Ep 1. The Vast Wasteland

Food Wars is a Japanese anime series premiered on April 3, 2015, in Japan. The show revolves around a young teen named Soma Yukihira who aspires to become a professional chef like his father. The anime series focuses on the battles between the top culinary schools in Japan and their skilled students.

The first episode of Season 1 is titled "The Vast Wasteland." The episode introduces Soma Yukihira, who runs a small family restaurant alongside his father, Joichiro Yukihira. The restaurant is frequented by Soma's friends and regulars, who testify to the restaurant's extraordinary food quality. An opportunity arises for Joichiro to expand his culinary knowledge by traveling abroad and learning new cooking techniques.

However, this leaves Soma to manage the restaurant alone. Soma's existence is disrupted when he is informed of the news that his father Joichiro is closing down their restaurant. Disappointed and furious, Soma challenges his father to a cooking competition with the condition that he will shut down the restaurant only if he loses.

To Soma's surprise, his father agrees to his challenge, and the next day he is taken to Tokyo, to an elite culinary school, Tootsuki Culinary Academy. Soma is surprised by the class and the atmosphere of the school, where the students are not just ordinary cooks but rather the cream of the crop from around the world. The students are led by the school's top ten students, who are the best of the best.

Soma is confident in his abilities, but this confidence is soon put to the test. Soma is assigned to Polaris Dormitory, a low standard dorm, where he is quickly subjected to a battle between the dorm's top-notch chefs, who are owners of high-end restaurants and the challengers from the dorm who want to unseat them from the top ranks.

The war is intense, and every dish prepared represents their culinary prowess. Soma realizes that he is not in a safe haven, but rather in a battleground where only the best survive. But this only fuels his determination to become better and learn from the best.

During this episode, we are introduced to many characters and their personalities, including Megumi Tadokoro, Soma's neighbor in Polaris Dormitory. Megumi is shy and introverted, and Soma sees that she needs help with her cooking, so he decides to lend her a helping hand. We also meet the school's top ten students, including Erina Nakiri, the queen of cuisine and the granddaughter of the school's founder.

Although the first episode focuses on introducing characters and the school's environment, it still manages to engage the audience with the intense cooking battles, suspense, and Soma's determination to become a better chef.

In conclusion, the first episode of the Food Wars season 1, "The Vast Wasteland," does an excellent job of introducing us to the show's world and its characters. It sets the stage for an exciting journey filled with battles and personal growth for Soma and his peers. The first episode of Food Wars is a must-watch for anyone who loves anime or culinary arts.