Multiverse Gourmet Hunter

After learning what the Stagiaire program involved, everyone at Polar Star Dormitory began working even harder.

Before long, the day of their placements arrived.

Haruto took his assignment notice and headed to the station, ready to travel to his destination.

First, however, he needed to meet the other Totsuki student assigned to the same location.

It was not long before a surprised voice called out to him.

"Haruto! I can’t believe it’s you!"

Haruto turned toward the voice and saw Hōjō Miyoko standing nearby.

Apparently, she would be his partner for the first stage of the Stagiaire.

Haruto raised a hand in greeting.

"Hōjō. Let’s do our best during the placement."

"Right!"

Miyoko nodded firmly.

Haruto was the champion of the Autumn Elections, and his three subsequent Food Wars had given the rest of the academy an even clearer understanding of his skill.

She was looking forward to working alongside him.

After exchanging a few brief pleasantries, they traveled together to their first placement.

Before long, they arrived outside a Chinese restaurant.

Haruto studied the building thoughtfully.

"It looks like Totsuki considers quite a few factors when assigning these placements."

Both he and Miyoko specialized in Chinese cuisine.

Sending them to a Chinese restaurant for their first Stagiaire was an obvious match for their strengths. They could apply what they had already learned while refining their techniques through actual restaurant work.

Haruto also understood that the Stagiaire was not purely about "learning."

That was particularly true of the first placement.

Rather than simply sending students to study new techniques, Totsuki often used their abilities to help restaurants struggling with operational problems.

It supported those businesses while testing the students’ ability to solve real-world challenges.

Naturally, different students would encounter different levels of difficulty. The more capable the student, the more troublesome their assigned problem was likely to be.

While Haruto and Miyoko were still observing the restaurant, the door opened and a middle-aged man in a traditional Chinese-style jacket hurried outside.

He had an honest, friendly face and greeted them with an enthusiastic smile.

"You must be the talented students from Totsuki! We’ve been eagerly waiting for you!"

He approached and extended his hand.

"You can call me Manager Ōkawa. I hope we can rely on both of you while you’re here!"

Miyoko handled his enthusiasm with ease.

"I’m Hōjō Miyoko. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Manager Ōkawa. We’ll do everything we can to help."

Haruto nodded and introduced himself more casually.

"Suzuki Haruto."

Once the introductions were complete, Manager Ōkawa quickly led them inside.

Haruto quietly examined the restaurant as they entered.

Everything was extremely clean and well maintained. The wooden tables and chairs had been polished until not a speck of dust remained, traditional ink-wash landscapes decorated the walls, and the dishes and utensils were arranged with meticulous care.

The owner had clearly put a great deal of effort into the establishment.

Unfortunately, that care stood in stark contrast to the tiny number of customers.

Only a few tables were occupied, making the spacious dining room feel unusually empty.

It was obvious at a glance that the restaurant was not doing well.

Since Haruto had only just arrived and still lacked information, he did not immediately offer an opinion.

He followed Manager Ōkawa through the restaurant, learning the layout of the dining room and kitchen as well as its usual operating procedures.

For the rest of the day, Haruto and Miyoko threw themselves into the work.

They greeted customers, took orders, delivered dishes, assisted in the kitchen, and even prepared food themselves.

They handled a wide range of tasks, though the restaurant’s poor business meant they were never especially busy.

By sunset, when the day’s work finally ended, Haruto had already identified the main reason behind the restaurant’s decline.

Its prices were affordable.

The chefs in the kitchen were reasonably skilled, with a solid grasp of heat and seasoning. The food was comfortably above average.

There were several reasons for the restaurant’s lack of customers, but the most serious and damaging issue was its painfully slow service.

In a fast-paced city, most people had limited time to eat.

Fast food and casual meals had become the preferred choice of office workers and passersby precisely because they were quick and convenient.

Many Chinese dishes, however, required patience.

Stir-frying, braising, steaming, marinating, and slow cooking all took time. Customers often had to wait a considerable period after placing their orders.

Even when the food was good, people in a hurry would eventually stop coming.

Fortunately, the restaurant still had several loyal customers with enough free time to wait, which kept the situation from becoming completely hopeless.

Once he had identified the problem, Haruto went directly to Manager Ōkawa and explained his conclusion without softening it.

Miyoko listened with a serious expression, and the approval in her gaze toward Haruto deepened.

She had also noticed the slow service during the day, though she had yet to organize her thoughts as clearly.

After hearing Haruto’s analysis, Manager Ōkawa sighed heavily.

"To be honest, we’ve known about that problem for a long time."

"But that’s simply the nature of Chinese cuisine. Many of our signature dishes require lengthy braising or marinating. If we reduce the cooking time even slightly, the flavor suffers enormously."

"There really isn’t any way to make them faster."

His words were helpless, but the respect in his gaze toward Haruto had clearly increased.

Totsuki’s students truly deserved their reputation.

Haruto had uncovered the restaurant’s most persistent difficulty after only a single day.

Haruto nodded slightly.

He could understand Manager Ōkawa’s predicament.

The time-consuming dishes were also the restaurant’s signature offerings. Removing them would strip away its identity, and its loyal customers would soon disappear as well.

After considering the matter, Haruto said,

"Removing the dishes that take longer isn’t an option. I suggest introducing a reservation system."

"For meals requiring extensive preparation, customers could place their orders in advance."

"You could then use the reservation information to prepare the ingredients and complete certain steps beforehand. That would greatly reduce their waiting time once they arrive."

The moment Haruto finished, Miyoko added,

"You could also clearly mark the estimated preparation time beside those dishes on the menu."

"That way, customers know how long the wait will be before ordering and can choose accordingly. It should also prevent complaints caused by unexpected delays."

Manager Ōkawa’s eyes immediately brightened.

"Yes! Yes, that could work!"

"I’ll begin making arrangements immediately. We’ll try to introduce it as soon as possible!"

Once the plan was settled, Manager Ōkawa began adjusting the restaurant’s procedures.

Haruto and Miyoko helped streamline the workflow, design notices for the reservation service, and reorganize the menu.

After only three days of adjustments, the once-quiet Chinese restaurant began to change.

Its regular customers were more willing to visit now that reservations saved them so much time.

New customers could check the estimated waiting periods on the menu and choose dishes that suited their schedules.

The number of diners gradually increased.

The restaurant was not packed every day, but it had completely escaped its former emptiness.

By providing a practical solution to its problem, Haruto and Miyoko successfully completed their first Stagiaire placement.

After leaving the Chinese restaurant, Haruto began the second stage.

Unlike the first, this placement had to be completed alone.

Following the address provided by the academy, Haruto soon reached his next destination.

The Western restaurant Shunkatei.

A faint smile appeared on his face when he saw the name.

Shunkatei’s head chef was Kikuchi Sonoka, a gentle, soft-spoken woman with a remarkably generous figure.

More importantly, her culinary ability was excellent.

Haruto believed he might genuinely learn something during his placement there.

It was currently lunchtime, and the restaurant was bustling at the height of service.

Haruto pushed open Shunkatei’s glass door.

The hinges gave a faint sound as a rich medley of aromas washed over him—the deep fragrance of butter, the freshness of herbs, and the savory scent of roasting meat.

Nearly every table was occupied.

Customers spoke in low voices while servers moved gracefully among them, maintaining perfect order despite the crowd.

A smiling waitress in uniform immediately approached Haruto with light, practiced steps.

"I’m sorry, sir. Do you have a reservation?"

Ogawa Emi bowed slightly as she asked.

Every ordinary seat was already occupied, leaving only tables reserved in advance. She needed to confirm his booking before taking him farther inside.

Haruto glanced at her and explained,

"I’m not here to eat. I’m Suzuki Haruto, the Totsuki student assigned to complete his Stagiaire at Shunkatei."

Understanding flashed through Emi’s eyes at the words "Totsuki" and "Stagiaire," and her smile became more natural.

"So you’re Haruto-kun. I’m Ogawa Emi."

"Chef Kikuchi already informed us that you would be coming. Unfortunately, we’re currently in the middle of our busiest service period, and she can’t leave the kitchen right now."

"Please follow me to the waiting area and rest there for a little while."

Haruto had no objection and followed Emi toward the restaurant’s lounge.

At the same time, he quietly studied Shunkatei’s environment and operations.

No matter how carefully he looked, however, he could not see any obvious problem that required his intervention.

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