In the world.
The most expensive apple should be the Sekai-ichi apple, priced at over 3,100 yen each.
The meaning of this name is "world's number one."
This apple is pollinated by hand, washed with honey after fruiting, and packaged manually to avoid damage that would compromise its freshness. Each weighs at least 500 grams, with the largest reaching 1.5 kilograms.
However.
No one could have imagined.
There exists another type of apple.
Its price fluctuates between hundreds of thousands to tens of millions of yen.
Even Nakiri Mana, who has witnessed countless precious ingredients in the world, couldn't help but be startled.
...
"Crunch."
An incredibly crisp sound rang out.
The Scare Apple in Mana's hand forever bore an expression frozen in sheer terror!
Immediately afterward, the dazed Mana narrowed her eyes slightly, her face filled with rapture. She swore to the heavens that even with her God Tongue, she had never tasted an apple so delicious.
Perhaps.
This Scare Apple wasn't of a very high level.
After all, it was frightened into existence by Ye Chen with just a few muttered words, only reaching Lv15.
But truth be told, in the world of Food Wars, this Scare Apple was countless times sweeter and more delicious than ordinary apples!
As her teeth chewed.
The juice of the Scare Apple burst between them.
The delicate flesh was soft yet elastic, each bite full of layers.
First came the rich sweetness, followed by a subtle sourness. The interplay of sweet and sour created a perfect balance, stimulating the taste buds just right.
This made Mana unable to stop herself from taking bite after bite.
"Is it really that delicious?"
"Look at Mana-sama—she looks like her soul is about to leave her body!"
Anne, captivated by Mana's entranced expression, couldn't help but gaze with curiosity and envy.
After eating the Scare Apple, Mana felt a gentle energy slowly coursing through her entire body, gradually nourishing her originally very weak constitution.
That's right.
This is the ability of Fantasy Ingredients.
They can make ingredients more delicious and also enhance human physical health and strength.
The previous Jewel Meat and now this Scare Apple were both like this!
...
"How is this possible?"
"A mere apple could give me such a miraculous sensation."
"My body no longer feels weak but filled with..."
"Strength!"
Then, Mana opened her bright eyes again, her voice sharp and trembling with excitement.
Her hands began to tremble uncontrollably, as if afraid the magical flavor would suddenly vanish. Her cheeks flushed rapidly with excitement.
"Mana-sama."
"Your body is still very weak—you mustn't let your emotions fluctuate too drastically!"
Seeing this, Anne couldn't help but express concern.
But Nakiri Mana completely ignored Anne's worried gaze, suddenly standing up from her seat and speaking even more excitedly: "This Scare Apple is absolutely a miracle in the culinary world."
"It has overturned all my previous understanding of apples, and even my perception of ingredients and cuisine."
"I never imagined."
"A single apple could contain such immense energy."
"Moreover, it has successfully cured my anorexia, allowing my sickly body to regain vitality!"
Nakiri Mana's tone had begun to carry a barely restrained fervor.
After all, before tasting this Scare Apple, her greatest dream was merely to find a dish that could satisfy her God Tongue.
However.
Only after truly witnessing the charm of Fantasy Ingredients.
Did she realize that an entirely new gourmet world was opening its doors to her.
...
"Incredible!"
"Truly incredible!"
Mana kept muttering incessantly.
To the point where Anne grew even more concerned about her mental state.
Then, she grabbed Anne's arm, shaking it vigorously as she said: "Anne, you must taste this! The flavor and texture of this Scare Apple simply defy description!"
"If you miss this opportunity, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."
Anne grew dizzy from being shaken, but before she could react, Mana rushed toward Ye Chen.
She tightly grasped Ye Chen's hands, her eyes filled with gratitude and admiration: "Ye Chen, how many more Scare Apples do you have? I want... I want them all..."
...
Mana's enthusiasm.
Left Ye Chen feeling somewhat at a loss.
With no other choice, he could only smile and say: "No need to get so excited. The price for that Scare Apple was 7.5 million yen. Should we take care of the payment first?"
"Oh, how forgetful of me."
Only after Ye Chen's reminder did Nakiri Mana calm down slightly.
Then she slapped her forehead and turned to Anne: "Anne, payment!"
"Yes!"
"Mana-sama."
Hearing this, Anne's lips curled slightly as she gave a bitter smile.
Since carrying that much cash was impractical, Anne ultimately chose to pay by credit card.
...
Beyond the mountains, across the seas, there exists a group of:
Gourmet Hunters!
Because Toriko is a fantasy gourmet world filled with Fantasy Ingredients.
The ingredients here include Jewel Meat, Rainbow Fruit, Scare Apple, BB Popcorn, and more. Since these ingredients are often extremely difficult to collect and capture, this gave rise to the profession of Gourmet Hunters.
They typically possess various extraordinary skills, specializing in venturing into perilous territories, even risking their lives to obtain those delicious Fantasy Ingredients.
Of course.
In the Shokugeki no Soma world.
Such a profession as Gourmet Hunters definitely doesn't exist.
However, people's pursuit of top-tier ingredients remains equally fervent.
For instance, those star chefs recognized by WGO would excessively pursue rare, precious, and delicious ingredients - from seasonings to meats, from creatures that fly in the sky to those that swim in the water, they could all find incredibly valuable items!
For example:
In France.
The natural sea salt "Flower of Salt" from the Guérande salt marshes along Brittany's southern coast, with over a thousand years of history.
Generally speaking, only 500 grams of Flower of Salt crystallizes per 50 square meters of salt marshes.
Moreover.
It must be collected before sunset.
Otherwise, it will dissolve from dew exposure.
What distinguishes Flower of Salt from ordinary salt is its remarkably complex flavor profile - salty but not bitter, with a mysterious violet fragrance.
The price per 50 grams is approximately $147, which converts to 21,716 Japanese yen.
Thus, it has always been highly sought after by top chefs.
...
Premium ingredients.
Often require only the simplest cooking methods—this is likely the most widely circulated quote from "A Bite of China."
As a chef, Ye Chen strongly agrees with this statement.
Take fish, for example.
Carp is considered a famous dish in Henan, China.
In the Henan region, carp is typically prepared with braising, pan-frying with sauce, garlic stir-frying, or sweet and sour methods.
Why?
Because carp flesh is loose, not firm, and has an earthy, fishy taste.
Therefore, it must be processed with strong flavors—first fried, then simmered with spices such as star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, angelica root, chili peppers, scallions, ginger, and garlic.