After finishing their Stagiaire duties, the Polar Star Dormitory residents and friends head to a hot‑spring inn. While they intended to unwind, these budding chefs step in when the inn"s entire kitchen crew is incapacitated. Unaware of it, they will not be cooking for ordinary guests in the town during their stay.
Later that year, Souma Yukihira"s craving for formidable rivals is ignited when he, Megumi Tadokoro, and the other Autumn Election quarter‑finalists receive an invitation to the yearly Autumn Leaves Viewing festival. The eight Tootsuki freshmen are granted a rare chance to sip tea alongside the Elite Ten Council, notably the Tenth Seat Erina Nakiri, who joins her first‑year peers. Although presented as a cordial introduction between nine promising underclassmen and nine distinguished upperclassmen, Director Senzaemon Nakiri interprets the gathering as a preliminary clash between the reigning elite and their prospective challengers in the competitive culinary arena.
J.C. Staff Japan