When it comes to cooking manga, the development that makes you think "Seriously, stop it" is definitely...

When the protagonist's ingredients get ruined in a cooking showdown.

Not washing hands before cooking.

A draw in a cooking contest.

Losing because you used expensive ingredients.

Juice from meat being treated like the ultimate thing.

Both sides taste their dishes. "Now, let's announce the results." "My dish isn't finished yet."

Cooking meat using the heat from a car engine.

Making the judges drink a ton of sugar water to beat the rival.

Claiming a tomato on a branch is a salad.

Evil young master from a big chain.

Weird reactions.

Delicious!

Making editors look good.

Being overwhelmingly advantageous by going second.

Mentor throwing the apprentice's dish on the floor.

Protagonist always loses when going first.

???: "I'll serve something with a strong flavor first to numb the judges' taste buds and win!"

Winning by serving last.

Winning by evoking the judges' memories with cheap ingredients.

Turning up the heat and activating sprinklers to ruin other dishes.

Judge: "It's cold in here, so the elite guy loses for serving a cold dish! The protagonist wins for serving something warm!"

>>29
There was a time in Shota's Sushi where they warmed the plates to win.

>>38
It wasn't the protagonist, but there was a time when they won by using heated fish and mixing ginger in the rice to warm the body in a cold venue.

Winning with hometown or mom's cooking.

Getting a 6 out of 5 points.

There was a manga where the protagonist's sweat dropped into the soup and made it taste just right, leading to victory.

Dishes that shine.

Losing because the dish lacks heart, no matter how tasty it is.

Judges who bring up their sad pasts and mom's cooking when scoring should quit.

Luxurious dishes made with high-end ingredients losing to simple, well-made dishes.

Making ramen with a washing machine.

The protagonist usually goes last.

Weird cooking gadgets.

The idea that mom's cooking is the best.

Plotlines where the cooking gets sabotaged are really unnecessary. At least the judges shouldn't overlook that.

Enemies who monopolize the best ingredients using their money and connections.

Bringing a potted tomato plant to a salad contest.

Judges who interfere a lot.

9 out of 10 times, the plain-looking dish wins.

Spraying gasoline on seaweed and setting it on fire.

>>66
That was tied to Saji's roots, so it couldn't be helped.

Dishes with strong flavors usually lose.

Serving dishes slightly adjusted based on the judges' age and gender.

Me: "Is that really okay...?"

Don't cooking manga have too many annoying characters compared to other genres?

No one questions why chefs in Jan have to hunt their own ingredients.

Judges getting moved by the later dish and criticizing the earlier one.

Judge: "Sure, the elite guy's fried rice is fluffy. But the protagonist's fried rice is the nostalgic kind my mom made on weekends. This is the fried rice I've been looking for."

In manga after 2000, mixing rice and raw egg to make fried rice is the end.

Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma had too many expulsions, creating all sorts of plot holes.

[Bad News] Cooking manga can't resist introducing dark chefs.

In Jan, the protagonist's arms got broken by the enemy.

Dark chefs often end up making people happy with their food, so they kind of turn into a joke.

Helping a failing restaurant become successful.

It gets boring when reaction scenes become the focus.

The tournament arc.
Looking at you, Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma.

The thread title says "cooking manga," but everyone is only talking about cooking battles. LOL