Ep. 1: Ohara announces the Ultimate Menu project, testing staff with a water and tofu challenge.

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To mark the 100th anniversary of the newspaper Touzai Shimbun, President Ohara launches the "Ultimate Menu" initiative. He selects reporters with the best culinary taste, starting with a test where staff must distinguish between three samples of water and tofu. Yamaoka arrives late due to a hangover and consumes the samples rather than analyzing them. Only Yūko Kurita and Yamaoka pass, earning them the project assignment. Ohara invites renowned gourmands to design the menu, but Yamaoka criticizes their pretentious international selections like foie gras. Instead, he spends a week with fishermen catching Monkfish. Yamaoka prepares ankimo by removing the liver, washing it in sake, and steaming it. During the final tasting, Ohara declares the fresh ankimo superior to canned foie gras, dismissing the experts.