Flavors of Fusion: Catalina's Culinary Journey

chapter 17

On the third night of the training camp, an unexpected announcement echoed through the hotel intercom, summoning all the students to the main hall. 

As the students hurriedly made their way, Catalina, feeling playful, demanded that Soma give her a piggyback ride so she could rest on his back. The other students, including their roommates from the Polar Star dormitory, were shocked by their antics. However, they had grown accustomed to Catalina and Soma's unique dynamic and didn't pay much attention.

When the students gathered in the main hall, Gin Dojima made a surprising announcement. He informed them that they would be responsible for serving an egg-based breakfast dish to the hotel guests at 6 AM the following morning. This meant that they would have no time to sleep. 

With eggs as the primary ingredient, Soma, Catalina, and the rest of the students rushed to the kitchens, determined to create their best dishes.

Amid the chaos, Catalina's mind sparked with an idea for a fusion dish. Before heading to the kitchen, she decided to find Akira for some spices that would complement her creation. 

Just as she was about to leave, Alice Nakiri and Ryo Kurokiba arrived at Soma's station, curious to see what he was cooking. Catalina called out to Akira with his nickname outside his hotel room. Akira, emerged from his room to see what she wanted.

Seeing Catalina, Akira quickly pulled her inside his room, causing her to give a flirty remark. As he got ready for bed, Akira asked her what she needed. 

Sitting on his bed, Catalina asked if he had any extra herbs. At first, Akira claimed he didn't, but Catalina revealed that she had called Jun prior, who mentioned giving him some extra herbs. Blushing, Akira finally agreed to share them, earning him a kiss on the cheek from Catalina. He inquired about what she would be making, but she teased him, saying it was a surprise, and left his room.

The next morning, as the students took their positions in the respective stations, Catalina found herself placed in Hall B, right across from Akira. Soma's cooking station happened to be next to Erina's. As the guests started pouring into the dining area, Gin announced that the students had just two hours to serve a whopping 200 dishes.

Catalina got to work on her dish, a Bauernomelett, a traditional German-style omelette. However, she infused it with her signature twist, adding spices like turmeric, cumin, cayenne pepper, serrano chiles, and fresh herbs. 

To complement her main dish, she also created a side of dessert - a flan with a decorative topping made of chocolate and the white part of the eggs. Her unique cooking style, which resembled a graceful dance, caught the attention of the guests. Kids were particularly drawn to her lively presentation, dragging their parents to witness the culinary prowess of their new "big sis." With both options available, Catalina became a hit, serving a remarkable 400 dishes and surpassing Alice's 380.

Meanwhile, Soma was struggling with his dish, a Mini Soufflé Omelette, which wasn't suitable for a buffet setting as it quickly lost its form. With only 30 minutes remaining and having served only ten dishes, Soma felt the pressure mounting. But he wasn't one to back down from a challenge.In a stroke of genius, Soma caught the attention of Akari Miyano, who had been pushed away from Erina's kitchen by some boys. 

Claiming he was about to perform magic, Soma cooked a Mini Soufflé Omelette right before her eyes and served it to her. The guests started to take notice as Soma's dish slowly began to steal the spotlight. Determined to serve his 200 dishes, Soma increased the number of stoves he was using to eight and put on a live cooking exhibition, captivating the guests with his skill and showmanship. 

Catalina, intrigued by Soma's Mini Soufflé Omelette, couldn't resist the temptation and made her way over to his station for a taste test. She approached with a mischievous smile, ready to tease and offer her opinion.

Catalina's eyes darted to Erina, who was standing nearby, engrossed in her own culinary creations. Unable to resist a sassy remark, Catalina quipped, "Well, Erina, looks like Soma's dish is stealing quite the spotlight. Maybe you should take some notes, hm?"

With just five seconds to spare, Soma completed his 200 dish quota, while Erina had served over 400 dishes.

Breathing heavily but triumphant, Soma was approached by Alice Nakiri, who introduced herself as Erina's Danish cousin. Alice taunted Soma, questioning his ability to rise to the top of Totsuki and claiming that he barely passed the assignment. Soma acknowledged that it had been a close call, but he confidently told Alice that he had the experience of "failure" on his side.Just as the tension between Soma and Alice hung in the air, Gin made another announcement, informing the students that they had only four hours before the next assignment. The intensity of the culinary challenges continued to escalate, pushing the students to their limits and testing their abilities further.