Concerto of Ideas and Creation is the 16th Chapter of the Shokugeki no Soma series.
Plot Summary[]
Takumi Aldini announces his claims, to which Sōma Yukihira responds in disdain. While the two argue, Hinako Inui is having her own tea time, before the contestants demand an explanation on the theme of the test. Hinako then clarifies that the theme of the test is Japanese cuisine, made only with things obtained within the boundaries of the forest area nearby. In short: nature's bounty.
Help is limited to seasonings, oil, and cookware, plus tools to procure ingredients. Hinako soon hits the timer, setting the time limit in two hours. Frantic over the sudden announcement, the majority of the students were thrown into chaos as they rushed to forage the mountain range, leaving Sōma's and Takumi's group behind.
Out of the blue, Takumi issues a challenge to decide whose dish is the best, proposing Chef Hinako to judge it impartially. Much to Takumi's dismay, the offer was refused. Seeing Takumi's morale comically breaking down, Sōma makes fun of him, before getting shocked by the fact that he's the older brother of Isami Aldini. Also being Isami's laughing stock, Takumi put up a tough front, before being dragged away by his brother.
Meanwhile, the other students are struggling to lay their hands on their desired ingredients. Most of them were pressured by the conditions placed upon them, thus overlooking the lost track of time. According to Chef Hinako, these narrow-minded people were not needed in Tōtsuki. Meanwhile, as Sōma and Megumi Tadokoro start their activity, Sōma begins fishing and Megumi thinks frantically about the ingredients and their processing method. Being reminded by her actions, Sōma also ponders about what unique dishes should they make, to satisfy the palate of the proctor.
Once everyone have reassembled in the kitchen, Takumi criticized the lot for not being attentive to their environment, among them was Sōma, which scowls at him for his cocky attitude. Then Takumi revealed his main ingredient, an Aigamo, and informed the alternatives other than river fishes while reproaching them for their culpable improvidence. While Takumi telling the others to make way, Sōma was astounded when he made contact with Takumi's hand. The brothers then commence their cooking. They begin with Isami removing the meat tendons rapidly in high precision, astonishing Megumi. When she compliments him, Isami comments that his older brother can finish the job three times faster than him.
Then Megumi turns her attention to Takumi, whose circulation from slicing to seasoning to searing, skilfully flowing with no pauses nor useless moves. Struck in awe, Megumi's thoughts were intercepted by Sōma, who in which stated that Takumi's hand is "a hand that's been in the kitchen". Following the process, Takumi glazed the duck meat, before putting it in the oven for heating.
The brothers then finally made a formal introduction, as Takumi and Isami Aldini, chefs of an Italian Brasserie, Trattoria Aldini. Then he vouches for himself as "a chef that has protected his shop from the kitchen", just like Sōma. Offended by Sōma's speech at the opening ceremony, Takumi challenged him to prove which one was better of the two. Sōma subsequently accepts the challenge with a classic: "Bring it on".
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
Featured Cooking Duels[]
Trivia[]
- An Aigamo is an edible hybrid of Anatidae genus, generated from the cross-breeding between kamo (wild duck) and ahiru (domestic duck). Used by local rice farmers as weeds and pests control in organic agriculture.