What exactly was the chef's obsession?
Kashiwagi didn't have to wonder for long. As the chef returned to Lumiose City, the answer was revealed through narration and a black-and-white flashback sequence.
In short, it was one word: [Family].
The chef wasn't a lonely orphan; on the contrary, he came from a very wealthy background. His father was the CEO of a massive corporation. However, the company's primary business was quite interesting: Prepared Meals.
These were convenience foods centrally produced in modern industrial kitchens, scientifically packaged, and designed for instant eating, heating, or quick cooking. It was currently the hottest sector in the Kalosian catering industry.
The chef's family was a leader in this field, selling their products across Kalos and even exporting them abroad. Naturally, his father wanted him to inherit the empire. But the chef, having grown up alongside his grandfather—a traditional professional chef—stubbornly viewed mass-produced prepared meals as "heresy."
'This kind of stuff makes people lose their ability to distinguish true gourmet food. It has no reason to exist.'
He also believed that the Western chefs coming out of training schools were less like artisans and more like machines, mindlessly following the same measurements and heat settings for every dish. To him, it was only natural they were being replaced by factory meals.
After a fallout with his family, he resolutely took the wok and iron ladle passed down from his grandfather and headed to culinary school, hoping to carve out a world of his own. Unfortunately, he overestimated his influence and ran into walls at every turn.
When he broke ties with his home, he had grandly declared he would make it on his own, even quoting Siebold's famous philosophy:
[Only through constant worry, research, absorption of knowledge, and practice—only through such down-to-earth effort—can one grasp the brilliant, fleeting beauty of cuisine.]
[This is something a prepared meal made by machines and measured by recipes can never achieve.]
That last part was the chef's own personal addition.
The flashback ended. Kashiwagi felt a wave of complex emotions. He hadn't expected the chef to have such a backstory; no wonder he refused to turn back even after hitting a dead end—turning back would be a compromise with the "factory meal" philosophy.
So, was the "Prepared Meal" his obsession? Not exactly.
Kashiwagi watched the chef lying on his bed, bubbles of [...] appearing over his head. It seemed that during his journey through Kalos, his mindset had matured, and his hostility toward prepared meals had softened.
How would he resolve it? The next day, the chef gave the answer.
[You go to find your father and ask for a talk.]
[Your father agrees.]
In an office, the chef and a middle-aged man sat facing each other across a desk.
[You talk about your recent lives and ask about each other's health.]
[You notice your father is aging, and you feel a pang of sadness.]
[You apologize to your father, stating that prepared meals have their place and aren't as worthless as you once thought.]
[Your father is relieved, but when you restate your dream, he falls silent.]
[You tell him: the key seasoning that makes food delicious is joy. If one eats with a bright smile, the deliciousness felt is many times greater. And seeing others smile while eating is a chef's true joy. To make others and oneself happy, one cannot allow a single compromise.]
[You vow to become a first-class chef and a powerful Trainer. You will participate in the Lumiose Conference to prove your resolve.]
[You do not wait for your father's response; you bow and leave.]
The long text hummed with the chef's willpower. As he stepped out of the corporate building into the sunlight, his Psyduck poked its head out of the bag and jumped out.
In the next instant, the light of evolution enveloped it.
"He settled his obsession..." Kashiwagi smiled. The chef's lingering regret was failing to apologize to his father and properly state his dream. Once those conditions were met, the Psyduck—representing his spiritual will—evolved into Golduck.
[Gol~]
The blue, humanoid duck wasn't as pudgy as before, but it still wore that same lazy expression that suggested it could eat five meals a day.
The Lumiose Conference (Kalos League) commenced on schedule.
Even though the chef hadn't obtained Mega Evolution, Kashiwagi knew he would achieve a great result. The power of "Resolve" was already evident.
Sure enough, the chef breezed through the three preliminary rounds. Among trainers with eight badges, he was clearly an elite. His "Ingredients & Disposal Squad" was not only helpful in the kitchen but terrifying on the battlefield.
From Vespiquen to Torkoal, they proved that those glowing meals hadn't been eaten in vain:
Vespiquen: Mastered a specialized evasion technique from her honey-gathering days.
Snorlax: Gained an indestructible constitution by digesting countless failed "lethal" dishes.
Miltank: Mastered the art of tanking hits and recovering instantly with Milk Drink.
Shuckle: Developed powerful digestive and corrosive abilities through fermenting countless ingredients.
Torkoal: Gained incredible temperature control and explosive heat by precisely mastering the "fire" of the kitchen.
Golduck: The vessel of the chef's will; acting more like a Psychic-type than a Water-type. Though it no longer suffered from headaches, it could still manifest "The World shall Feel Pain" whenever necessary.
However, Kashiwagi felt the odds of winning the championship were slim. He lacked a Pokémon that could consistently overcome Mega Evolutions. In the anime, the Top 4 and Top 8 of the Lumiose Conference almost all possessed Mega Evolution. What the chef lacked was a new "high-heat stove"—a Camerupt and its Mega Stone.
Nevertheless, regardless of the outcome, the chef would continue to grow. A cook who doesn't want to be an Elite Four member isn't a good Trainer!
The chef reached the Top 8. His first opponent with Mega Evolution used Mega Pinsir, resulting in a grueling battle. But under Kashiwagi's tense gaze, the chef's team pulled through and advanced to the Top 4.
In the semi-finals, facing Mega Alakazam, Golduck's "Small Universe" exploded. With the help of the Blue Trait [Divine Intervention], it used a powered-up Psychic to secure the win.
At this point, the chef was only one step away from the trophy.
Sadly, that was the end of the road. His opponent in the finals used Mega Tyranitar (Rock/Dark). For a Golduck without Miracle Eye, the Dark typing of the opponent was a source of deep frustration; no matter how strong its mental power, its effectiveness was dampened.
Ultimately, after nearly flipping the entire battlefield upside down, Golduck fell to a Stone Edge. The tournament was over. The chef hugged Golduck, looking at the sky with only a hint of regret and a heart full of determination.
[You finished as the Runner-up. But you proved your resolve to your father and caught the eye of Elite Four Siebold.]
[Your father calls to offer his full support for your career.]
[You receive an invitation from Siebold. He admires your drive and invites you to be his sous-chef.]
[You agree, making a silent vow: in the future, you will open your own restaurant to promote innovative cuisine. Its name... shall be 'Golduck's Smile'.]
[Gol~]
As the blue, lazy face faded from the screen, Kashiwagi let out a long breath. Compared to the Miniskirt girl, the chef's story was far more complex. It was a shame he missed out on the trophy... are these championships really that hard to get?
Wait... did the chef actually open that restaurant? The timeline was before Ash arrived in Kalos. If that was years ago, surely it exists now?
He opened his phone and searched for "Golduck's Smile."
To his surprise, he found a Three-Star Restaurant in Lumiose City. The restaurant's logo displayed on the screen was a high-definition, professional version of that same lazy Golduck face. No longer just blurry pixels.
"He actually did it. A Three-Star restaurant..." Kashiwagi marveled. In this world, a Three-Star rating was the absolute peak. He truly hoped he could taste that glowing cuisine one day.
Just then, the rewards for the simulation popped up.
Fixed Reward:
- TM x3 (Selectable Type)
- Chef's Culinary Memory—Divine Glowing Cuisine: Stir-fry Edition (Repeatable access)
Selectable Rewards (Pick 3 out of 4):
- Level Up: Raise any Pokémon by 3 levels (Under Lv. 70).
- Pokémon Clue: A lead on a specific Pokémon (Selectable Type, Excellent quality).
- Move Mastery: Psychic (Teach to one Pokémon).
- Carry-over: Keep the [Kind-Hearted] trait for the next simulation.
Wait, pick three out of four?
Kashiwagi rubbed his eyes. He wasn't misreading it. Because of the high performance, he was allowed to take almost everything.