Ryuji Gives an "Honest Verdict" on Six Prepared Foods Made with Belc, from Prototype to Mass Production

The first product is "Ryuji's For-Real (Maji) Tonkatsu," a remake of Belc's best-selling individually sold tonkatsu, brought closer to Ryuji's recipe. According to the buyer in charge, it is modeled on the "tonkatsu that stays delicious even after sitting in a bento box for a while" that Ryuji introduced in a video, and the batter contains a generous amount of egg. Ryuji explains that a fluffy coating made by mixing in egg is a hallmark of their batter.

The prototype served at the meeting had been fried about five hours earlier. Ryuji remarked that five hours is quite a long time, but after one bite was surprised: "It's so crunchy." Ryuji judged that it works as is. When Ryuji asked whether it could be mass-produced, the answer was that they were still working it out with the factory.

Later, a version designed for mass production was served. It had been processed at the factory up to the raw stage, fried in-store, and left for four hours. Ryuji prefaced the tasting by saying that cooking in a small kitchen and mass-producing in a factory yield completely different flavors, so the judging had to be strict, and then was impressed that it stayed crispy even after time had passed. The buyer explained that, in addition to the panko, adding egg to the batter kept the meat's moisture from migrating into the coating.

At the event itself, Ryuji recommended garlic ponzu with this tonkatsu. Drawing laughs with "You might think I'm a Belc shill, but I already am one, so go ahead and think that," Ryuji said that among the store-bought tonkatsu Ryuji knows, this one is top-tier. One guest said they had gotten a piece with a lot of coating and that this actually made it better, and Ryuji responded by encouraging everyone to savor how good the coating is.

The second item is a marinated salmon bowl. It uses two kinds of salmon: fatty belly (harasu) and regular flesh. Based on Ryuji's recipe, they also tried to reproduce the oyster sauce and a slight touch of heat. The rice is sushi rice, which Ryuji agreed is the right choice when topping it with sashimi.

Ryuji praised how well the flavor had soaked in, but suggested that eating the whole bowl might get monotonous, so something refreshing like pickles would be welcome. On hearing that customers can take pickled ginger (gari) freely at the store, Ryuji asked them to write on the POP display that people should grab some. Ryuji also said wasabi would definitely go with this bowl, and that the best way to eat it is to switch up the flavor with the included wasabi. Since wasabi cuts the fat of the belly, Ryuji asked wasabi lovers to add it. Ryuji's view was that you don't often see a salmon bowl like this among supermarket prepared foods, so it may be a direction unique to Belc.

The third item is "A Feast! For-Real (Maji) Pork Shoulder Roast Yakibuta." The person in charge reportedly owns all of Ryuji's books and chose a chashu recipe that uses oyster sauce and requires only marinating and roasting. This time, the marinating time was extended, and pork shoulder loin was used.

Seeing the prototype, Ryuji got excited just from the look of it and raved that it was like chashu bought from a butcher shop. Ryuji added that since it is hard to roast a whole block of meat in an oven at home and get this kind of char, there is a real reason to buy it as a prepared food.

In the mass-production version adjusted for the factory, it became a combination of arm meat and shoulder loin. Ryuji pointed out frankly that the previous one seemed fattier and that this one probably fell short of it. Ryuji also said that this sort of thing happens with large-batch cooking. The person in charge explained that the actual product would contain a mix of fattier and leaner portions. Even so, Ryuji judged that the flavor was spot-on: "This is delicious."

At the event, Ryuji emphasized how exceptionally well the flavor had soaked in. Ryuji's own chashu recipe prioritizes saving time, but this product is flavored all the way through, giving it a different kind of appeal from Ryuji's recipe. Ryuji called it a personal favorite among the six. When a guest asked that it be sold as a New Year's dish, Ryuji agreed that it would be nice to have something for New Year's that can be eaten cold.

The fourth item is a corned beef and cucumber bowl named "Infinite Loop." The person in charge is said to love this recipe, and Ryuji was amused that they had picked one of Ryuji's early recipes.

On the prototype, Ryuji said that while it was delicious, the corned beef used was different from Ryuji's own, so the seasoning should be adjusted. In particular, Ryuji wanted sesame oil. According to the person in charge, the original recipe included sesame oil, but it was hard to mix in at the factory. Ryuji said it would be extremely delicious if people drizzled sesame oil on it. Ryuji also remarked that corned beef is so expensive now that Ryuji had stopped making corned beef recipes, yet this bowl is loaded with it, making it "a dream food."

In the mass-production version, sesame oil, the earlier sticking point, was added. Ryuji said it was just as delicious as before and approved moving forward as is. At the event, Ryuji introduced it as something for people who like junky food. When a guest said they wanted to buy corned beef and challenge Ryuji with their own arrangement, it was announced that 340g corned beef in green and yellow packaging was sold in the store. Ryuji, who had thought it wasn't sold there, said they would buy some on the way home.

The fifth item is "Delicious!! For-Real (Maji) Chicken Thigh Karaage." The person in charge says the beer karaage in Ryuji's book The Great Chicken Guy was so good it moved them. However, because beer cannot be brought into the factory for certain reasons, sparkling water was used instead.

This, too, had been fried five hours earlier. Ryuji ate it while saying, "I've never thought store-bought karaage was any good," and explained that using sparkling water keeps it crispy even when cold. According to the person in charge, factories are reluctant to use carbonated ingredients like sparkling water, but they managed to win them over. Ryuji's assessment was that the flavor is very good, but not as bold as Ryuji's own karaage, leaving room to pair it with something. Ryuji said it was good that it allows for a range of ways to eat it, such as sprinkling on spices.

Regarding the mass-production version, the person in charge reported that bringing sparkling water into the factory was a high hurdle but they somehow made it happen, and that they had also adopted ingredients Belc had not used before. Ryuji was delighted that it was still crunchy and said that if they could deliver this, Ryuji could think supermarket karaage is delicious too. At the event, a guest commented that the salt and spice flavors stood out more than soy sauce, making it seem good for bento. Ryuji agreed that since it is delicious even cold, it suits bento.

The final product was one that had remained homework until the very end. The initial idea was to turn Ryuji's namero into a rice bowl. Ryuji noted that while the flavor matched Ryuji's namero, the fish pieces were large. The person in charge replied that it would taste better chopped more finely, but due to raw material constraints, they weren't sure how far they could go. Ryuji then suggested that since this flavor comes from chopping, it might be better to make it a Western-style negitoro bowl instead.

And so the product became a Western-style negitoro bowl. According to the person in charge, because the reaction at the previous tasting had been lukewarm, they added olive oil to the sauce and included lemon so it would look Western and make the lemon flavor easy to imagine. Ryuji judged it better than before. However, Ryuji added that because it is toro, there is inevitably a smell, which bothered Ryuji, and that it would be even better with more pepper added or with pepper sprinkled on when eating.

At the event, Ryuji emphasized how good the lemon's acidity was. There was also an explanation that the spices and olive oil mask the fish's characteristic aroma with Western-style aromas. When a guest who really dislikes tuna said they wouldn't have known it was tuna if no one had told them, Ryuji was delighted and said that comment should be used as the product's advertising copy. The host summed up that all six items had received high marks.

The second half is a segment on arranging some of the six items at home. Ryuji prefaced it by saying that everything is simple to cook, so anyone can do it if they jot it down.

First is katsuni made with the tonkatsu. Cutting the onion against the grain helps it cook faster. The amount is up to you; a pinch or so is enough. Over medium heat, add 5 tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon each of soy sauce and mirin, and half a teaspoon of sugar, because katsuni tastes better slightly sweet. You can use Hondashi, but it is salty and makes things too salty, so here Ryuji uses 4 shakes of Ajinomoto. Then add 2 pinches of bonito powder for a dashi-like flavor. Bonito flakes are fine too.

Use 1 egg if making a rice bowl, or 2 if eating it as katsuni. The key point, Ryuji says, is to cut the katsu into bite-size pieces beforehand, because cutting it with a knife afterward is a hassle. When the simmering liquid comes to a boil, add the katsu, and pour in the eggs, beaten only lightly so the whites and yolks remain separate. Cover and cook over fairly low heat until half-set. Put it over rice for katsudon, or plate it for katsuni.

Ryuji explained that the advantage of this method is that it also reheats a katsu that has gone cold after being brought home. Ryuji also said they think katsuni is the best way to eat store-bought katsu. Ryuji loves it so much that they always order katsuni if an izakaya has it. Ryuji joked that the romance of katsuni lies in ruining something that was fried to be crispy by drenching it in broth, but there's no guilt, because it serves to "revive" the tonkatsu. The person in charge, after tasting it, said that because the coating is substantial rather than thin, it is outstanding as katsuni, and Ryuji replied that katsuni isn't good unless the coating is thick.

Next is torimeshi made with the karaage. Cut the karaage in half. You don't have to if it's a hassle, but cutting it looks better. Showing a cross-section, Ryuji pointed out that Belc's karaage has a very high proportion of meat.

Make the sauce in a frying pan. Add 1.5 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon each of sake and mirin, and 2 shakes of Ajinomoto. Ajinomoto supplies umami, so it tastes good even without making dashi. Because there is a fair amount of sugar, heating it thoroughly gives it a thick consistency like a teriyaki glaze. But if you reduce it too much it will burn, so stop when it turns syrupy. Put rice in a bowl, scatter shredded nori, top with as much karaage as you like, pour on the sauce, and add red pickled ginger, and it's done.

The person in charge, after tasting it, praised how well the sweet-savory sauce coated the karaage. Ryuji explained that it is precisely because the karaage's flavor is simple that this sweet sauce works. Ryuji also places importance on how adding just a little effort to a prepared food creates a "sense of having made a dish," and said there is a heartwarming feeling in it for both the person eating and the person serving.

The third is a yakibuta sandwich, made with bread since there had been a run of rice dishes. Spread a little over 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise across both slices of bread. This keeps the lettuce's moisture from soaking into the bread and prevents the sandwich from getting soggy. Since you want some saltiness when eating it with bread, sprinkle on a little umami-rich salt like Ajishio. Then add pre-cut lettuce, or lettuce that has been washed and drained, and as much yakibuta as you like. Ryuji says chashu and mayonnaise go extremely well together.

Once assembled, wrap it in paper towel, folding in the edges like origami. This keeps your hands clean and lets you eat it with one hand, so Ryuji recommended at least remembering this wrapping method. Finally, cut it down the middle with a knife, and the chashu shows prominently in the cross-section. Ryuji said even Japanese-style chashu goes perfectly well in a sandwich, and introduced it as the simplest arrangement, requiring nothing more than putting it between bread.

Next, Ryuji also judged private-brand products that Belc sells with confidence. On the large-portion garlic peperoncino, Ryuji said the noodles were soft but the seasoning was very good. Trying hojicha tiramisu for the first time, Ryuji gave it an A+, saying it wasn't too sweet and that the slight bitterness of the hojicha matched the gentleness of the sponge. As someone who loves sweets, Ryuji found it especially appealing. For the fried cauliflower, Ryuji praised how well-seasoned the coating was and that the cauliflower kept its texture, which is lost if overcooked. Ryuji said it was tasty even cold, but would surely be even better fresh from the fryer, and wanted to try it again freshly fried.

It was then announced that, following this evaluation, the official release of the collaboration products had been decided, and that there would be an advance sale for the attendees.

The video also includes a meeting scene about how the event would be run. Ryuji had understood the day's program to be a public recording of Ryuji presenting the finished, delicious products. But according to Belc's explanation, although Ryuji would taste and judge every product on the day, only the tonkatsu and the salmon would be on store shelves. Releases were split across May, June, and July, and the products from the second wave onward could not yet be purchased.

In response, Ryuji asked whether there was any point in doing it if people would be fed the food but couldn't buy it. When Belc explained that they wanted to hold it as an event announcing the start of the collaboration, Ryuji said that since it was an event inviting customers, it made no sense for them not to be able to buy everything, replying, "That's disrespectful to the customers" and "I can't do such a half-baked event." Even when told that there might be purchase limits, Ryuji demanded that if they were inviting customers, they should prepare enough of everything for every attendee to buy, and that otherwise they should not use Ryuji's name to draw people in. The reason, Ryuji said, was that Ryuji would hate it if they were in the customers' shoes.

At the end, it was mentioned that Ryuji's birthday had been four days earlier, and the audience offered congratulations. Ryuji thanked those who had come after winning the lottery, saying Ryuji had heard many people were unable to attend. Ryuji also remarked that there aren't many events where customers sit and watch for an hour and a half.

Ryuji stated clearly that they turn down work with companies that aren't truly committed. Ryuji took this on because Belc approached it with a genuine attitude of wanting to make something truly delicious together. Ryuji called on the attendees to taste the spirit of making something truly delicious in the products bearing the company's logo and Ryuji's supervision label, and the video ends with Ryuji asking anyone with a Belc nearby to check out the prepared foods section.