Who Are The White & Black Spoon Chefs? Meet the Culinary Class Wars S2 Contestants

Hot on the heels of the Physical: Asia (and fan-favourite Amotti) hype, the second season of Culinary Class Wars is now on our screens, with a fresh wave of culinary extraordinaires ready to cook up a storm.

The first season of the culinary reality show saw 100 contestants, with 80 Black Spoon chefs pitted against 20 famous White Spoon chefs. Following an intense series of cook-offs and team showdowns, Black Spoon chef Napoli Matfia (Kwon Sung-jun) narrowly edged out White Spoon chef Edward Lee with a lamb and pasta dish to claim the top spot and bag 300 million Korean won (approx. S$291,383 then).

*Spoilers ahead*

When is Culinary Class Wars Season 2 airing

Culinary Class Wars season 2 premiered on Dec 16, 2025 (4pm SGT) on Netflix. And the second season’s switching things up in more ways than one.

Directors Kim Hak-min and Kim Eun-ji explained, “We added one-on-one missions and applied new rules to intensify the class war. Our key guideline was, ‘No elimination rules ever again.’ We focused on creating more exciting and tense missions.”

This season also highlights chefs from a more diverse range of culinary backgrounds, along with Korea’s regional specialties, in an effort to spotlight the country’s diverse food culture and local traditions.

Culinary Class War S2 judges

Chef Anh Sung-jae of the three-Michelin-starred Mosu (it lost its stars in 2025 as the restaurant temporarily closed and relocated), as well as celebrity chef and entrepreneur Paik Jong-won will return as the judges.

Paik Jong-won’s controversy

In 2025, Paik Jong-won’s food company, TheBorn Korea, came under fire for a string of controversies, including accusations of misleading or deceiving consumers about the origins of ingredients and failing to properly refrigerate meat at a local festival.

The 58-year-old offered an apology for the hygiene issues and misleading product labelling, announcing that TheBorn Korea would spend 30 billion won ($27.9 million) in support measures for franchisees suffering financial troubles and reputational damages.

And while Paik has retained his spot on Culinary Class Wars, he did not join Netflix’s press conference for the launch of the second season.

The White Spoon chefs

From famous Michelin-starred chefs and legendary master chefs to a Buddhist nun, here’s the scoop on the new faces entering the fray.

Chef Jun Lee

Jun Lee is the founder and executive chef of the two-Michelin-starred Soigne in Gangnam, Seoul, which opened in 2015. The restaurant specialises in contemporary cuisine that’s rooted in Korean flavours, while drawing on French, Italian and American influences. Subsequently, he launched Doughroom, which showcases artisanal pasta made fresh each day.

He pursued a degree in Culinary Arts from Kyunghee University, then later furthered his studies at the Culinary Institute of America.

Chef Son Jong-won

Son Jong-won helms two one-Michelin-starred restaurants in Seoul: the French-inspired L’Amant Secret and Eatanic Garden, which focuses on Korean flavours given a creative spin.

If you find him familiar, that’s because the 41-year-old has appeared on the popular cooking variety programme Chef & My Fridge. He’s also been affectionately dubbed the ‘good vibes’ chef for his charm and well, good vibes.

Chef Hou Deok-juk

With over 50 years of experience under his belt, Hou Deok-juk is a master in Chinese cuisine and currently helms the kitchen at Haobin restaurant as head chef. His signature dish? Buddha Jumps Over The Wall, which he is credited with first introducing to Korea (Source: Michelin Guide).

In 2024, he was honoured with the Michelin Mentor Chef Award, which spotlights the dedication and influence of mentor chefs who serve as industry role models. In fact, his dishes won praise from Jiang Zemin, the former President of the People’s Republic of China, during his visit to South Korea in 1994.

Venerable Sun-jae

And surprise, surprise, there’ll be a Buddhist nun among the White Spoon competitors. Venerable Sun-jae, recognised as Korea’s first master of temple cuisine (a culinary tradition that originated in the Buddhist temples of Korea), is one of the participants.

In an online interview, she shared that she believes that Buddhist cuisine (which excludes meat and fish, and pungent ingredients) contributes to not only a healthy body but also a healthy mind. With limited ingredients to work with, how does she create dishes that’ll impress the judges? Watch to find out.

Chef Im Seong-keun

Im Seong-keun was the winner of Hansik Battle Season 3 in 2015, and currently runs a YouTube channel where he shares a variety of recipes. On Culinary Class Wars, he confidently declared that he knows over 50,000 sauce recipes. His most-watched video, which showcases his impressive knife skills while cutting a cucumber, has surpassed 10 million views.

Catch the video below.

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He also has quite the backstory. In 2015, his restaurant was tragically destroyed by fire — and during the finals of Hansik Battle Season 3 — that left him with a huge debt. Thanks to his fame from the competition, he later on paid off the debt through TV appearances, a meal kit business and his YouTube channel. On a recent YouTube live, he has mentioned that he’ll soon open a restaurant near Simhaksan mountain, Paju.

Chef Song Hoon

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, a prestigious institution known for its excellent culinary arts education, Song Hoon has worked at restaurants like the fine dining restaurant Eleven Madison Park. 

Although he began his career in fine dining, he now runs a Korean BBQ restaurant called Crown Pig in Jeju, South Korea. The restaurant is known for serving the native Jeju black pork, which is a regional staple. 

Beyond the kitchen, he served as a judge on the fourth season of MasterChef Korea, the competitive cooking reality show based on the British MasterChef series.

Chef Park Hyo-Nam

A veteran chef with 47 years of experience, Park Hyo-nam began cooking in the late 1970s. After his father’s business failed, he left high school and started working to support his family. During his spare time, he also took cooking lessons. His teacher recognised his potential and recommended him for an assistant chef position at a hotel in Seoul. 

He joined the Millennium Hilton Seoul in 1983, the same year the hotel was founded. Since then, he has won multiple awards, such as the World Culinary Contest in Singapore in 1996. 

Known for his expertise in French cuisine, he was awarded “L’Ordre du Merite Agricole” on Jul 24, 2006. This prestigious award was presented to him by the French government to individuals who have contributed significantly to the field of agriculture. 

Later in 2009, German airline Lufthansa awarded him the title of Star Chef. The airline has invited award-winning chefs to design in-flight meals since 2000, and he was selected to create personalised premium menus for passengers travelling from South Korea to Germany.

Chef Jung-Ho Young

Jung-Ho Young is the owner and chef of the Japanese restaurant, Udon Kaden. With more than 20 years of experience, he started his culinary journey in Osaka, Japan, where he learned to cook. During his time there, he gained more than just culinary skills; he also developed an understanding of the country’s language, culture, and eating habits.

His restaurant’s name is also a meaningful one. The word “Kaden” is derived from the name of the cooking lab at the culinary school he attended in Japan. It serves as a reminder for him to never lose the mindset he had while learning there.

He also posts recipes on his YouTube channel. 

Chef Sam Kim

Kim Hee-Tae, better known by his English name Sam Kim, is a South Korean chef and television personality. He specialises in Italian cuisine and is the owner-chef of two restaurants, Trattoria Sam Kim and Osteria Sam Kim. 

Beyond his work as a restaurateur, he has appeared on several variety shows, including Real Men and Please Take Care of My Refrigerator. He also hosted his own programme, Sam and Raymon Cooking Time, alongside fellow chef Raymon Kim. He is a father to one son.

Chef Raymon Kim

Raymon Kim is a Korean-Canadian chef and television personality. He is known for his fusion style, which blends Western cuisine with Korean elements. He was also a cast member of the variety shows Law of the Jungle and Sam and Raymon Cooking Time. 

In 2013, he tied the knot with South Korean actress Kim Ji-woo. They welcomed a daughter in 2015, and she often appears on his Instagram page.

Chef Chun Sang-hyun

As the former executive chef to the Blue House (also known as Cheong Wa Dae), Chun Sang-hyun previously cooked for the country’s presidents. His career there spanned over two decades, during which he took great pride in preparing three daily meals for the president and the first lady. He has described this period as both honourable and deeply fulfilling.

Chef Choi Yu-gang

Choi Yu-gang is a Michelin-starred Korean chef and the co-founder of Kojacha, a restaurant known for its blend of Korean, Japanese, and Chinese cuisine. The restaurant opened in 2020 and earned a Michelin star in 2022.

The name “Kojacha” is a playful one, combining “Ko” for Korean chefs with “ja” for Japanese and “cha” for Chinese cuisine.

Chef Jennie Walldèn

Born in Gwangju, South Korea, Jennie Wallden is a Swedish TV chef, restaurateur and cookbook author. At the age of six, she was adopted by a Swedish family and moved to Kristianstad. 

In 2013, her husband encouraged her to apply for the cooking competition series MasterChef Sweden. She participated and went on to win the show. In October 2015, she and her husband opened Namu, a Korean fusion restaurant in Malmö. Less than a year later, in early 2016, the restaurant received a mention in the Michelin Guide Nordic Countries, and the following year it was awarded a Bib Gourmand, which recognises restaurants that serve high-quality food at reasonable prices.

She has two teenage sons with her husband.

Chef Shim Sung-chul

Born and raised in the Korean province of Jeollanam-do, Shim Sung-chul grew up cooking in his family’s kitchen for large gatherings and parties. He attended culinary school in Seoul, where he participated in an externship at the Hyatt Hotel. In 2005, after serving in the military, he moved to Utah to learn English before relocating to New York City to further his education at the Culinary Institute of America. He went on to work in various acclaimed restaurants, including Le Bernardin, Per Se, Morimoto, and Neta in Greenwich Village.

In 2006, Shim worked on the line at Aureole and Peacock Alley at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel before becoming chef de partie at Gordon Ramsay in The London Hotel. He joined the three-Michelin-starred Per Se in 2009 and stayed for more than two years. In 2014, he was hired as executive chef of Neta, where his 19-course Japanese tasting menu earned two stars from The New York Times.

In Oct 2019, he opened his first solo restaurant, Kochi, which offers a nine-course tasting menu of Korean skewered dishes, blending his formal culinary training with the Korean food he grew up with. Later on, he rolled out his second restaurant, Mari in Hell’s Kitchen, featuring a menu of street food-inspired Korean hand rolls. His latest restaurant, Hwaro, opened in Oct 2025.

Chef Lee Keum-hee

Little is known about Lee Keum-hee except that she’s Korea’s first female executive head chef of a five-star hotel.

Chef Kim Sung-woon

Kim Sung-woon hails from Taean, a county in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea. He is the owner-chef of a Michelin one-star restaurant called Table For Four, which specialises in “Local Dining” made with fresh ingredients from his hometown, which is known for its clear seas, unpolluted soils, coastal flora, tidal flats, coasts, and white sand.

His culinary journey began after spending three years working in a restaurant. The experience made him hungry to learn more, and he started having bigger dreams. While training in the kitchen of the now-defunct fine dining restaurant Palais de Gaumont in Seoul, he fell in love not only with cooking but also with the entire world of restaurants — from ambience and service to great ingredients, nice kitchens, and wine. With this growing passion, he became determined to expand his skills and devote himself fully to the craft.

Although he has been inspired by many people, the chef who influenced him the most is Thomas Keller of The French Laundry. As a young culinary student, he was deeply moved by Keller’s work. Reading Keller’s book for the first time felt like a new world opening up, revealing how much more there was to learn. Chef Thomas Keller’s philosophy and cooking style are still a source of inspiration for him till today.

He named his restaurant Table For Four because, in Korean, the phrase literally means “a dining table for close relationships”. The number four also represents the members of his family. He wanted the name to evoke the warmth and welcome of a family gathered around a table to share a meal. Although the restaurant originally had four tables, it now has six. Despite the spacious setting, each table still feels private and cosy, creating the sense that guests are being invited into his home in Taean.

Since his cuisine is rooted in showcasing Taean’s local flavours, he focuses on introducing the region’s produce. His goal is to take guests on a gourmet journey to Taean by showcasing and explaining how these ingredients are harvested and prepared at the restaurant.

Chef Kim Geon

Kim Geon is the owner-chef of the one-Michelin-starred restaurant, Goryori Ken. With the restaurant’s intimate setting, the main bar only has eight seats, allowing patrons to watch as the chef prepares the food. The restaurant is also known for its extensive varieties of sake in Seoul, South Korea.

Chef Kim Hee-eun

After graduating from Sejong University, Kim Hee-eun’s journey into the culinary world began in her early twenties when she transitioned from studying ceramics to pursuing her passion for cooking.

Her cooking style is a combination of both Italian and modern Korean fusion, and she enjoys sharing her expertise through cooking classes and food styling workshops at her cooking studio. 

She is also the owner-chef of the one-Michelin-starred restaurant, Soul, which she runs together with her husband, chef Yoon Dae-hyun.

Hidden White Spoon chefs

Chef Kim Do-yun

Recognised for his appearances in Season 1, Kim Do-yun returns this season as a hidden white spoon. He is the owner of Yun, a one-Michelin-starred restaurant in Seoul. Following the success of Yun, he opened a second restaurant, Myeon Seoul, which was featured in the Michelin Bib Gourmand in the 2025 Guide for offering great quality food at reasonable prices.

Initially, he was hesitant to participate in the show, as he felt that chefs are not entertainers and questioned whether a Michelin-starred chef should join a reality show. He considered declining the offer, but his girlfriend encouraged him to take it on. Ultimately, he decided to take the plunge and participate in the show.

Choi Kang-rok

Choi Kang-rok is another familiar face from Season 1 who returns to the show this season. He decided to come back because he felt he had not fully showcased his capabilities previously, and this season offers him the opportunity to present a different side of his culinary skills.

A decade after winning MasterChef Korea 2 in 2013 and helming his restaurant Neo, which closed in 2024, he shared that cooking no longer brings him joy. Instead, he has found comfort beyond the kitchen and now documents his culinary journey through writing. He released his first recipe book, Choi Kang-rok’s Cooking Notes, in 2023, followed by his second book, Cooking for Life, in 2025. He also hosted the Netflix cooking show The Blank Menu For You and was a featured chef on Chef & My Fridge.

He runs a YouTube channel called “Ultra Taste Diary”.

The Black Spoon chefs

Culinary Monster (Lee Ha-sung)

He might be a Black Spoon Chef but Lee Ha-sung aka Culinary Monster has a powerhouse resume under his belt. Previously based in Yountville, California, Lee Ha-sung worked as a sous chef at The French Laundry, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant. Prior to joining The French Laundry, he worked in New York at the Korean fine-dining restaurant Atomix. He also previously served as a chef de partie at Geranium in Copenhagen, Denmark, where he primarily worked in the seafood section, including vegetarian offerings. During his time there, Geranium ranked No. 19 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list and earned three Michelin stars for two consecutive years. He has also worked at Gramercy Tavern in New York.

His culinary experience is further supported by an associate degree in culinary arts from the Culinary Institute of America.

Brewmaster Yoon (Yoon Na-ra)

This pub owner has certainly gained fans with her culinary skills and humble personality, edging out many other famous names to become one of the few remaining Black Spoons. With over 10 years of experience in brewing alcohol, Yoon Na-ra owns Haebangchon Yunjudang, a popular traditional Korean pub (jumak) in Seoul’s trendy Haebangchon area. She has also published a Korean cookbook, Makgeolli Recipes for All Four Seasons, which features more than 20 seasonal makgeolli recipes, as well as over 10 recipes for clear rice wine and soju.

She is married with a son who just turned one. 

Annyeong Bonjour (Mathieu Moles) 

Originally from South Korea but adopted to France at the age of six, Mathieu Moles embraces both sides of his identity, blending Korean influences into French cuisine to create dishes that are uniquely his own.

He currently runs a restaurant with his Korean wife called Chez Nous, meaning “our home”. The name reflects the couple’s desire for guests to enjoy a warm, hearty meal in a homelike setting. While the meals are homestyle, diners are often pleasantly surprised, as the dishes are far from ordinary. Chef Mathieu’s menu features authentic French creations, including fresh scallop carpaccio and steak tartare with truffle emulsion, showcasing his extensive experience as an executive chef at major restaurants and hotels in France.

Dweji-Gomtang in NY (Ok Dong-sik) 

Ok Dong-sik owns a restaurant bearing his name, with six locations across Seoul, Tokyo, New York, Honolulu, Paris, and Los Angeles. Translating to “a single-item restaurant” and “a restaurant where everyone dines together”, Okdongsik was founded in Seoul in 2017, serving the Korean comfort dish dweji gomtang (traditional Korean soup, typically slow-cooked with meat, bones, and offal). Since 2018, it has been featured in the Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand. With its growing popularity, the restaurant expanded globally, opening its first New York City location in 2022 following a successful four-month pop-up.

Before launching the restaurant, Ok Dong-sik completed a comprehensive four-year culinary arts programme at Kyung Hee University and honed his skills through diverse experiences, including working in an airline’s inflight catering division, at the Korean embassy in Côte d’Ivoire, and as a head chef at a prestigious hotel in Korea.

Barbecue Lab Director (Yoo Yong-wook)

Yoo Yong-wook owns two barbecue restaurants, Yoo’s Barbecue Lab and Imok Smoke Dining. Although he did not formally study culinary arts and previously worked as an office worker, he has always been drawn to barbecue and meat. Despite being relatively new to the culinary scene, his restaurants are often fully booked months in advance.

He has been married for nearly 12 years with two kids, a daughter and a son.

Rebellious Genius (Lee Chan-yang)

Lee Chan-yang was the former sous chef at the two-Michelin-starred restaurant Soigné, where he also worked under White Spoon chef Jun Lee. What’s with his name? He has a penchant for concocting experimental dishes that may raise more than a few eyebrows. He is currently the head chef of Original Numbers, a fine-dining restaurant that serves many creative, high-quality dishes, paired with a wide range of wines.

Banchan Wizard (Lee Si-yeon) 

Just like his moniker suggests, Lee Si-yeon is the team leader of Onharu, a subscription service for an array of banchan (side dishes). This concept is developed by its parent brand and restaurant, Onjium, a one-Michelin-starred restaurant.

The side dishes prepared by Si-yeon and his team use recipes passed down by noble families from different regions of South Korea. It features seasonal ingredients, natural flavourings and sauces that are slowly fermented with time and care. Some of these banchan include doenjang (soybean paste) and gochujang (red pepper paste). The dishes are delivered to subscribers twice a month, and each delivery includes three to four side dishes and a soup that’s enough for two people to enjoy for two or more meals.

Boss In The Kitchen (Kim Ho-yoon)

Kim Ho-yoon oversees several restaurants, including The Italian Club, located in the Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Hotel & Serviced Residences. The restaurant is renowned for its high-quality Italian cuisine and exclusive dining experience. He also owns Ice Cream Society, an American-style artisanal ice cream chain with three outlets across Seoul.

He started a YouTube channel in 2024.

Fan Master (Kim Tae-woo) 

A notable chef recognised for his authentic Japanese-style grilled eel (and his unique way of fanning the grill, hence his pseudonym), Kim Tae-woo owns Tokyo Babsang, a restaurant along the coast of Busan. The restaurant has been featured in the Michelin Bib Gourmand for its excellent quality and value.

He started running a YouTube channel in 2024.

French Papa (Tommie Lee) 

Tommie Lee is the chef-owner of the renowned Parisian-style bistro Bistrot de Yountville, which first opened in 2009. Since 2019, the restaurant has been consistently listed in the Michelin Guide.

Although he is a renowned chef, his appearance on the show was an admirable one, as it was motivated by his son, Jae-jin, who is on the autism spectrum and can’t express himself well. Although he is physically 12, his developmental age is around four.

Tommie spent much of his time abroad seeking treatment and support for his son, so Jae-jin did not know that his father was a chef. By participating in the show, he wanted to show his son what it’s like to be a chef while also raise awareness about less visible developmental disabilities.

Iron Arms (Park Ju-sung)

One of the competition’s most inspiring figures, Park Ju-sung, revealed on the show that he lives with a rare and incurable condition that causes muscle loss in his right hand. Despite this challenge, he refuses to let the disease define him. His decision to join the competition was driven by a desire to inspire others with similar conditions and show that people living with disabilities are just as capable.

He is also the owner-chef behind the restaurant Sobajuu and offers creative Japanese dishes using buckwheat as the main ingredient. Employing various cooking techniques, each course showcases different textures and flavours of buckwheat. Some dishes include self-made soba rolls with tuna and seaweed sauce, along with French-style buckwheat pancakes called galettes and grilled fish. The restaurant is also featured in the Seoul Michelin guide.

Knife Omakase (Shin Hyun-do)

He is the owner and chef of Monologue, Menshoku, and Hikarimono Starfield Avenue Gran Seoul, all of which are Japanese restaurants based in Seoul.

Little Tiger (Kim Si-hyun)

A student of White Spoon chef Kim Hee-eun, Kim Si-hyun pursued her culinary education at the Korea Culinary Science High School. After graduating, she joined the InterContinental Seoul COEX, where she was in charge of the breakfast section of the VIP lounge. She later moved to Kwon Sook-su, a two-Michelin-starred Korean restaurant, where she was responsible for preparing soybean paste, pot rice, and banquet tables and learnt the fundamentals of Korean cuisine, including kimchi and pickled vegetables.

She then worked at the one-Michelin-starred restaurant Bicena and the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Gaon.

Although she had hoped to gain overseas experience in New York, she didn’t manage to go due to visa issues. Seeking a fresh start, she joined Solbam, a one-Michelin-starred restaurant, where she is currently working.

Loner in A Hole In The Wall (Kim Sang-hoon)

True to his name, Kim Sang-hoon runs a hole-in-the-wall bar entirely on his own. At Dokdo 16 Celsius, he creates an array of dishes designed to pair seamlessly with traditional Korean alcoholic beverages.

Perfect Match (Park Ga-ram)

Park Ga-ram, the executive chef of Dresden Green, is a graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA). She further honed her culinary expertise through work experiences at Michelin-starred restaurants in New York, including Restaurant Daniel, Le Bernardin, and Eleven Madison Park. She also previously served as the head chef at Choi. Currently, she oversees Dresden Green, where she presents refined and delicate dining experiences.

Seoul Mother (Woo Jung-wook)

An owner of a popular restaurant called Superpan, Woo Jung-wook has been conducting cooking classes in Daechi-dong and Dongbu Ichon-dong for 25 years.

Her culinary journey started when she was inspired by her mother, who was born and raised in Seoul and served six to seven banchan (side dishes) in every meal when Woo was young. Her mother’s carefully prepared banchan boasted high quality and was well presented on the table.

Woo is currently running four fusion hansik (Korean cuisine) brands — Superpan, Gazigagi, W-gukbap, and Superpan Deli — and has taken on an advisory role for leading restaurants at home and abroad, starting with Cafe Tolix in 2011, Yido ‘Cera’s Mano’ in Cheongdam-dong, Pub & Grill 1925 in Jamsil Lotte World Tower, and Brown 60 in Shanghai, China. She also published cookbooks “Good People, Happy Cooking”, “Superpan Woo Jeong-wook Recipes”, and “Anju & Banju”.

Three Star Killer (An Jin-ho)

An Jin-ho studied at the Culinary Institute of America before working as a chef de partie at the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Per Se in New York, USA, from 2013 to 2019. He later served as cuisine chef at Monsieur Benjamin in Seoul from 2021 to 2023 and has also gained experience as a sous chef at the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Mosu — which is also where he worked under Culinary Class Wars’ judge Anh Sung-jae.

Witch With A Wok (Lee Moon-jung)

Specialising in Chinese cuisine, Lee Moon-jung is currently working as a chef in the executives-only lounge at Geumryong, also known as the Golden Dragon. The Cantonese-style restaurant is located at the Grand Walkerhill Seoul Hotel and serves some of the finest contemporary Cantonese cuisine.

She has also been running a YouTube channel called Chinese Witch Lee Moon-jung TV since 2020.

This article was originally published on Dec 1, 2025, and updated on Jan 6, 2026.