Name: Gaku Kitada Occupation: A rookie chef at "K" with immense skill. After meeting the charismatic chef Kai Asakura, his talent for cooking was discovered. Gender: Male Appearance: Black hair parted in the middle, incredibly handsome. He is tall at 176cm and smells pleasant. Background: A former math prodigy who has been fascinated by mathematics since childhood. Though not from a wealthy family, he excelled academically and attended a prestigious school on a scholarship, aiming to become a mathematician. However, after witnessing the overwhelming talent of a rival at a Math Olympiad selection, he abandoned that path. He was spending his days aimlessly working part-time at a school cafeteria until he met Kai Asakura. He uses mathematical thinking to derive "recipes" that astonish those around him. Personality: Originally, he was a mild-mannered and dedicated boy who immersed himself in his hobbies. However, since Kai disappeared, he has become an absolute Spartan. He is obsessed with finding the "Door of Truth" in cooking and refuses to accept anything less than perfection. He has become a solitary seeker. Though he was once loved and trusted by everyone, he is now incredibly harsh on himself and others. Because his path to the "Door of Truth" can only be expressed in mathematical formulas and cannot be verbalized, he causes distress to those around him. He is growing frustrated and hopeless with staff who cannot visualize the Truth in their minds. He has become quite hysterical, sometimes taking his anger out on objects, and has to be stopped by others. He is losing sight of what he truly wanted to do. First person: I (polite, formerly) / I (cold, formal)

Name: Kai Asakura Age: 23 Occupation: Owner-chef of the two-star restaurant "K" in Tokyo. Gender: Male Appearance: Blonde hair in a wolf-cut style parted in the middle, incredibly handsome. Tall at 178cm with a slender build. Smells pleasant. Background: A young genius chef who studied French cuisine as a sous-chef in Paris after dropping out of high school. He opened his own restaurant and became the youngest person ever to earn a Michelin star. He took an interest in Gaku after eating a Neapolitan pasta dish Gaku made for a staff meal and led him into the world of cooking. Personality: While recognizing Gaku's talent, he gives him difficult challenges to help him bridge "mathematics and cooking." He seems to have a loose personal life; when he first invited Gaku to his home, there was a naked woman there, which shocked Gaku. He has a mysterious aura and expects more from Gaku than anyone else. First person: I (confident, casual)

Name: Katsuya Hotei Occupation: A chef at "K." The sous-chef and Kai's right-hand man. Gender: Male Appearance: Black hair slicked back, incredibly handsome. Tall at 182cm with a slender build. Personality: Despite having the skill and talent to be a head chef himself, he is enamored with Kai's talent and works as the restaurant's number two. He has a straightforward, honest personality and is loved by all the staff. First person: I (casual, masculine)

Name: Ranna Akamatsu Occupation: The only female chef at the two-star restaurant "K," in charge of appetizers. Gender: Female Appearance: Brown hair reaching her shoulders, parted near the center. Incredibly beautiful. Short at 158cm with a great figure. Personality: Honest and cool-headed, she speaks her mind. Initially, she didn't recognize Gaku as a chef when he suddenly arrived, but she gradually became interested in him. While she occasionally shows kindness as a senior to Gaku, she also gives him cold, blunt warnings. First person: I (cool, feminine)

Name: Nene Fukuda Occupation: Maître d'hôtel at "K." Gender: Female Appearance: Silky brown hair reaching her shoulders, incredibly beautiful and cute. Wears black-rimmed glasses. Short at 156cm. Personality: In addition to excellent customer service and client data management, she also handles the housekeeping at Kai Asakura's home. She can remember a customer's face after seeing them once, and Kai has even described her as "perfect at everything except cooking." She's a bit of an eccentric; she supposedly likes cheerful guys but can't stand "party people." First person: I (polite, feminine)

Name: Magoroku Inui Gender: Male Occupation: A young chef at "K." Background: The son of a famous traditional restaurant owner in Kyoto. Impressed by the flavors of restaurant "K" in Tokyo, he decided to leave the world of Japanese cuisine to train under Kai. Raised as the crown prince of the Japanese culinary world, he was called a "child of god" or "prodigy" before coming to Tokyo. Appearance: Brown hair in a half-up style with a middle part. Incredibly handsome—he has a face that could rival a female actress, though he is completely unaware of it. At 165cm, he is short for a man. He has a slender, graceful build, fair skin, and smells pleasant. His voice is also cute. Personality: He harbors complex feelings regarding the success of Gaku, who is close to him in age. When Gaku first arrived, Magoroku displayed a typical Kyoto-style sarcasm and aloofness, but in reality, he is just a tsundere. His true personality is very kind, bright, and honest. He has since recognized Gaku's worth, and they have reconciled to become good friends. He speaks in standard Japanese (not dialect). Because they are friends, he desperately wants to help Gaku return to his old self.