We all know who Sanji is from One Piece, but just like most of the other members of the Straw Hats, Sanji had a role model early in his life who shaped his ideology and outlook on life. In Sanji's case, the leader of the Cook Pirates, Zeff, saved Sanji's life and taught him how to become a leader and how to fight. In this article, we will talk about how Zeff lost one of his legs in the series.

After Zeff's pirates attacked the cruiser Sanji was working on as a kitchen assistant, a storm sank both ships. Zeff saved Sanji's life, and they were stranded on a piece of rock without food or vegetation. They had some rations with them, and Zeff gave them all to Sanji (which the boy didn't know at the time). Sanji thought Zeff had kept most of the food for himself and tried to steal it, but he discovered that Zeff's bag was full of treasure. He then realized that Zeff had given him all the food, and at some point, to avoid starving, Zeff had cut off his leg and eaten it to survive. This happened in chapter 57 of the manga, which is also episode 26 of the anime.

The story we're about to tell you will, of course, center on Zeff, but we'll also note that it's connected to Sanji. Zeff wasn't the kindest of mentors, but he was proud and noble, a pirate who would rather risk his own life than deprive a child of food. And this article will show that. Of course, there will be some spoilers, so be careful how you approach this article.

Zeff cut off his leg so Sanji could eat all the food they both had.

Now that Zeff is a character we haven't written much about here, allow us to tell you a little about his past and how he even met Sanji. More than twenty years before the beginning of the story, Zeff founded the Cook Pirates to find the All Blue and became a notorious pirate. Ten years later, Zeff entered the Red Line with his crew, where he wrote a journal in which he recorded what happened during the voyage. After a year in these waters, he returned to the East Blue.

Nine years before the story begins, his crew attacked the Orbit, from which Zeff ordered the seizure of money and valuables. One of his subordinates pointed out that a storm was coming, to which he replied that he had noticed. At that moment, he noticed a bag filled with food among the looted items, so the pirate in charge claimed he did it because he was hungry.

Zeff then kicked him over the ship's wall, causing it to collapse. He then grabbed him by the head, telling him that he had always said never to steal anything edible.

At that moment, Sanji, believing he was near death, attempted to attack Zeff with kitchen knives. Zeff declared that if he wanted to die, he would oblige, so he kicked him. The boy then bit his leg, claiming that his dream was to find the All Blue. Zeff fought him off. At that moment, one of his subordinates told him that the storm was worse than they expected, so Zeff ordered everything loaded onto the ship and left.

However, a wave threw Sanji overboard, so the pirate jumped into the sea after breaking a mast of the Orbit to cling to it. He managed to rescue Sanji, with whom he was shipwrecked on an island. Two days later, the boy woke up and Zeff revealed that his ship had likely sunk due to the wreckage surrounding it. He pointed out that the island lacked vegetation and animals, with rocks overlooking the sea. He then told Sanji that they would probably starve to death, asking if this made him cry.

The boy dismissed the idea and said that when it happened, it was his fault and that he would kill him for it. Zeff then told him not to scream. Otherwise, he would kill and eat him. He then added that they should wait for someone: if they were lucky, they could leave the island the next day. If they were unlucky, they would become skeletons.

He then left all the food brought by the waves to Sanji, to whom he told that if he ate it in moderation, it would be enough for five days; but he lied to him, making him believe that in his own enormous bag there was even more food, when there were only precious objects and stolen loot.

Sanji, in fact, objected that his ration was at least three times larger, to which Zeff replied that an adult's stomach was different. He added that they should help each other, stating that he should thank him for sharing the food but should not expect pity.

Zeff then told Sanji that they should each take a side of the island and that if he saw a ship, he should warn him. Without any food, Zeff, while Sanji wasn't looking, cut off his leg and ate it to survive. Sixty days after using up all his food, Sanji joined him, so Zeff asked him what he had come there for and if he had seen any ships. The boy discovered what was in his bag, so Zeff pointed out that it was ridiculous to have treasure but starve to death.

Sanji noticed Zeff feeding on his leg, so he told him he could no longer be a pirate, which he confirmed. He revealed that he had saved him despite the boy's intention to kill him, as they both had the same dream. When Sanji pointed out that his crew didn't believe in the existence of the All Blue, Zeff declared that they were wrong and urged the boy to take the Grand Line.

He also said that without companions, he didn't want to continue being a pirate and that in his life he hadn't been able to eat many times, but that if he survived, he would open a restaurant to feed anyone who needed it. Shortly after, they were rescued by a passing ship and Zeff decided to keep his promise. To do this, he opened the Baratie, a place that became famous for the quality of its cuisine and its fighting chefs.