Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill is a unique addition to the Isekai 2023 Winter line-up, which follows the typical Summoning trope, but with a tasty twist! When Tsuyoshi Mukōda suddenly materializes in a strange medieval world alongside some other prospective heroes (who are clearly more fitting for the part), he is unceremoniously disregarded as useless and paid off to make himself scarce.
Mukōda hires a group of adventurers and starts his travels, completely unaware of how lucrative his special skill truly is, which involves this bizarre, almost paranormal activity known as "online shopping," whatever that may be. While combining cooking themes with comedy and adventure may seem quite outlandish, other anime series have followed a similar formula, producing a variety of entertaining results.
7 The Way Of The House Husband
Removing the Isekai aspect of Campfire Cooking (while keeping the humor and shopping expertise) will lead viewers to the "Immortal Dragon" Tatsu's door. Where this ex-yakuza boss once dominated the streets with his fists of fury, his handiwork now focuses on efficiently maintaining a household, a job in which he takes much pride.
Wasting money while grocery shopping is a big no-no in Tatsu's books (and Mukōda has no room to argue in this regard!) Preparing the perfect meals for his beloved Miku is the highlight of his day, and this mobster-turned-househusband has honed his talents at assembling mouth-watering meals worthy of any anime foodie's attention.
6 Farming Life in Another World
Another newcomer to the Winter 2023 lineup focuses more on the pre-cooking stages of mealtimes; however, Machio Hiraku does have to navigate around his make-shift outdoor "kitchen" from time to time. Although he doesn't seem to get as hungry as before his Isekai experience, Hiraku still needs to deal with food prep, and he happily takes the audience through a step-by-step tutorial on how he gets things done.
Strangely enough, Hiraku's freshly grown produce miraculously sprouts out of the ground without seeding first, so he has no idea what ingredients he has to work with. By assessing the properties of each plant, this farming enthusiast figures out the appropriate cooking method for these otherworldy foods, which thankfully resemble his hometown commodities.
5 Kakuriyo -Bed & Breakfast for Spirits
When innocent humans keep finding their way onto the ayakashi menus, Aoi Tsubaki takes it upon herself to feed any spirit in need before they take out their ravenous frustrations on unsuspecting victims. Unfortunately, her kindness becomes the catalyst for being transported to the hidden realm, where she is forced into servitude to pay off her grandfather's debts.
Unable to find any work within Tenjin-ya Inn, Aoi finds solace in a friendly kitsune, who suggests she opens up an eatery. Well accustomed to feeding ayakashi, the young human girl reluctantly agrees and soon becomes a big hit, as patrons swear her food has restorative properties (not unlike Mukōda's invigorating meals.)
4 Rising of the Shield Hero
While this anime may not be about cooking, Naofumi Iwatani certainly knows what it feels like to be summoned to another world, only to get immediately cast aside due to his "inadequate and worthless" skills. In much the same way as Mukōda, Naofumi goes on to prove everyone wrong by turning his supposed weaknesses into assets, subsequently becoming one of the most overpowered heroes around.
The lonesome Mukōda initially hires his traveling companions; however, their camaraderie suggests this will become a long-term mutual friendship (payment-free.) Naofumi also spends a pretty penny to start out his party with Raphtalia, who evidently loves tagging along with her new master, who feeds and clothes her, and refrains from (mis)treating her as "the help."
3 Restaurants To Another World
When the supernatural world gets a taste of Japanese-Western-fusion cuisine, they simply can't get enough! Too bad the secret doorway to Yōshoku no Nekoya is only open once a week (on Saturdays); however, those lucky enough to visit this enchanting establishment get to add an unforgettable experience to their taste buds and memory banks.
Thankfully, the Chef in charge has some helpful hands in Aletta, the demon girl, and Kuro, the Dragon God, who attentively serve their patrons with charm and grace. Each meal served is scrumptiously animated and accompanied by a rich paranormal backstory in a stunning medieval setting.
2 Cooking Master Boy
This old-school anime is very similar to Campfire Cooking in Another World but with a more dramatic tone, as Liu Mao Xing takes his dream of being the Supreme Master Chef very seriously indeed. The party of colorful adventurers has come to rely on this young prodigal chef's finely prepared meals during The Era of the Cooking Wars (although they are quick to complain when their last pennies get spent buying recipe books!)
Attempting to follow in the footsteps of his mother, the Fairy of Cuisine, Mao adds to his already well-established culinary skills while traveling through the mystical lands of fictional Imperial China, from Guangzhou and beyond. Mao's main goal is to make his mother proud by taking over her esteemed restaurant, and feeding some friends along the way, of course!
1 Toriko, the Gourmet Hunter
When the combination of Isekai and cooking reaches the peak of absurdity, it's time for the infamous Gourmet Hunter to take the reigns as he explores the palatable otherworldy realms looking for fresh new flavors for his Full-Course Meal. Teaming up with the Straw Hat Pirates is always a good place to start, although satisfying both Luffy and The God of Glutton, Toriko's colossal appetites (and later, Goku, too) is an immense task indeed!
Thankfully, Toriko is rather experienced at this whole "hunting mythological animals for the next meal" situation, while his keen knowledge of an assortment of supernatural ingredients ensures that his party is always well-fed. Finding Divine food sources for his specialized Menu is the ultimate goal while keeping them out of the Gourmet Corp's villainous hands is the cherry on top!