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| ▲ Chefs Edward Lee (from left), Triple Star, Jeong Ji-seon, "Yorihaneun Dora-i," Chef Jang Ho-jun, "Imokase No. 1," Choi Hyun-seok, and "Napoli Mafia," cast members of Netflix's "Culinary Class Wars," pose for a photo at a press conference for Culinary Class Wars: Culinary Class War held in Seoul on Oct. 7, 2024. (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Oct. 7 (Yonhap) -- "When I first received the offer to join the show, I naturally assumed it was as a judge," said Choi Hyun-seok, ChoiDot Chef, during a press conference for Netflix’s original show 'Culinary Class Wars: Culinary Class War' (hereafter 'Culinary Class Wars') on the 7th.
"But they told me I’d be a challenger. So, I asked the PD why I had to join as a challenger, and he said, ‘It’s much cooler for you to compete as a challenger, Chef,'" he added.
The show features the eight remaining chefs who survived through to the later stages. They shared their reasons for joining and behind-the-scenes stories.
Choi Hyun-seok explained, "Sometimes, I receive harsh criticism for making new and unconventional dishes. Through 'Culinary Class Wars', I gained confidence that I am on the right path. I’m grateful that this program has brought more attention to the Korean culinary scene."
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| ▲ Chefs Choi Hyun-seok (from left), Jeong Ji-seon, Jang Ho-jun, and Edward Lee, cast members of Netflix's Culinary Class Wars, pose for a photo at a press conference for Culinary Class Wars: Culinary Class War held in Seoul on Oct. 7, 2024. (Yonhap) |
Jeong Ji-seon, owner-chef of T and Mimi, shared her initial hesitations about joining: "I had many concerns when I was first approached. As an owner-chef, with many employees watching me, it’s easy to think that losing would be embarrassing. But I believed that working hard and fighting through challenges would serve as a good example for my staff."
Edward Lee, a Korean-American chef who won Iron Chef America, also shared his thoughts: "Participating in cooking competitions is a very demanding experience, so I vowed never to do it again. But I was deeply honored when I was thought of for this large-scale cooking contest in Korea, which made me decide to join."
'Culinary Class Wars' is a 12-episode series featuring 100 renowned chefs competing for the top spot. With its final two episodes set to be released on the 8th, the show has generated buzz for its dynamic matchups between 80 'Black Spoon' chefs—lesser-known yet skilled culinary talents—and 20 'White Spoon' chefs, who are renowned chefs or masters with prestigious titles. The program has captivated viewers with its compelling contestants, dramatic personal stories, star-studded lineup, and grand-scale production.
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| ▲ Chefs Choi Hyun-seok and "Napoli Mafia," cast members of Netflix's Culinary Class Wars, pose for a photo at a press conference for Culinary Class Wars: Culinary Class War held in Seoul on Oct. 7, 2024. (Yonhap) |
In a recently aired episode, 'Napoli Mafia' (real name Kwon Seong-jun), a 'Black Spoon' chef, was the first to secure a spot in the final round. The remaining seven contestants will compete in the semi-finals for the last spot in the final round.
Regarding his advancement, 'Napoli Mafia' remarked, "Honestly, I thought it was the expected outcome, though I couldn’t be too sure given the strong competitors still in the running."
Directors Kim Hak-min and Kim Eun-ji, who helmed the show, also attended the press conference, addressing viewers' questions and highlighting key moments to watch out for.
Director Kim Hak-min expressed his thoughts on the 2nd round results, where 22 chefs were split evenly into 11 'Black Spoon' and 11 'White Spoon' competitors, and later into 4 versus 4 after the 4th round. "That was one of the most disappointing moments for me," he admitted. "From the production team's perspective, it would have felt more 'real' if the numbers were uneven. But it was an outcome that we had no control over, so we had to accept it."
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| ▲ Directors Kim Hak-min and Kim Eun-ji of Netflix's Culinary Class Wars pose for a photo at a press conference for Culinary Class Wars: Culinary Class War held in Seoul on Oct. 7, 2024. (Yonhap) |
Director Kim Eun-ji explained the design of the challenges, saying, "We aimed to explore various aspects of taste, focusing on how well each contestant could highlight the main ingredient, create flavors that the general public loves in large-scale cooking, and prepare dishes that people would want to buy."
She also hinted at the intense upcoming semi-finals, titled 'Infinite Cooking Hell', describing it as the most fiercely competitive round yet. "The chefs described it as 'tasting the flavor of hell,' and it will undoubtedly be the highlight of the show," she added.
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