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Kept reading 'Kitchen' today, and I noticed that food is apparent in everything. When Eriko is murdered about halfway into the story, and Mikage tries to remember the last time she saw Eriko, she remembers through food. Food is the medium which people relate and interact with one another, as it is only through food that Mikage can develop her sense of voice and convey her emotions to other people. The only way Mikage can express her love for other people is to cook for them, and prepare delicious meals. When she moves out of the Tanabe's home and lives alone, she is said to have lost weight, because Mikage's food is representative of her love and ability to form relationships with other people. Hence, when she has no longer anyone to cook for, her food loses its meaning and she no longer puts as much effort into making it.
When Mikage confronts Yuchi for the first time after Eriko's death, Yuchi asks Mikage to cook him "a professional dinner. " She enthusiastically decides to prepare "a dinner to end all dinners. " Their way of connecting is through food, and even though it is obvious now that they are more than friends, neither of them is willing to admit, or is able to express, their feelings for each other. However, after the dinner, Yuchi is the first to admit that he has missed Mikage, suggesting that the bond between them is growing, and that they are gaining the ability to express their feelings without the need of material culinary objects and food. However, Yuchi also says that it was food that told him to contact Mikage when they were apart, as "the food, too, was giving off light, like the telephone ," telling him to call her. Here the reader can see that for Mikage and Yuchi, the method of communication between them for the time being will still remain food. Mikage's love and affection for Yuchi also effects her apetite, as the first day she is away from Yuchi, she has trouble eating. Despite being on a trip to try new foods, she cannot stomach any of the food presented to her. This connects with what Yuchi says later through the story, "Why is it everything I eat when I'm with you taste so delicious? " It appears that Mikage and Yuchi are each other's food and sustenance, where they provide each other with food, comfort and love. Eventually, Mikage finds a restaurant with 'Katsudon' that she finds extremely delicious, and she decides to order a serving and deliver it to Yuchi. This is the hugely significant final act of the story where Mikage and Yuchi are finally able to connect with one another as a proper couple without reliance on food as a method of expression.
When Mikage confronts Yuchi for the first time after Eriko's death, Yuchi asks Mikage to cook him "a professional dinner. " She enthusiastically decides to prepare "a dinner to end all dinners. " Their way of connecting is through food, and even though it is obvious now that they are more than friends, neither of them is willing to admit, or is able to express, their feelings for each other. However, after the dinner, Yuchi is the first to admit that he has missed Mikage, suggesting that the bond between them is growing, and that they are gaining the ability to express their feelings without the need of material culinary objects and food. However, Yuchi also says that it was food that told him to contact Mikage when they were apart, as "the food, too, was giving off light, like the telephone ," telling him to call her. Here the reader can see that for Mikage and Yuchi, the method of communication between them for the time being will still remain food. Mikage's love and affection for Yuchi also effects her apetite, as the first day she is away from Yuchi, she has trouble eating. Despite being on a trip to try new foods, she cannot stomach any of the food presented to her. This connects with what Yuchi says later through the story, "Why is it everything I eat when I'm with you taste so delicious? " It appears that Mikage and Yuchi are each other's food and sustenance, where they provide each other with food, comfort and love. Eventually, Mikage finds a restaurant with 'Katsudon' that she finds extremely delicious, and she decides to order a serving and deliver it to Yuchi. This is the hugely significant final act of the story where Mikage and Yuchi are finally able to connect with one another as a proper couple without reliance on food as a method of expression.
