Masaru's mother

All the staff that had gone to Tabemono, immediately trembled when they noticed Azami.

"Not that crazy woman. Passing her class was near impossible," Itsuki shuddered.

"I didn't even take her class, but that didn't keep her from intruding into other classes," Matcha groaned.

"Even then, all it took was her to be in charge of a class for a day for her to break you. That spartan terror turned me and my whole class into sobbing baldies," Zuina shuddered.

"You got mowed by the mower? Then you were one of those baldies she paraded through the school?" Waki nervously asked.

"Yes, it was humiliating, but also terrifying. That spartan terror ended up subbing our fruit and vegetable class and gave us an impossible challenge. Well, impossible for any that aren't gourmet elites. Those students passed relatively easily, but the rest of us failed horribly. And if you fail in Azami's class, she shaves your head and eyebrows on the spot and forces you to walk through the school with a "failure" sign hanging on your neck."

"Tis quite spartan indeed. Her aim was likely to instill fear and convert those to the gourmet elite ideology. Well, I naturally was able to be spared her terror with my talents much to her dismay," Benihime boasted.

"Passing her class or a class subbed by her was possible, but difficult if you didn't adhere to her absolute demands, and even then, her methods were still quite spartan. Even some hardcore gourmet elites ended up doing the bald march of shame due to failing to meet her standards, at least in her main class anyway," Itsuki stated.

"So that's why you all were so scared. She doesn't sound that bad though. I had instructors that tried to kill you for real during tests and training," Mimi stated.

Everyone froze in shock as Mimi collected the dish to bring to Azami.

"Hope that satisfies her," Rika sighed as she wiped away the sweat on her brow.

"M- Mother was always so strict. Worse than father at times," Masaru trembled.

"Never knew that bitch was your mother. Looked way to young and always told us to call her "Azami-sensei" so I just assumed that was her surname."

"So you didn't know you had beaten and humiliated my mother back then?"

"No, though that would likely explain why you began to look at me seriously as a chef," Rika said as she began to reminisce...

3 years ago...

"Really now? You dare to question me when it comes to cooking big game?" Azami snickered as she stroked her long black hair.

"Yeah, I bet I could slice that beef much cleaner and thinner than you can," Rika smirked.

"So you dare to challenge me? Very well. A rebel like you needs to be made an example of."

                                                                          ...

Students gasped and murmured as an angry hairless Azami stormed down the hallway. Her sneakers emitted loud squeaks while the "failure" sign hanging around her neck clunked around with each step. Tears welled up in her eyes and her face went flush red as she rubbed her freshly shaved smooth bald head.

"That little bitch! How dare she humiliate me in my own class! The hell did she even slice her beef so clean and thin!? I've never been able to do that ever! Now I can't even scowl properly without my eyebrows! And how dare she wax me with honey while giving a lecture on its beauty properties. She's dead for that!" Azami fumed in her mind.

She then noticed a young Masaru glaring at her.

"The hell are you glaring at me for!?" Azami shouted.

Masaru immediately went pale and trembled upon realizing he was staring at his mother.

"M- M- Mo- MOTHER!? Y- You were beaten!?"

"Rika Komachi. That's the stalk you need to cut down. Don't you dare fail or I'm shaving you on the spot," Azami glared as she stormed away.

"Rika Komachi? If I remember correctly she made that fine dish despite rejecting Makihara-sama's ideals. If she's capable of besting mother in her own proficiency, she must be a chef worthy of challenging," Masaru thought.

Back in the present...

Mimi laid the dish before Azami.

"Thinly cut, and I ordered him to cook it. That fallen child is going to be shamed," Azami thought as she began eating in a polite manner.

"Wow, I thought you'd eat it all barbarian like," Mimi smiled.

"And just who are you? You're the only one here I don't recognize," Azami glared.

"Codename: Laks, though everyone calls me Mimi."

"Laks? Salmon laks? Are you a specialist in seafood?"

"Nope, sweets."

"Then why the hell are you naming yourself after fish!?" Azami fumed as she stood up.

"My codename was assigned to me! That's how it works," Mimi cried.

"Then whomever assigned it needs to be disbarred from cooking."

"No need for that, they're probably dead by now," Mimi somberly stated.

"Good, the world-"

"DON'T INSULT MY DEAD FRIENDS! I mean, I guess the head of the agency wasn't technically my friend, but we were on the same team. Don't insult them!" Mimi tearfully glared.

Azami simply shrugged Mimi off and continued eating.

"Wow, you really are a cold woman," Harumi stated as she entered the restaurant.

"You're back again? What now?" Azami glared.

"Just came back to see if you were enjoying the place," Harumi snickered.

"YOU FAT TIT BITCH!"

"Oh? Jealous of my super melons? Or is the fact that I beat you every time for the "Milf that's hot enough to pose as my older sister" award every year? Or both?"

"EVERYTHING! I HATE YOU!"

"And the dish you finished?"

Azami glared as she noticed she had cleaned the plate.

"Stress eating. Waitress! Bill me now!" Azami ordered.

Mimi quickly delivered the check to Azami. As Azami paid and began to leave, she was stopped by Rika.

"So you grow out your hair, or is it a wig? Though more importantly, how was your meal Miss Gourmand?" Rika snickered.

"This is my real hair, second it was terrible," Azami huffed.

Rika then tugged on Azami's hair.

"OW! The hell!?" Azami glared as she swung her fist back.

Rika dodged and released Azami's hair.

"Huh, guess you were only lying about the meal then," Rika smirked.

"Bullshit. I truly despised it," Azami glared.

"Why?"

"Because you made it."

"Both me AND Masaru made it. So what about the taste and presentation did you hate?"

"___. I hate that you made it," Azami glared as she left.

"So it was not good enough to overwhelm her words," Masaru sighed.

"Nah, she liked it. She was only letting bias consume her," Rika stated.

"Bias can corrupt taste," Harumi warned as she ordered some meals to go.

"She is correct Rika, my mother's taste pallet is greatly effected by how she feels towards the chef. If she has misconceptions or ill will, the dish's taste will diminish. She also does stress eat at times when she's extremely flustered," Masaru stated.

"So she's a tough customer then. Well, I guess even back then, she hated my dish, but the judges gave me the win. Guess she'll be a bit harder to please than Makihara, but I welcome the challenge," Rika grinned.