Mister Ajikko (1987)

An animated adaptation of the cooking-themed manga series "Mister Ajikko" (1986-1989) by Daisuke Terasawa. At age 14, Youichi Ajiyoshi has become the head chef of his family's restaurant which mostly attracts working-class people. The businessman Genjirou Murata dominates the restaurant industry in Japan, and realizes that Youichy is a prodigy in the field. He gives an opportunity to Youichy to face the experienced chef Yoshio Marui in a contest over how to best prepare Italian dishes, and Youichy outperforms the veteran chef. Youichy spends the rest of the series in a succession of cooking battles to face direct challenges from other chefs, or to win cooking tournaments. Due to his sense of pride, Youichy never backs down from a challenge, even when the risks would be greater than the potential benefits. The anime adds a subplot about Mitsuko Yamaoka, a part-time teenage waitress who is in love with Youichy and goes out of her way to help him. Due to his workaholic tendencies, Youichy does not realize that she does not see him as a mere friend.