The third and fourth seasons of the cooking shonen series Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma were filled with important plot twists, and not just for protagonist Soma Yukihira. Azami Nakiri had returned to Totsuki, and he aimed to use his daughter Erina as a weapon to take command of the entire school and its cooking scene. Thus, Central was born.
Soma and his friends resisted with all their might, but it was an uphill battle, and Azami started expelling one rebellious student after another. In the end, though, he agreed to a massive cooking battle, in which his eight best Central students would face the eight best rebel students (including Erina), and the winning side would get their way. This battle was the Regiment de Cuisine, and the story of Food Wars! would never be the same again.
When Megumi Lost to Momo Akanegakubo but Still Proved Her Worth
Megumi Tadokoro is an example of how a character doesn't have to win in order to grow. Up until the Regiment de Cuisine, Megumi was a meek student weighed down with self-doubt. After making friends with Soma Yukihira, she learned to stand up for herself, and she put up a great fight against Ryo Kurokiba in the Autumn Elections.
Later, she faced Momo Akanegakubo of Central, a specialist in desserts, and put all her training to good use. Though she lost to Momo in the end, it still incredible how Megumi was able to challenge an Elite Ten member on her own turf. Her resourcefulness and drive to win nearly rival Soma's own, making her a serious contender in any cooking duel, and she builds off of this to win the BLUE preliminaries in Season 5.
When Azami Nakiri Revealed His Gifting Power to the Audience
Many of the biggest twists in the Regiment de Cuisine battle concern Erina and her father Azami. Their relationship has been defined by fear, control and resentment, but Erina was finally ready to fight for her freedom. In the final match of the Regiment de Cuisine, Erina and her frenemy Soma faced Rindo Kobayashi and Tsukasa Eishi in a 2v2 to decide the entire match.
Erina's dish, inspired by the passion and creativity of all her new friends, packed such astonishing power that it forced the release of Azami's ability: the Gifting. This borderline supernatural phenomenon causes everyone's clothes to fly right off in shockwaves of excitement. Azami didn't like to admit it, but Erina's dish was a creative and happy dish of the highest order, and he couldn't stop himself as he wordlessly expressed his approval via his forceful Gifting. Thus, he deemed Erina's dish better than Central's, and the rebels won.
When Erina Became Free of Her Father at Last
Erina's victory in the Regiment de Cuisine had more than one impact on the story. Not only was Central dissolved and Azami's position of authority shattered, but it also set Erina free from her father's tyrannical grip at last. For years, Erina had been under Azami's thumb, his tool for arrogantly reaching for new heights in the culinary world while deeming everyone else trash.
Erina has had enough, and with her and Soma's victory, Erina broke free of Azami's grip once and for all. She had merely been hiding from him while studying at Totsuki thus far, but this time, Azami was forced to flee in total defeat, and Erina can take control of her own destiny at last. Her future is wide open, and what came next would shock Erina and the entire audience. Erina's about to assume a high office in the culinary world.
When Erina Became Totsuki's New Dean, Replacing Her Grandfather
With Azami Nakiri and his Central organization both gone, Totsuki had a significant power vacuum, and the previous dean, Senzaemon Naikiri, wasn't about to fill it. Instead, Soma Yukihira declared that Erina Nakiri is the new dean, despite her youth and status as a student. Erina could hardly believe what she was hearing, and neither could anyone else.
his was an unprecedented move, but Erina, who secretly found this exciting, accepted the job and declared that Totsuki shall be a school where all student chefs may express their creativity and personality freely in their cooking. Erina made her grandfather proud that day, and this put her in a position of power that would have far-reaching consequences in Season 5. With Erina as Totsuki's dean, Asahi Saiba had more reason than ever to try and marry her, so he could control the mainstream cooking world through Erina and her lofty office.
When Soma & His Friends Reformed the Council of Ten
The Council of Ten's future was also up for negotiation. All of the third-year students were on the cusp of graduation, including Rindo and Tsukasa, and this would leave a few spots open for newcomers. Soma had long since dreamed of joining the Council, and now he and his friends were in the running to become part of this elite body. Soma and his fellows saved themselves from expulsion via their victory in the Regiment de Cuisine and proved their worth at the same time.
Months later, when the third-years graduated, Soma qualified for the Council as the #1 student, and Megumi Tadokoro earned the #10 spot. Alice Nakiri and her friend Ryo joined the Council too, as did Akira Hayama and Takumi Aldini, Soma's rival. These friends, along with older Council members such as Nene Kinokuni, are all ready to lead Totsuki into another great year of culinary education.
