#vandelay

chai is named after a drink brewed from black loose-leaf tea, its flavors being enhanced by milk and spices and herbs. By himself, Chai is a still a force of nature to be reckoned with, but is unable to reach his full potential.

peppermint is an herb that is often infused in chai. Peppermint the character's role is often to temper the main protagonist and rein him in. But with time they bring out the best potential in each other.

cinnamon is also an ingredient used to spice up chai tea. Being a psych-AI, CNMN helps Chai grow out of his selfish, attention-hog personality into a capable and caring leader. CNMN is also a notable enabler of Chai's antics.

macarons are a dessert, not an ingredient, but do pair very well with tea and cinnamon flavors. Macaron is capable on his own but is still highly team-oriented and is helped along by CNMN. He frequently complements (and compliments, heheh) Chai while helping the team along in their endeavors.

korsica I believe is named for a family of herbs that include thyme, oregano, mint, and so forth. Given all the varied applications of such herbs, it does fit with the personal crisis that Korsica the character experiences in her character arc, and being forced to pick a side between Vandelay and Team Defect. When Chai finally wins her over, her role is similar to Peppermint in that she helps him along but also serves as a voice of reason to rein him in a little.

Finally, we have the rest of Team Vandelay sans Korsica. Kale is named after a bland, leafy vegetable. Rekka is named for a type of spicy ramen. Zanzo is named for a brand of sparkling water. Mimosa is an expensive drink. And finally, Roquefort is a type of blue cheese. As far as the culinary metaphor goes... I'm no expert, but I think these foods all pair terribly LOL. Which fits because as both a team of villains and corporate officials they uh... mesh badly. Kale is always browbeating the heads of department, Zanzo and Roquefort are always directly at odds, Rekka and Mimosa make snipes at eachother, and poor Korsica barely feels like she belongs.