Oishinbo - Vol. 21 Ch. 189 - Scholar's Kayu

[MangaDex]

 

[friendly]

Damn, this is a very charming chapter! Going from the goofy Scared Straight By Definitely Real Yakuza to like. Hey but seriously, you work and golf and your kid never sees you, took me pleasantly off guard. I think this particularly highlights the way this story uses food to bridge the gap between people, as an expression of care and thought. I think in a way thats very much the thesis of the meaning of gourmet in this series, as I've been able to understand it.

But I think it shines the most in chapters like this.

also I appreciate the follow up on the dish, and the story surrounding it! having the extra cultural context is a real treat.

 

[Mugiwara325]

Damn, this is a very charming chapter! Going from the goofy Scared Straight By Definitely Real Yakuza to like. Hey but seriously, you work and golf and your kid never sees you, took me pleasantly off guard. I think this particularly highlights the way this story uses food to bridge the gap between people, as an expression of care and thought. I think in a way thats very much the thesis of the meaning of gourmet in this series, as I've been able to understand it.

But I think it shines the most in chapters like this.

also I appreciate the follow up on the dish, and the story surrounding it! having the extra cultural context is a real treat.

Lovely analysis! I agree, at least whenever Yamaoka gets involved, the concept of 'gourmet' is given a very human core.

Kaibara doesn't appear in this chapter, but he works well as a sort of juxtaposition to Yamaoka's gourmet. When we think of Kaibara, we usually think of incredible technique and artistry, techniques that Yamaoka hasn't achieved yet. But the thing is, his gourmet also has a human core, and it's that human core that allows him to beat Yamaoka more often than not.

 

[throwawaygod]

Can't say the idea of a congee with both pork offal and half cooked flounder sashimi sounds that appealing. I would rather have just one or the other.

 

[TakesatoKeita]

Lovely analysis! I agree, at least whenever Yamaoka gets involved, the concept of 'gourmet' is given a very human core.

Kaibara doesn't appear in this chapter, but he works well as a sort of juxtaposition to Yamaoka's gourmet. When we think of Kaibara, we usually think of incredible technique and artistry, techniques that Yamaoka hasn't achieved yet. But the thing is, his gourmet also has a human core, and it's that human core that allows him to beat Yamaoka more often than not.

Not exactly related to this chapter, but responding to this answer, while I think it's true that Kaibara is far superior in terms of culinary artistry and touching the hearts of people who eat his dishes, I'd say it's Yamaoka's creativity that saves him multiple times.

I won't say which chapters, where Yamaoka's creativity lends him a win or at least a draw (coz that'd be spoilers), but because he's basically outmatched by his father so many times, being creative is the only viable way to give him an edge against Kaibara.

Even better, even the judges seem to recognize this as well. Whereas Kaibara is the pinnacle of culinary traditions, Yamaoka presents another possibility - where cuisines can develop going forward, unbound by centuries-old traditions.

They may fail at times, or succeed instead, but still, fresh developments that sometimes even Kaibara can't think of on the top of his mind.

 

[Mugiwara325]

Not exactly related to this chapter, but responding to this answer, while I think it's true that Kaibara is far superior in terms of culinary artistry and touching the hearts of people who eat his dishes, I'd say it's Yamaoka's creativity that saves him multiple times.

I won't say which chapters, where Yamaoka's creativity lends him a win or at least a draw (coz that'd be spoilers), but because he's basically outmatched by his father so many times, being creative is the only viable way to give him an edge against Kaibara.

Even better, even the judges seem to recognize this as well. Whereas Kaibara is the pinnacle of culinary traditions, Yamaoka presents another possibility - where cuisines can develop going forward, unbound by centuries-old traditions.

They may fail at times, or succeed instead, but still, fresh developments that sometimes even Kaibara can't think of on the top of his mind.

Indeed, that's also true. Perhaps the most representative of this creativity is in the chapter where Yamaoka turns seabream into a salt-dried fish, offending Kaibara until he realises the flavour is astounding.
That was another good chapter.