Everything can be curry.
When the nearly 15-inch plate was served, the chicken cutlet was overflowing.
With the rice and salad, it was enough to make Alba so full he could barely walk.
Although chicken curry rice is not a complicated dish and is very simple, Jōichirō perfected every element.
The fresh, large chicken cutlet was coated in fine breadcrumbs and fried to a crispy golden perfection, yet it left no oil on the hands.
With one bite, there was a "crunch."
Rich meat juices gushed out, hot and savory, a taste that made one sigh contentedly and feel deeply moved.
The rice, no exaggeration, was definitely the best Alba had ever eaten.
It was made from short, small, round, plump sushi rice, steamed to individual, crystal-clear, translucent, and plump grains.
But when chewed, it wasn't hard; it was elastic, slightly sticky, and filled the mouth with moist, lingering rice fragrance.
Finally, there was the curry.
It had a Japan homemade taste, light and slightly sweet, neither heavy nor greasy.
Wrapped around the rice and chicken cutlet, it presented a charming golden-brown color, shimmering brightly.
Even the salad was not simple; round lettuce and red cabbage were finely shredded, so fresh they could almost drip water.
The mayonnaise was also homemade by Jōichirō; it wasn't heavy or overly sweet. When mixed and eaten, the salad remained crisp until the end of the meal, as refreshing as ever!
...
Eating a good meal can indeed change a person's "faith."
At this moment, looking at the empty plate in front of him, Alba, still wanting more, couldn't help but say comfortably, "This is the kind of cooking that can give people hope, Jōichirō!"
"Master, are you satisfied now?"
Jōichirō, with a slight smile on his face, asked softly in return.
"Satisfied, I'm very satisfied! To be able to eat your cooking again in this life is truly unimaginable!"
Alba sighed, then recalled the scene when he first met Saiba, and finally asked curiously, "Jōichirō, where have you been all these years?"
"I returned to Japan and run a set meal restaurant there with my son."
Jōichirō's face was expressionless; he seemed to be recounting his experiences of the past 10-plus years in the gentlest tone.
"You have a son?"
"Master, I'm almost forty, and my son is 16 this year, okay?" Jōichirō shrugged helplessly.
"Indeed, nearly 20 years have passed in the blink of an eye!"
Alba sighed deeply again upon hearing this.
...
Clang!
At this moment, the heavy door slowly opened.
Then, under everyone's gaze, a mysterious young man, wearing a dark face covering and a baseball cap, walked in slowly with heavy steps.
His appearance immediately caused a stir throughout the room.
Especially the sharp and domineering aura emanating from him, which almost suffocated many people present.
"This guest, our hotel operates on a reservation basis."
"If you don't have a prior reservation, you cannot enter without permission."
The newcomer seemed hostile, and combined with the recent unsettling Midnight Chefs incident, the staff quickly reacted and rushed forward, intending to escort him out.
"Get lost! If you don't want to die, stay away from me." The masked man stopped and shouted.
Immediately after, he slightly pulled at his face covering.
His eyes glared like sharp swords, and his whole demeanor was like a hungry tiger, making the surrounding people even more terrified!
The staff immediately retreated several steps in fear. For some reason, facing this mysterious masked man, they all felt a desperate, ominous premonition.
"Hey!"
"Who are you?"
"This is a five-star hotel, only distinguished figures like us are qualified to enter."
A diner, still feeling a bit fearful inside, finally mustered the courage to slam the table and angrily shouted at the masked man.
"Qualifications?"
"Since that's the case, let me introduce myself."
"I am the leader of the Midnight Chefs, and also a dark cuisine chef recognized by the WGO Gourmet Organization."
"I wonder if such a status qualifies me to enter this hotel?"
As soon as his words fell, the entire room fell silent.
Everyone stared at the masked man, dumbfounded.
After all, whenever the Midnight Chefs were mentioned recently, everyone's face would change, and they would panic.
But who would have thought that in such a remote mountain area, a BOSS-level figure of the Midnight Chefs would appear!
Moreover, he was so young! Could it be that the person who had turned the entire culinary world upside down was actually a teenager?
Were all the experienced chefs truly helpless against him?
...
"What?"
"You are a Midnight Chef?"
"Masked man, wearing a cloak, and a baseball cap... this image indeed matches the rumors."
"He... he really is a Midnight Chef!"
"Strange, aren't they active in Northern Europe, the Americas, and Southeast Asia?"
"No, your information is outdated; the influence of these Midnight Chefs has already spread to Central Europe."
"Especially now in France, famous restaurants everywhere are being brutally suppressed by them."
"It is said that even Shinomiya's SHINO'S restaurant has been forced to close, and Shinomiya is now missing, probably having returned to Japan, right?"
"Shinomiya? Is that the Japan person who was the first to receive the Plusespur Medal?"
"Oh my god, how could even he be defeated by the Midnight Chefs?"
For a moment, everyone was discussing animatedly.
"A bit interesting."
"Your target should be me, right?"
"It seems I still underestimated you Midnight Chefs; you even managed to investigate my whereabouts so clearly."
Looking at the masked young man in front of him, even a fool like Joichiro Saiba would now understand what was happening.
"Yes, as expected of Jōichirō."
"If you're sensible, sign this Shokugeki challenge contract."
The masked young man didn't waste words; he directly pulled out a contract from his pocket. But just as he was about to step forward and hand it to Jōichirō, he was stopped by the Alba next to him: "Young man, Buddha says to have good intentions, speak good words, and do good deeds."
"That you can lead the entire dark culinary world at such a young age proves that you are indeed a rare genius with talent and ability."
"But possessing immense power yet not walking the righteous path, instead choosing to do evil..."
"Old man, are you done talking?"
"I don't care about good or evil. My purpose in coming here is simply to defeat Joichiro Saiba and stand at the very top of the world's culinary scene."
"Anyone who dares to obstruct or interfere with my plan, then don't blame me..."
"Master, please step back for now."
"This battle with the Midnight Chefs, I, Jōichirō, am destined not to avoid!"
Seeing this, Jōichirō could only quickly step forward and say sternly.
"Hmm, Jōichirō, then let him teach him a lesson, let him see how strong the world's number one chef truly is?"
Alba nodded, then retreated to the side, leaving the space to Jōichirō and the masked man.
...
"Hmph, how arrogant."
"Exactly, exactly. A kid who hasn't even grown all his hair dares to challenge Jōichirō?"
"Winning against Shinomiya Kojiro and then becoming so frivolous and inflated, he's still too young and impetuous, not at all composed."
------------------------
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