Aren't you just saying that they are supposed to use their free time for innovation and bettering themselves, either in clubs or on their own? Simply taking the official lessons and practice isn't a sure way to survive the school. They should all know that, so it's perfectly valid.

Those "do it right or fail" experiences make them develop a mindset that allows them to break out of quite likely tight spots they might face later in their professional life. Of course it's vastly exaggerated here, but this is a shounen series. In any case, like Soma puts it, you have to serve something to the customers and you can't keep them waiting infinitely. If a sudden tight spot paralyses you, it's all over. That wasn't Megumi's problem during the exam earlier, but it almost was during this shokugeki.