Jōichirō Yukihira, originally Jōichirō Saiba, rose rapidly as a teenage prodigy at Tōtsuki Culinary Academy while residing in the Polar Star Dormitory. He claimed the second seat on the elite Council of Ten Masters, secured 101 victories in 121 food wars against friend Gin Dōjima, and dominated the Autumn Selection. He initiated a Régiment de Cuisine against upperclassmen challenging his BLUE invitation, defeating 50 opponents simultaneously through innovative tactics. However, relentless pressure and isolation from his unmatched skill caused severe burnout, leading him to miss BLUE entirely. Advised by Headmaster Senzaemon Nakiri, he dropped out to travel the globe seeking culinary inspiration, yet remained unfulfilled. Returning to Japan, he encountered Restaurant Yukihira and was served a poorly crafted dish by the owner's daughter, Tamako Yukihira. Despite the meal's quality, her genuine passion for bringing customers joy through food inspired him. He joined the diner, married Tamako, adopted her surname, and revitalized the menu by blending his international expertise with homestyle cooking. They had a son, Sōma Yukihira. Jōichirō balanced diner life with occasional international culinary work until Tamako's death when Sōma was twelve. He then focused solely on raising Sōma and running the restaurant, processing grief through their shared love of cooking. At the diner, Jōichirō trained Sōma through nightly cooking duels, amassing 489 consecutive wins. He emphasized resilience, creativity, and overcoming pressure, exemplified by his hand-clapping technique to restore focus during crises. His teaching stressed that cooking must "satisfy customers' hearts," pushing Sōma to relentlessly refine even simple dishes. During a corporate attempt to seize the diner, Jōichirō closed the restaurant and enrolled Sōma at Tōtsuki, believing formal training would help him surpass his own skills, reflecting his philosophy that growth requires broader challenges. Unbeknownst to Sōma, Jōichirō mentored another protégé: Asahi Saiba, an orphan he met during U.S. charity work. He taught Asahi cooking during visits, eventually granting him the Saiba surname. When Jōichirō ceased traveling after Tamako's death, Asahi grew jealous and resentful, later joining Noir and targeting Tōtsuki to claim Erina Nakiri. Jōichirō also profoundly influenced Erina during her childhood; after cooking for her when she was hungry during a meeting with Senzaemon, he inspired her culinary aspirations by promising to taste her dishes once she became a great chef. In later years, Jōichirō supported Sōma during Tōtsuki conflicts, including Azami Nakiri's takeover. He revealed his past to Sōma during the Regiment de Cuisine arc, contextualizing his burnout and the importance of finding purpose through cooking for others. During the BLUE tournament, Asahi defeated Jōichirō and stole his prized knife, escalating his rivalry with Sōma. Jōichirō advised Sōma that true culinary greatness stems from dedicating dishes to someone specific, a lesson rooted in his own redemption through family and mentorship. After BLUE, he disclosed his history with Tamako to Erina and Hisako Arato and reconciled with Asahi after the latter's connection to the Nakiri family was uncovered.