Ryo Kurokiba Quotes

“ The seafood is so fresh it is otherworldly! Their rich umami flavors swirl together in my mouth like a whirlpool!
The pike is transcendental fresh, yes? It's tender and fatty and melty sweet!"
"I'm impressed he had the strength to cram this much powerful umami into a single dish! So refined, yet utterly savage. Ryo Kurokiba has reached a new pinnacle!"
"That looks sooo good!"
"But still, do all Japan pike have this much flavor in season?"
"Good point. Not all do.
How did he manage to create this strong of a flavor while using hardly any seasonings?
Hm?
Wait... it's faint, but I smell hints of a refreshing scent. A scent that is not seafood!"
"It is the fragrance of herbs."
"Exactly! I added a pat of this to the dish!"
"Aha!
Herb butter!
Finely chopped herbs and spices are mixed into softened butter...
... and then wrapped up and chilled in the refrigerator for a day to allow the flavors to meld."
"I stuck a pat of homemade herb butter into each wrap right before I put 'em in the oven. Baking on low heat made the butter melt slowly...
... allowing its richness to seep into every nook and cranny of the entire dish!"
Both flavor and fragrance have the punch of an exploding warhead! What an impeccably violent dish!”
― Yuto Tsukuda, 食戟のソーマ 12 [Shokugeki no Souma 12]

“This is based on Sauce Américaine. A classic French sauce, its recipe calls for crushed lobster shells and meat crushed together.
And then there's its rich, woody fragrance. I know what it's from now! COGNAC!" *Cognac is a variety of brandy made in Cognac, France. There are many strict requirements the brandy must meet in order to be considered an official cognac.*
"I see! When brandy is aged, it absorbs the scents of the wooden casks in which it's stored! That's why this curry has such a strong bouquet of woody aromas... like sandalwood and cedar!"
"Yup! That's right, sir. By the way, for this dish I experimented a little...
... and used Napoleon-Grade Cognac, which has even richer scents.
There are several grades of cognac, depending on how long it is aged. Napoleon Grade is considered the highest.”
― Yuto Tsukuda, 食戟のソーマ 7 [Shokugeki no Souma 7]

“Lobster tomalley fish innards! The richness of all the ingredients have melded into one powerful whole! What a robust, almost wild flavor!
Next, let's try the broth together with the noodles... here I go!
Ye gods! I have to hold myself together or I'll black out! As it is, that was nearly a knockout punch! Who knew umami flavor could be this powerfully violent!
How about the toppings? I see three varieties of shredded cheese. Rouille... *Rouille is a type of aioli, usually consisting of olive oil, breadcrumbs and various spices like garlic and chili flakes. It, along with croutons and cheese, is a standard garnish to Soupe de Poisson.* And are those tempura flakes? Aha! He must have added those as a crouton analogue!
And finally the rusk! It looks like it's been spread with Échiré butter and well toasted. Perhaps it was added as a palate cleanser for after that strong, rich broth.
WHAT?! What an intense, aromatic flavor! But where is all of this coming from?!
Hm? What are these pink flakes in the butter? Wait, now I see! Those shells he crushed! He had them dried to increase their umami flavor!"
"It's about time you noticed. I added those powdered shells to everything in this dish, from the soup stock to the butter on the rusk."
"See, the umami flavor in lobsters and shrimp comes from three elements: glycine, arginine and proline. Of all seafood, crustaceans carry the highest concentration of umami components, y'know.
Since Ryo took that powdered lobster shell- chock full of those three umami components- and added it to every element of the dish...
... it's, like, only natural that it's flavor is going to have a strong umami punch.”
― Yuto Tsukuda, 食戟のソーマ 9 [Shokugeki no Souma 9]

“The scent of the spicy squid is almost too much to handle!"
First we start with bite-size chunks of squid sautéed in some olive oil and squid ink...
Once the flavors have fully melded together, in goes a generous splash of white wine to flambé them!
Then some cabbage and onion for sweetness! Tomatoes for a little zing!
And finally... the secret ingredient!
"What the heck? Look at that giant needle!"
"You're not going to use that on the food, are you?!"
We convinced a local restaurant to let us have their huge pile of leftover shrimp heads and seafood shells. By boiling it all down, we infuse all their savory umami goodness and richness into olive oil...
... making a big batch of Hayama's special red olive oil! Using a cooking injector, we inject a dose right into the yolk of a soft-boiled egg, aaand...
PLOOP”
― Yuto Tsukuda, 食戟のソーマ 32 [Shokugeki no Souma 32]

“What luxury ingredient will it be this year?
Matsutake mushrooms?
"Returning" Skipjack?
Fresh soba?"
"IT'S MACKEREL PIKE!"
"Really? Pike?!"
"Umm... that's kind of a letdown, to be honest. They're such common fish..."
"Not so fast, folks.
It is true that throughout Japanese history, pike was viewed as a common fish that only the peasantry ate. But recently, high-class restaurants have begun serving it...
... and it now appears on the menus of restaurants across the world. It has become an unspoken representative of the Fall Fishing Season.
A dish that uses pike in some way...
... is the theme for the final round of this year's Fall Classic!"
"Mmm, pike! The first thing that springs to mind is yummy salt-grilled pike!
The crispy skin... the hot, succulent meat... the savory smell of its juices...
A dollop of grated daikon radish on top, and it's yum, yum, yum!"
"It's been showing up on sushi menus recently too. That's a general ingredient for you. You can do tons of stuff with it."
"As you all know, pike can be used in a wide variety of dishes. But strangely enough, this one ingredient...
... has connections to all three of our contestants.
A pike..
... with its fatty meat is known for its robust fragrance.
It is a prized ingredient in seafood dishes across the world.
And it has a long history of use in what is viewed as common cuisine!"
"Oho! It has facets that appeal to all three chefs."
"That means it's an ingredient that can play to each of their strengths!”
― Yuto Tsukuda, 食戟のソーマ 12 [Shokugeki no Souma 12]

“I see prawns, mussels... a whole host of seafood!"
"Don't forget the perfectly ripe tomatoes and the bottle of olive oil.
Aah, I get it. It seems he is making Acqua Pazza."
ACQUA PAZZA
A local delicacy in Southern Italy...
... Acqua Pazza is a simple yet gourmet dish of poached white fish mixed with a variety of other ingredients.
Traditional ingredients include olive oil, tomatoes and shellfish.
"Compared to many other poached or simmered dishes, it uses relatively few seasonings. Because it's so uncomplicated, the quality of the ingredients themselves comes to the forefront. It's the perfect dish to show off his superhuman eye for selecting fish."
"Not that Acqua Pazza itself is a poor choice...
... but the centerpiece of the dish must still be the pike!
Yet the ingredients he's chosen have distinct flavors that demand attention. Won't simmering them all together drown out the flavor of the fish?"
"True! It would be a waste of an in-season pike to-
Wait..."
"Exactly.
Precisely because it is in season, the pike's flavor won't be drowned out.
Instead, it has the potential to become the base of the entire dish!
It's a recipe only someone with great confidence in their eye for fish could have chosen for this competition.”
― Yuto Tsukuda, 食戟のソーマ 12 [Shokugeki no Souma 12]

“Oooh! What a vibrant, flaming red the spiny lobsters are. It makes a lovely, eye-catching contrast to the brilliant yellow of the saffron rice. The lobster itself is also perfectly dressed, with no nicks or cuts on its legs and whiskers."
"Given how lively and energetic the chef was during the cooking phase...
... I admit I hardly expected such elegant, delicate plating.”
― Yuto Tsukuda, 食戟のソーマ 7 [Shokugeki no Souma 7]

“Mmm! It's so hot and juicy! It looks like he marinated the eel in some red wine and cinnamon to underscore its flavor with a touch of freshness before he cooked it."
"I stuck some gunpowder in that eel, y'know. Some very special gunpowder...
to blow your dish out of the water!"
"Mmm! What?!"
Where did this sharp, vivid taste come from?!
The eel.
Kurokiba must have secreted something inside of it...
He got us.
It's dried plums!"
Dried plums? You mean prunes?!"
"Eel and prunes?!"
Aha.
He rehydrated some dried plums and then used the crépine to keep them wrapped inside of the eel.
"Mmm! The fruity tang of the plums is mixing together with the rich, heavy juices from the eel...”
― Yuto Tsukuda, 食戟のソーマ 11 [Shokugeki no Souma 11]

“What an exquisite pike recipe. It was stunning from the very beginning, with the beautiful vision of its chef striding through the silvered moonlight to present his dish. The plating and presentation showed a thorough grasp of modern cooking trends, an important skill for all chefs. Given how the entire crowd was leaning forward in their seats, I can only say that his plan to draw attention to himself and away from his competitors was a rousing success. Most Acqua Pazza recipes involve anchovies in some fashion, but as his used herb butter, he wisely omitted them. Had both ingredients been included, their flavors would have clashed, muddying the overall taste of the dish. That herb butter, in fact, was the keystone upon which the whole dish rested. The butter's mellowness melded with the strong-tasting juices of each individual ingredient, underscoring them with a common flavor and tying them together, while the refreshing scent of the herbs kept the powerful impact of the dish's flavor from lingering too long on the tongue, making it instead a sharp and quick jab. That in turn masterfully accentuated the strong fragrance of the in-season pike. Both the herb butter and the heat-resistant film worked in perfect harmony for the sole purpose of emphasizing the deliciousness of the chosen pike...”
― Yuto Tsukuda, 食戟のソーマ 12 [Shokugeki no Souma 12]

“Wow, look at him go! I've never seen anyone fillet a whole salmon that quickly!"
"You looked pretty impressive when you butchered that monkfish, y'know."
"W-what?! B-but I could never do it that fast. And Kurokiba isn't just fast...
there's no hesitation or waste in any of his movements. He's gotten even better since I faced him in the Fall Classic!”
― Yuto Tsukuda, 食戟のソーマ 19 [Shokugeki no Souma 19]

“The spinach affects a lot! Its mild bitterness adds depth to the flavors surrounding it. It is highly nutritious, and its green color is a pleasing contrast to the golden-brown crust. But most of all...
... when wrapped around the salmon, it condenses and accentuates the fish's savory goodness!"
"Oh yeah! I thought I tasted a hint of bitterness when I took a bite. So that was the spinach!
That bite of bitterness made the sweet and mellow flavor of the salmon's oil stand out even more!”
― Yuto Tsukuda, 食戟のソーマ 19 [Shokugeki no Souma 19]

“Just a little bit of bitter spinach...
... isn't nearly enough to explain that gushing riptide of savory salmon flavor!
"You're right. There is another trick to it. When I made the crepe, I added both spinach...
... and this spice mix to it."
"A SPICE MIX?!"
Spice mixes, also called seasoning mixes or spice blends, are original mixes of herbs, seasonings, salt and pepper. Infinitely adjustable, spice mixes are the ultimate in seasoning, usable in just about every situation.
"Spices!"
"My mix uses salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, garlic...
... and dried bacon powder.”
― Yuto Tsukuda, 食戟のソーマ 19 [Shokugeki no Souma 19]

“He's panfried those thick, juicy chunks of eel to a perfect golden brown!"
"And now he's going to simmer it in red wine with a bouquet garnish!"
"I thought so. Ryo Kurokiba is making a matelote!"
EEL MATELOTE
Coming from the French word for sailor, matelote is freshwater fish stewed in a red-wine sauce. Any fish can be used, but the most traditional preparations include freshwater eel.
"That is definitely a dish fit for the Western-Entrée theme."
"Huh? Didn't he have the eel filleted before? Now they're back to their old shape again."
"He wrapped them in a crépine to hold them in shape. A logical choice, given the chef. The fattiness of the crépine adds depth to the eel's flavor, giving it a greater punch."
Eel Matelote... hot and fluffy mashed potatoes... handmade brioche rolls...
He's quickly and efficiently playing his cards one by one!
I see. So this...
... is how he pieces together such powerful dishes.
He has built a deck packed with strong cards to completely overpower his opponent...
... just like a veteran card gamer! ”
― Yuto Tsukuda, 食戟のソーマ 11 [Shokugeki no Souma 11]

“Mmm, pike! The first thing that springs to mind is yummy salt-grilled pike!
The crispy skin... the hot, succulent meat... the savory smell of its juices...
A dollop of grated daikon radish on top, and it's yum, yum, yum!"
"It's been showing up on sushi menus recently too. That's a general ingredient for you. You can do tons of stuff with it."
"As you all know, pike can be used in a wide variety of dishes. But strangely enough, this one ingredient...
... has connections to all three of our contestants.
A pike..
... with its fatty meat is known for itsrobust fragrance.
It is a prized ingredient in seafooddishes across the world.
And it has a long history of use in what is viewed as common cuisine!"
"Oho! It has facets that appeal to all three chefs."
"That means it's an ingredient that can play to each of their strengths!”
― Yuto Tsukuda, 食戟のソーマ 12 [Shokugeki no Souma 12]