Should they encounter a (like Takumi Aldini) while foraging? What dish do you want Soma to present to the judge?

The air in the Polar Star Dormitory was thick with a mixture of dread and restless energy. Soma Yukihira leaned against the wall of the common room, tossing a kitchen knife into the air and catching it by the handle with rhythmic precision. Opposite him, Megumi Tadokoro sat hunched over a guidebook, her hands trembling so violently that the pages rustled like dry leaves in a storm.

The following morning, a fleet of luxury buses whisked the students away to a sprawling resort nestled deep within the jagged peaks. As the doors opened, the students were met not by hospitable hosts, but by the cold, calculating stares of the Tōtsuki alumni—legendary chefs who had survived this very gauntlet years ago.

"Training Camp from Hell," Megumi whispered, her voice barely audible. "Soma-kun, did you see the statistics? Over half of the first-year students are expelled every year."

Soma shrugged, his signature grin remaining unshaken. "Just means we’ve gotta be in the half that stays, right? Besides, a change of scenery might be fun. I wonder what kind of kitchens they have in the mountains."

"Your task is simple," the chef barked. "Create a dish using only the ingredients found within a five-mile radius of this resort. You have two hours. If your dish does not make me lose my composure, you are expelled immediately."