Jun Shiomi is the pint-sized prodigy and spice expert of Tōtsuki Culinary Academy. A former Elite Ten Council member and alumna of the Polar Star Dormitory, she is now the youngest professor at Tōtsuki, heading the Shiomi Seminar. Jun’s fascination with spices and their culinary applications has made her an invaluable resource for students and chefs alike. Despite her professional accolades, Jun’s youthful appearance and quirky personality often lead others to mistake her for a junior high school student.

Jun serves as a mentor to Akira Hayama, her adoptive ward and assistant, whose practical mastery of spices complements her encyclopedic knowledge. Together, they revolutionize the art of seasoning and flavor profiling, making their seminar a hub for culinary innovation.

Personality & Appearance

Credits: J.C. Staff

Jun’s personality is a blend of intellectual curiosity, humility, and comedic quirks. Despite being a brilliant academic, her self-esteem is surprisingly low, often leading to endless apology loops, especially in the presence of similarly timid individuals like Megumi Tadokoro. Jun is also hilariously scatterbrained, frequently relying on Akira to keep her grounded, whether it’s tending the spice plants or reminding her to eat properly.

Her physical appearance is deceiving—standing at just 151 cm with a youthful face and petite build, Jun looks far younger than her actual age. She often ties her hair into a high ponytail and wears square-shaped glasses. Her casual attire consists of a spice-themed T-shirt and track shorts, though she dons a lab coat when in lecture mode.

Jun’s relationship with her former dormmates is a mix of fondness and exasperation. She harbors a grudge against Jōichirō Saiba for subjecting her to countless failed dishes during their student days, a trauma she humorously projects onto Sōma when she learns he is Jōichirō’s son.

Powers & Abilities

Jun Shiomi’s expertise lies in the realm of spices, with her academic approach to cooking shaping her reputation as Tōtsuki’s "Authority of Spices."

• Encyclopedic Knowledge of Spices: Jun’s deep understanding of spices, their origins, chemical properties, and culinary uses, makes her an unmatched expert in her field.
• Mentorship: As Akira Hayama’s mentor, Jun’s theoretical knowledge provides the foundation for Akira’s practical success in spice-based cuisine.
• Polar Star Alumni Talent: Jun’s admission to the Polar Star Dormitory with flying colors showcases her natural culinary abilities, even if her cooking prowess is less emphasized in the series.
• Former Elite Ten Member: Though her exact seat is unknown, her past position in the Elite Ten highlights her extraordinary skills and contributions to Tōtsuki.

Trivia

• Jun is so youthful in appearance that she’s often mistaken for a middle schooler despite being in her 30s.
• She harbors a comedic grudge against Jōichirō Saiba for traumatizing her with his failed dishes during their student days.
• Jun’s reliance on Akira Hayama for day-to-day tasks leads to a humorous dynamic where the student often acts as the caretaker.
• Her spice expertise earned her the nickname "Authority of Spices," a title she lives up to with her meticulous research.
• Despite her academic brilliance, Jun can be surprisingly dense, as seen when she punches Sōma without realizing she assaulted a student.