfillment

I did well.

You tend to get obsessed with whatever you're doing.

Diligently honing your skills was something that suited you.

I know how much you've trained yourself in the family soba craft.

Well, let us have a taste.

The light, yet rich fragrance of bonito stock...

I've heard that slurping noodles is considered the refined way to eat them in Japan.

Let us follow tradition, then.

What a smooth throat feel! It's hard to believe it's a 9:1 ratio soba!

The soba's light flavors bloom like a flower!

What delicate flavors!

What a light kakiage tempura!

The batter is so airy, the sakura shrimp so crunchy!

The umami and texture of each shrimp is so distinct!

It complements the noodles' throat feel! What a great contrast.

Even after you swallow,

the sakura shrimp lingers.

One more bite, then.

What?!

It's all gone?!

Who took my soba?!

You savored all of it.

What?

I have more, if you'd like.

Y-Yes, please.

Nene!

I want some, too!

Rindo, you can't.

That's right.

The moment I tasted this soba and kakiage tempura,

I was so filled with sublime deliciousness that...

It's gone again!

What's going on?!

I see.

It appears the sakura shrimp serve a major purpose.

According to The Book,

a certain restaurant, well-known for creating the tempura soba dish,

gained renown by using a kakiage tempura featuring the

shiba shrimp as the main ingredient.

Miss Kinokuni selected the sakura shrimp's uniquely elegant, sweet flavors

instead of the shiba shrimp's strong umami

so as to better link and harmonize the shrimp's flavors

with the soba's delicate flavors.

That's why you can't stop eating once you begin.

The heavenly throat feel of the soba

and the accompanying flavors of the sakura shrimp,

which are also lauded as fairies of the sea,

envelop the diner so much that they won't realize they've finished their serving.

Wow, scary!

It's that addictive?

Is the oil used also a factor?

Yes, I fried the kakiage tempura in white sesame oil.

The oil is cold-pressed, so it does not have the typical fragrance of sesame oil.

It is colorless and odorless, but has an elegant, understated umami.

By using that oil to fry the kakiage at high temperatures for a short time,

it develops a light finish that does not interfere

with the soba or the sakura shrimp's flavors.

She makes it sounds easy, but it's terribly difficult.

Pairing two delicate and light flavors means neither flavor can be emphasized.

She isn't just an expert in soba.

She knows everything about seafood, too.

Even seasoned experts would be hard-pressed to achieve a balance of flavors.

What's making it possible...

...is the time invested by Kinokuni-senpai into the practice

and power of the Edo-style soba tradition.

Let me have another round.

We'd like to ascertain the flavors anew.

Help yourselves.

How magnificent!

The soba noodles and the shrimp create an infinite loop!

It's gone again!

This is like time travel!

Indeed, this soba is far from the standard soba dish with broth or grated yam.

The Soba That Leapt

Through Time

This soba leaps through time itself.

It forces you to recognize the potential of Japanese cuisine.

We have tasted a true first-class dish.

Well done, Kinokuni-senpai! She's invincible!

Of course she is!

Crush Yukihira Soma!

Well, Isshiki?

You're still not going to take back your earlier comments?

Because you'll lose to a chef by the name of Yukihira Soma before that.

Okay, my turn now.

Hey, Kinokuni-senpai.

I have it too, you know.

Something I've sunk a lot of time into.

Now, please look at my soba!

Don't lose, Yukihira.

You defeated me. I know you can do it.

You were my equal in our match.

You can win.

There's no doubt!

I believe in your passion for your cooking, Yukihira.

Please, God! Help Soma-kun!

Take the path you were meant to take, Yukihira-kun.

Enjoy!

Now,

we have the rebel Yukihira Soma's dish!

What is that?

Pasta?

Vermicelli?

I get it now, Yukihira-kun.

His soba doesn't look remotely like soba at first glance.

That's your insight, Alice-cchi?!

But seriously, didn't he ruin the soba's flavors

by tossing it into a wok?

Can Soma-kun's soba...

...surpass Kinokuni-senpai's?

Hmm...

Time to taste the dish!

Please proceed, honored judges!

Okay.

So, how is it?

I'm sure the flavors have been lost—

They're still there!

The soba's aromas and flavors are still intact!

What?!

The noodles toasted by the wok are now crunchy, creating a contrasting texture!

The duck's clear fat is providing a rich depth of flavor, yet...

...the soba's flavors are coming through loud and clear!

Great!

How is this possible?!

Did he use sanbanko flour?

Sanbanko?

Buckwheat flour can be sub-categorized into ichibanko, nibanko,

Sanbanko Nibanko Ichibanko

sanbanko, and so forth, according to which part of the kernel was used.

Ichibanko flour only uses the buckwheat's endosperm, right?

Endosperm

It makes noodles with smooth throat feel and refined flavors.

Hmm.

Nibanko flour is produced when they continue to mill not just the endosperm,

but also the germ.

It makes noodles with a good balance of aromas and texture.

Sanbanko flour includes parts that are very close to the outer shell.

Ichibanko

Nibanko

Sanbanko

It makes noodles whose throat feel is not as good,

but have very strong flavors.

Huh.

Miss Kinokuni used ichibanko flour.

It has a soft sweetness, good elasticity, chewiness, and refined throat feel.

Mister Yukihira chose sanbanko flour.

It lacks smoothness, and it feels coarse on the tongue.

But the flavors of the noodles will be at their strongest.

That's why cooking them in the wok did not ruin their flavor.

Huh.

I see.

Good call, Yukihira!

Well done, Yukihira.

If using sanbanko flour was your choice,

you'd normally think of making something like country-style soba or yabu-style soba.

Why this?

Where'd you come up with the idea to stir-fry soba?

I already told you all

that I'm making instant yakisoba.

Chance Yakisoba

Chance Cup Yakisoba

Instant yakisoba... That's a type of instant noodles, right?

That's right.

Use this if you'd like, too.

Inclusions?

Seasoning spices.

They're basically sprinkles.

Ever since I was a kid, I've always thought instant noodles were amazing.

It's all in one container,

but there are so many kinds.

That's why I would think of ways I might be able to use them in my cooking,

or ways to make instant noodles taste really, really good.

Dad, I tried stir-frying boiled noodles.

Isn't that just regular yakisoba?

I took soba noodles made with sanbanko flour for solid flavor,

then made a special strong sauce by diluting kaeshi with strong bonito stock.

Add ingredients like duck and green onions,

stir them all together in the wok, which stands in for the cup, and it's done.

I name the dish Yukihira-style Seared Soba!

It is true that the instant noodle genre, which was created in Japan,

has rapidly advanced since its beginnings.

It can be said to have its own history and traditions.

Well done, Soma-kun.

You easily surpass our expectations.

The Japanese pepper is the star in these spices. Great flavor.

Ginger! It's ginger in these!

If you mix it in, it's even better.

It's piping hot and delicious.

They are enjoying the food together as friends.

As though they have returned to the days of their youth,

they are enveloped in the heat from the soba as they converse with friends.

Yes, it is as though...

...we are walking at night in a summer festival, together with our closest friends.

Takoyaki

Okonomiyaki

Buttered Potatoes

Beautiful and slightly melancholy...

The fragrance of soba between you and me

The fragrance of soba between you and me.

So who is the victor?!

But...

Why?

Indeed...

This concludes our evaluation.

We will now cast our votes.

First bout, third match—

Kinokuni Nene versus Yukihira Soma. Who will emerge victorious?

There was a consensus.

This dish gets our votes!

What?!

Which dish is it?

Kinokuni-senpai has to be the one with greater expertise in soba, but...

Miss Kinokuni.

Yes.

I've heard that Japan has the saying, "Proof is better than argument."

There is enough left for another serving, yes?

Please try it.

Huh?

Why would I eat his soba—

No, I want you to taste your soba.

Why?

What's this about?

I made my usual, the best soba possible—

What?

It's not the same as usual, is it, Miss Kinokuni?

Compared to your usual soba, there is less aroma.

How about Mister Yukihira's soba, then?

It's true.

It has more aroma than my soba.

But why?

My preparation was without fault.

What?

No way.

What happened?

Seriously?

I get it now.

It's the ambient temperature.

Soba's aroma is mainly derived from

volatile aldehydes, nonanols, decanols, and other compounds.

It's been reported that they become less volatile at lower temperatures.

Isn't that right, Hayama-kun?

Yeah.

The volatility refers to how many aromatic compounds are airborne.

This is a critical factor in food,

especially for foods like soba where the aromas are key.

You knew?

Just as a hypothesis.

It's highly likely that, in this arena,

there were many factors that limited the aromas of soba from being expressed.

That's right.

This arena was the cruelest hell in terms of allowing soba to shine.

Miss Kinokuni's soba was designed for savoring the soba's light, delicate flavors.

That made it even more susceptible to environmental factors.

As for Mister Yukihira's soba, however...

By deliberately exposing it to heat and adding the aroma of oil and seared noodles

were all converted into the dish's strengths,

which further enhanced the soba's flavors.

What?

That was just coincidence!

No, it wasn't coincidence.

Soma-kun saw this coming from the very beginning.

I guess.

When I was choosing which flour to use,

I was thinking that the aromas weren't really coming through.

That's why I decided that I wanted to stir-fry it in oil.

I wanted to emphasize the soba's flavors.

But ichibanko flour might not be able to withstand the heating process,

Ichibanko

Nibanko

Sanbanko

so I had the idea of using sanbanko flour, with its strong aroma.

That would let the judges really appreciate soba's flavors.

Anyway, I can eat your soba too, right, senpai?

You can eat mine all you want, too!

Kinokuni-kun, the moment soba was decided as the topic,

did you stop to consider any alternatives?

You did not.

Because in the Kinokuni tradition, the best soba

is one made with ichibanko flour.

That is what you were taught.

Why? Why?!

I've been training all my days to create the best soba possible.

Hey, tell me.

How'd you manage to go this far?

This is a Shokugeki—a serious contest.

Even putting in the usual amount of effort poses a significant strain.

What are you talking about?

Diner Yukihira

Every day is a serious contest when you're serving customers.

Of course you have to be able to do this stuff.

Do you understand now why we should be afraid of him?

He notices all the variables and flexibly adjusts to them,

so that his customers can better enjoy their food.

That was the result of him spending a very long time in a diner.

That is the basis for his strength.

In this "cup" is something only he can express.

It represents a new potential for soba dishes.

The victor of the third match in the first bout...

...is Yukihira Soma of the rebel team!

Yukihira Soma

Glad you enjoyed it!

First Match Kaburagi Shoko vs. Megishima Tosuke Second Match Shiratsu Jurio vs. Isshiki Satoshi Third Match Kinokuni Nene vs. Yukihira Soma

You won! You won!

Yukihira!

You defeated the sixth seat!

That was amazing!

I knew you'd pull it off, Yukihira!

Well done, Yukihira!

That wasn't too shabby.

Thanks!

Soma-kun! Soma-kun! Soma-kun!

Yeah!

That was impressive!

Thanks!

A job well done.

Thanks.

Oh, what?

Nakiri-cchi, you're not going to join in?

Why? There's no need.

Nene, good job!

I know, I know. You don't need to say anything!

I haven't said anything yet.

Anyway, all—we now have two wins!

We have two wins!

First Match Kaburagi Shoko vs. Megishima Tosuke Second Match Shiratsu Jurio vs. Isshiki Satoshi Third Match Kinokuni Nene vs. Yukihira Soma

There's only one more match in the first bout.

If we win this, too...

Yeah, it'll be pretty huge.

Don't get ahead of yourselves, rebels!

Urara-chin, you're gonna get wrinkles.

Shut up!

Listen, our Kaburagi Shoko-senpai is in the first match!

She is the true ace in the hole,

Fifth Seat Kaburagi Shoko

having won the fifth seat in the battle royale!

Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the explanation,

but that fifth seat's going up against the former third seat.

Former Elite Ten

Third Seat Megishima Tosuke

We have a consensus on the first match, too.

The victor is Megishima Tosuke of the rebel team!

Elite Ten

Fifth Seat

Fifth Seat Kaburagi Shoko

Defeated

No way!

That means...

...the first bout was...

Hey, now.

Seriously?

The rebels'...

...complete...

...victory!

Yeah!

Hey, Yukihira.

I've kept my promise.

No complaints, yeah?

Yup!

First Match Kaburagi Shoko vs. Megishima Tosuke Second Match Shiratsu Jurio vs. Isshiki Satoshi Third Match Kinokuni Nene vs. Yukihira Soma

If we continue to suffer defeat,

we may be routed by the third bout.

Oops. That'd be bad.

Heh, I'll make sure to crush Yukihira, no matter what else happens.

It's more fun to crush them

when they're feeling full of themselves.

There won't be a rout.

Not against us.

Nene, don't be too hard on yourself!

Everyone, we will now have a short break,

Elite Ten Tsukasa Eishi Kobayashi Rindo Akanegakubo Momo Saito Somei Kinokuni Nene Eizan Etsuya Kaburagi Shoko Shiratsu Jurio

Rebels Nakiri Erina Megishima Tosuke Isshiki Satoshi Kuga Terunori Yukihira Soma Takumi Aldini Mimasaka Subaru Tadokoro Megumi

after which both teams will resume the fight with new topics

in the Team Shokugeki's second bout!

Well, then, good day.

Director Azami!

We'll turn things around!

Director!

Three wins for now.

But the upcoming matches will be even more challenging.

Don't let your guard down, Soma.

That was amazing, Soma-kun!

Well, I got chills.

Oh, right. That arena was pretty cold.

That's not what I meant!

Come on, Nakiri-cchi.

You say something, too.

What? Me, too?

Yukihira-kun, I suppose you were rather perceptive in that match.

Soma-kun just went to the bathroom.

What?!

Yukihira...

Hi, Tsukasa-senpai.

I think you served an interesting dish that was very "you" in the first bout.

But you can't win against me with that dish.

Then how about you face me in the next round?

Well, I'll look forward to seeing what kind of dish you'll bring to the table.

I'm gonna make a dish

that'll surpass the first seat of the Elite Ten!

I'm gonna take the top!

Totsuki

Onward to the Top!!

Thank you for boarding the train!