Shokugeki Quotes

“In episode 45 of Shokugeki No Soma, the food clubs are under fire. They must throw out their innovations and practices in order to adhere to the new director's food manual. Everyone must only make a certain type of dish and made in a specific way. Students disassociating from this manual will be expelled.
Innovation was frowned upon while classism had taken its hold. In order to save his dorm, protagonist Soma Yukihira challenged Chef Eizan "The Alchemist" seat number seven in the Council of Ten to a food war. With a board of judges willing to forgo tasting a dish because it uses ingredients not considered "top quality" or doesn't put the quality of an ingredient above its preparation, it goes completely against Soma Yukihira's style. Soma utilizes every day's cheap delights and elevating it into deliciousness. Chef Eizan presented Khao Man Gai, taking careful attention to not alter the chicken's natural flavors too much. One bite and every tongue squealed with bliss. Eizan presented a formidable classic that didn't stray too far from the books.


Season of the Underdog
Soma Yukihira was the underdog. The judges were prepared to discard his dish and name Soma defeated without taking a bite. Soma prepared a chicken wing gyoza with a rich ankake sauce. He removed the bones of the chicken and stuffed the cavity with ground pork, shiitake mushrooms, scallions and cabbage, then prepared a bone broth and used it to make the ankake sauce. From the jump, I was like oh shit, that's fire. Captivated by the scent, a judge took a bite. He was taken aback by the flavor! The delight. Soma Yukihira won the food war and saved his dorm.”
― Mark Bittman, The Best American Food Writing 2023: Eye-Opening Essays on Culture, Inequality, and Justice