.svg){kind=small}
Explore the ultimate guide to the chefs and restaurants featured on Netflix's "Culinary Class Wars." All About Seoul introduces you to over 30 chefs and their signature dishes, making it easy for food lovers to discover the best of Korean cuisine. Perfect for adding a culinary adventure to your Seoul travel itinerary!
Source: Netflix Korea
Netflix Korea has captured global attention once again with its new survival show, Culinary Class Wars ("흑백요리사"), showcasing Korea’s top culinary talents.
Featuring 100 chefs—80 "black spoon" (흑수저) chefs and 20 "white spoon" (백수저) chefs—the competition has been a hot topic among food lovers worldwide.If you’re interested in K-Food and the culinary scene in Korea, All About Seoul (AAS) has already featured a number of Korean fine-dining restaurants on our website.
Make sure to check it out if you’re interested in knowing more about Seoul’s foodie scene.
Not only are we bringing you all of the latest information on Seoul and everything it has to offer, but All About Seoul is your go-to when it comes to all things K-medical tourism and planning medical tours for aesthetic and wellness procedures such as Korean nose jobs and even Korean jaw reduction.
Back on the foodie topic, we have compiled a “Culinary Class Wars” chef list with more than 30 of the contestants from the show and noted their respective restaurants.
Note: This list is in no particular order.
Source: Netflix Korea
Baek Jongwon is debatably one of the most famous chefs in Korea. He is known for being a master of many Asian cuisines and has restaurants and cafe franchises all over Korea. You can even find his ready-to-go meals in convenience stores around the country.
Signature menu: Too many to name (as he has many restaurants specializing in different cuisine).
Restaurant address: Various
Ahn Sungjae was the second host of the show, being renowned for owning the only Michelin 3-Star restaurant in Korea (as of 2024) in the form of the restaurant Mosu.
Signature menu: Abalone Taco
Restaurant address: Temporarily closed - At the moment, the Mosu Restaurant is being renovated and moving to a new location. It will reopen later this year or in early 2025.
Edward Lee is a renowned chef from the United States who owns three different restaurants, namely 610 Magnolia, Succotash Prime, and Nami Korean Steakhouse. He previously won the program “Iron Chef: America.”
Signature menu: Various Korean-American fusion dishes.
Restaurant address: Various
As the winner of “MasterChef Korea Season 2”, Choi Kangrok specializes in Japanese cuisine and owns the restaurant Neo.
Signature menu: Buckwheat Gimbap
Restaurant address: Samjeon-ro 12gil, Songpa District, Seoul
Another of Korea’s top chefs, Choi Hyunseok is the owner-chef of Choi Dot.
Choi Dot is a haute cuisine restaurant that specializes in unique dishes that need no further explanation, hence the ‘dot’ in the restaurant name.
Signature menu: Jang Trio Steak
Restaurant address: 457 Dosan-daero, Gangnam District, Seoul
Source: Gamae Restaurant Official
Ahn Yuseong is a master in Japanese cuisine who owns the restaurant Gamae in Gwangju.
He is included as one of the 16 master chefs in Korea and has even cooked for the presidents of the country.
Signature menu: Omakase Course
Restaurant address: 1104-26 Sangmu-daero, Nongseong-dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju
Affectionately called Chef Fabri, he is an Italian seafood chef who has worked in some of the top restaurants in Italian cuisine.
He currently runs Al Porticciolo 84 in Italy, Fabri Kitchen in Korea, and works as a lecturer in culinary arts in South Korea.
Signature menu: PPP Pasta (cream pasta with beans and ham)
Restaurant address: 23-6 Hangangdaero 15gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
The ‘Queen of Dimsum’ also known as Jung Jisun is a chef who specializes in Chinese and Hong Kong cuisine.
She runs a popular restaurant chain called Tian Mi Mi.
Signature menu: Tomato Soup Noodles, Spicy Cream Shrimp, Dim Sum
Restaurant address:
Tian Mi Mi Gangnam - 143 Saimdang-ro, Seocho District, Seoul
Tian Mi Mi Hongae - 144 Yanghwa-ro, Mapo District, Seoul
Tian Mi Mi Gangnam Instagram | Tian Mi Mi Hongdae
Source: Netflix Korea
Another of the “Culinary Class Wars” restaurants and chefs you should take note of is Chef Bang Kisu.
He specializes in Korean cuisine and he is the owner of the restaurant Gitdeun.
He was the first Korean head chef to get a Michelin star rating in the country.
Signature menu: Seafood Ribs, Seafood Beef Ribs
Restaurant address: 46-5 Wolgye-ro 7na-gil, Gangbuk District, Seoul
Choi Jihyung is the owner of Lee Buk Bang. Lee Buk Bang has the world’s first North Korean sundae course dining menu and has been Michelin star rated for five years.
Signature menu: North Korean Sundae
Restaurant address: 36-1 Mapo-dong, Mapo-Gu, Seoul
Hwang Jinseon is one of the many Korean-Chinese cuisine chefs who stood out on the show. He owns a restaurant called Jinjin.
Signature menu: Menbosha
Restaurant address: 60 World Cup buk-ro 1-gil, Mapo District, Seoul
Chef Kim Doyoon has two restaurants, Yun Seoul and Myeon Seoul.
He specializes in noodle dishes that utilize aging and fermentation methods.
Signature menu: Perilla Oil Noodles, Bracken Whole Wheat Noodles
Restaurant address: 805 Seolleung-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Source: Hotel & Restaurant Magazine
Specializing in French cuisine, Cho Eunju is a chef at a restaurant called Touch the Sky. She has gold medals in the culinary arts, proving the superior quality of her skills.
Signature menu: Seafood Premium Course
Restaurant address: 58th Floor, 63 Building, Hanhwa Finance Building, Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul
Source: Netflix Korea
Jang Hojoon is the CEO of an F&B company called Negi which has a range of different restaurants ranging from bistros to fine-dining restaurants specializing in different cuisines, mainly Japanese.
Signature menu: Too many to name (as he has many restaurants specializing in different cuisine).
Restaurant address: Various
Lee Youngsook Chef is another chef who has had success on a cooking show before. She won the second season of “Korean Food War” and specializes in mushroom dishes.
Signature menu: Mushroom Jeongol
Restaurant address: 100 Bidang-ro 109beon-gil, Seokseong-myeon, Buyeo-gun, Chungnam Province
Oh Sedeuk is yet another multi-faceted chef who runs multiple restaurants. He runs Chinmeal Jeju and Oh Pan Fire, both based in Jeju.
Signature menu: Gourmet shrimp burger, paella
Restaurant address: 1781 Namjo-ro, Jocheon-eup, Jeju
Source: Seonkyoung Longest Official Website
As a famous culinary YouTuber, Seonkyoung Longest has experience both competing on “MasterChef Season 4” and running a restaurant in Las Vegas.
Source: Living Sense
Joseph Lidgerwood is an Australian executive chef at EVETT Restaurant which infuses Korean tastes with Western cuisine.
Signature menu: Lemongrass Ants
Restaurant address: 10-5 Dosandae-ro 45-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Considered the master of Chinese cuisine in Korea, the veteran chef Yeo Gyeongrae owns the restaurant Hong Bo Gak (which can be found in the Grand Ambassador Seoul Hotel).
Make sure to read more about luxury hotels in Seoul to dine at in our related feature.
Signature menu: Moja Shrimp
Restaurant address: Novotel Ambassador Gangnam, 130 Bongeunsa-ro, Gangnam District, Seoul
Park Joonwoo is a pastry chef and cook who runs Aux Petits Verres. Famous for his desserts, he also has experience on “MasterChef Korea”.
Signature menu: Belgian Tarts
Restaurant address: 47-1 Jahamun-ro, Jongno District, Seoul
Source: Morino Aruyo Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/p/CsFqNHzL-01/?img_index=2
As the first winner of “MasterChef Korea”, Kim Seungmin runs the Japanese-inspired bakery Morino Aruyo in Jeju.
Signature menu: Donburi (rice bowls)
Restaurant address: 769-58 Haso-ro, Aewol-eup, Jeju City, Jeju Island
As the master of plant-based Italian cuisine, Nam Jeongseok owns two restaurants, one in Seoul (The Local Eater) and one in Gangneung (Green Bowl).
Signature menu: Vegetable Terrine
Restaurant address:
The Local Eater - 33 Hanlimmal-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
Green Bowl - 1219-2 Ponam-dong, Gangneung, Gangwon Province
The Local Eater Instagram | Green Bowl Instagram
Nam Jeongseok’s restaurants are a great choice for those who are health-conscious and want to enjoy good food but in a healthy manner.
If you’re concerned about health and wellness, then All About Seoul is the perfect place for you. Facilitating top-quality medical tours, not only can we help you reserve and visit the “Culinary Class Wars” restaurants as part of your medical tour, but we can help you book aesthetic procedures including plastic surgery.
These procedures are open to procedures like chin liposuction, thigh liposuction, or even stem cell therapy that assists with issues like hair loss.
Source: Netflix Korea
Auntie Omakase #1 (whose real name is Kim Miryung) is known for her incredibly popular Korean omakase restaurant called Cheerful Drinking Table and her noodle restaurant Andongjip Son Kalguksi.
Signature menu: Andong Hand-cut Noodles, Omakase
Restaurant address:
Andongjip Son Kalguksi - 1022 Jegi-dong, Dongdaemun District, Seoul
Cheerful Drinking Table - 341 Nohae-ro, Chang-dong, Dobong District, Seoul
Source: Netflix Korea
Cooking Maniac (whose real name is Yoon Namno) runs two bistro eateries called Deepin, with the main branch being in Sindang and the sister branch being in Oksu.
Signature menu: Chitarra Mussel Pasta
Restaurant address:
Deepin Oksu - 194 Dokseodang-ro, Seongdong District, Seoul
Deepin Sindang - 63 Heungin-dong, Jung District, Seoul
Deeping Oksu Instagram | Deepin Sindang Instagram
Goddess of Chinese Cuisine (whose real name is Park Eunyoung), true to her name is the mentee of legendary Yeo Gyeongrae and boasts a broad skillset. She has also worked at Hong Bo Gak for over ten years.
Signature menu: Moja Shrimp
Restaurant address: Novotel Ambassador Gangnam, 130 Bongeunsa-ro, Gangnam District, Seoul
Napoli Matfia (whose real name is Kwon Sungjoon) specializes in Italian cooking and is the owner-chef of the Toledo Pasta Bar which offers Sicilian cuisine.
Kwon Sungjoon also happens to be the Culinary Class Wars winner for this season.
Signature menu: Single Course
Restaurant address: 2.5F, 10 Donggyo-ro 46-gil, Mapo District, Seoul
Comic Book Chef (whose real name is Cho Kwangho) is one of the standouts on the show as he is completely self-taught and has memorized his recipes from comic books.
He owns two restaurants called ChoKwang101 and ChoKwang201.
Signature menu: Dongpo Pork
Restaurant address:
ChoKwang101 - 8 Saemal-ro 10gil, Songpa District, Seoul
ChoKwang201 - 13 Saemal-ro 8gil, Songpa District, Seoul
Chef Spark (whose real name is Shawn Park) also specializes in Italian cuisine and owns the restaurant Bistro Spark. He will be opening an additional restaurant soon, too.
Signature menu: Pasta
Source: Netflix Korea
Hidden Genius (whose real name is Kim Taesung) works at the Italian-fusion Pono Bouno.
He is known for being a pro when it comes to making pasta dishes and thus the restaurant has a set menu.
Signature menu: Black Truffle Risotto, White Wine Sauce Scallops
Restaurant address: 2nd Floor, 8-7 Dosan-daero 45-gil, Gangnam District, Seoul
God of Seasoning (whose real name is Jacob Hyun) owns the restaurant Edamame Namyoung which specializes in Chinese-Japanese cuisine.
Signature menu: Spicy Yuringi, Shio Yakisoba
Restaurant address: 11-40 Hangangdaero 76gil, Yongsan District, Seoul
Source: Netflix Korea
Celebrities’ Chef (whose real name is Lim Heewon) is the owner of Buto and takes pride in creating fusion dishes. He has cooked for many celebrities, which is where he gets his nickname.
Signature menu: Vegetarian Sashimi
Restaurant address: 32 Hannamdaero 27ga-gil, Yongsan District, Seoul
Source: Netflix Korea
Master of School Meals (whose real name is Lee Miyoung) is a former elementary school nutritionist who made a name for herself at Habuk Elementary School. She has recently retired.
Source: Netflix Korea
Triple Star (whose real name is Kang Seungwon) gained his nickname from working in several Michelin 3-star restaurants including Mosu (of judge Ahn Sungjae).
Currently he owns the Michelin star fine-dining restaurant Trid Seoul.
Signature menu: Triple Choux
Restaurant address: 16 Seolleung-ro 162-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Which Culinary Class Wars
Chefs and restaurants
Would you most like to visit?
Make sure to let AAS know and they can incorporate it into your medical tour and Seoul travel itinerary.
Simply make an enquiry on the contact form!
Learn how ab etching in Korea sculpts six-pack and 11-figure abs with precision. Explore the procedure, costs, and why South Korea is a global leader in body contouring.
Discover 9 hidden gems in Seoul, including traditional Hanoks, scenic cafes, and local foodie hotspots. Perfect for travelers seeking authentic, off-the-beaten-path experiences!
Premium Medical tourism in Seoul
Copyright 2024. All About Seoul
Company Name: JABEZ Ltd.
CEO: GI HEE KIM
Business Registration #: 488-81-01644
Address: Nonhyeon-ro 154-gil,
Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Zip Code 06025
.png)
