Oishinbo

Synopsis

Chef Okaboshi creates a nabeyaki udon dish for Yamaoka, Kurita and Tōjin Tōyama and he credits the famous gourmet, Mr. Takaragi, for its success. Okaboshi's younger brother Ryozo arrives, and reports that he met Ms. Fuyumi at the ski resort. Okaboshi then tells the story of how he met Fuyumi while training to be a chef. He asked her to marry him, and they opened a restaurant together, however, the restaurant did poorly. One evening, they had an important reservation, but the client cancelled. Okaboshi used the expensive top quality ingredients to make a special nabeyaki udon for Fuyumi. That night Takaragi arrived late and was so impressed by the dish, that he returned regularly with his friends and the restaurant prospered. Okaboshi finishes his story by telling how Takaragi died, the restaurant was destroyed by fire and Fuyumi left, leaving Okaboshi who blamed himself for his poor luck. Ryozo then explains that Fuyumi told him that her previous husbands had died, and she blamed herself for bringing bad luck to Okaboshi. Yamaoka and Kurita take Okaboshi to the ski resort where they catch Fuyumi at the railway station just before she leaves. He takes her to a restaurant where he orders a dish of plain udon, saying that it is as empty as his heart. They are happily reunited, and the Touzai staff all have their New Year's Udon at Okaboshi's restaurant.

(Source: Wikipedia)