Goro Inagaki makes a bold approach to Ryuji, a cooking expert who is a self-proclaimed fan of the Atarashii Chizu members (laughs). "We haven't met eye-to-eye yet."

■ Goro Inagaki, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, and Shingo Katori appear in “Nanani Underground Abema” episode 28, which is a food terrorism episode! “It’s so delicious!” (Goro Inagaki)

Goro Inagaki, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi (the official spelling of “Nagi” is “Bow” with the old character “Sword”), and Shingo Katori appear on the regular ABEMA program “Nanani Underground ABEMA”. On June 2nd, a program titled “Food Terrorism Barrage! Strongest Buzz Recipe Special” was broadcast.

The guests are Bayashi, a cooking influencer who boasts an astounding 54 million followers on social media, Kenty Kento, who has been making waves with his recipes that can be made using just a hot plate, Kasumi Moai, a cooking researcher and registered dietitian who has gained popularity for her healthy recipes that can be made with few ingredients and a minimum number of cooking steps, and Ryuji, a popular cooking researcher whose cookbook has sold over 1.5 million copies.

He introduced 30 recipes that are currently popular on social media, which are not only tasty and visually appealing but also entertaining so that everyone can enjoy them, and also treated the Nanani members to some of the popular dishes.

As various topics popped up, Ryuji, who is an avowed big fan of Inagaki, Kusanagi and Katori, decided to serve them original dishes that had been requested by the three of them in advance. Katori ordered a breakfast recipe that won’t make you fat even if you eat it before bed, Kusanagi ordered a high-protein lunch recipe after exercise, and Inagaki ordered a dinner recipe that goes well with his favorite wine. Ryuji made egg and tofu porridge for Katori and oyster roasted pork with chicken breast for Kusanagi, which earned high praise from the two, who said, “That’s great!”, and he smiled happily.

When it was finally Inagaki’s turn, Ryuji announced that he would make “Western-style Negitoro”. When asked why, he explained, “I think Inagaki has eaten a variety of foods that go well with wine, so I wanted him to try something that would show him, ‘Oh, so this is an approach!'” and then, like a culinary expert, he started cooking skillfully. Inagaki, who loves wine, was skeptical, saying, “I’ve never paired Negitoro with wine,” and “Would this go with white wine or red wine?” But Ryuji surprised Inagaki by starting the plating process just two minutes after the cooking started.

Ryuji finished cooking in just five minutes, and Inagaki said, “We haven’t made eye contact yet, have we?” Ryuji looked embarrassed, saying, “Goro-san is the one who makes me the most nervous,” and “My face is turning red.” Inagaki then gently put his arm around Ryuji’s shoulder, and the two of them got closer like lovers. Ryuji blushed even more at this surprise, saying, “I’ve been watching you since I was a kid…” and “You’re so cool,” and then he started to ask, “Can I just ask you one thing?”

As the attention of the studio gathered, wondering what kind of question would pop up, he asked, “Do you usually drink wine at home while eating snacks?” Inagaki was taken aback by the question, which was way above his expectations, and quietly muttered, “Yes…”, which caused the Nanani members in the studio to burst into laughter, as if to say, “Is that what you really wanted to ask?”

Afterwards, Inagaki, who had tasted Ryuji’s homemade Western-style negitoro in the studio, exclaimed, “It’s so good!” and praised it highly, saying, “I’ve loved wine for almost 30 years and have enjoyed pairing it with all kinds of food, but this is the first time I’ve ever tried it!” Ryuji commented, squint-eyed with joy, “I’m going to buy some Burgundy Chardonnay to take home today.”

The program, in which the Nanani members feasted on popular recipes from popular cooking influencers, is currently being streamed on ABEMA.

In the next episode of “Nanani Chika ABEMA” #29, which will be broadcast on June 9th, the guests Moa Kasumi and Inagaki, Kenty Kento and Kusanagi, and Bayashi and Katori will pair up to have a serious cooking battle to create buzz. Which pair will emerge victorious?