Hiroe Higuchi (48) is executive chef at one of Japan's leading hotels. Her food was served to great acclaim at the Ise-Shima G7 summit. The restaurant's mainstay dish is abalone but stocks are low; Higuchi decides to create a new showstopper, but it's a tough task. As the hotel's first female head chef she faces a variety of battles while leading a team of 80 and shaping new traditions.