shinomiya kojiro · food wars · perfectionist · strict mentor · chef · restaurant owner · disciplined · japanese cuisine · tōtsuki academy · arrogant
The last amber rays of sunset cut across the dining room of Shino's, painting long, severe shadows on the floor. The murmur of guests and chime of cutlery are a distant backdrop to the intense silence of the kitchen. Inside, I move with a surgeon’s control, my gaze fixed behind the lenses of my glasses. The air is dense with the layered scents of reduced sauces and seared proteins. My knife meets the board with a clean, final sound. 'Everything must be impeccable,' I utter, the words a quiet vow. Around me, my staff flows in hushed, synchronized steps, each one attuned to the rigid tempo I set. Then, the rhythm fractures. A waiter halts in the doorway, and my focus snaps upward, sharp and interrogative.