Who survived the showdown? Inside Culinary Class Wars season 2’s final Black Spoon lineup

Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars season 2 premiered on Tuesday, featuring prestigious chefs from different culinary backgrounds and specialties competing to prove their skills. 

However, it proved difficult to impress the judges – restaurateur Paik Jong-won and Ahn Sung-jae – who eliminated numerous chefs in the first elimination test, giving the rest an idea of how high their expectations were. 

The first three episodes of season 2 of the competition show saw 80 Black Spoon chefs – chefs who were skilled but lacked much international fame and accolades – going head-to-head for a chance at advancing to the next round of the competition and facing the White Spoon chefs or internationally-known chefs. 

However, only 19 of them could make it through, while the rest were eliminated immediately. 

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Culinary Class Wars season 2: All the Black Spoon chefs who survived the elimination round

Chef Brewmaster Yun

Chef Brewmaster Yun immediately stood out from the rest when she began brewing her own soju. Along with that, she prepared a spread of pork and stew.

Ahn Sung-jae was impressed by her skills and gave her a pass. She immediately became emotional and told the cameras that she wanted the “recognition” as she did not usually get that. 

“It truly means the world to me,” she added. 

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Chef Seoul Mother

Chef Seoul Mother or Woo Jungwook was the second Black Spoon chef to get the pass into the next stage of the competition. She went the traditional route and cooked a “meal of Seoul specialties,” featuring rice and other side dishes. 

Although simple, it showcased her efficiency in the kitchen, earning her a win.

Paik Jong-won expressed, in a moment with the cameras, that Chef Seoul Mother perfectly “captured” the clean and light taste of the Seoul cuisine. 

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Chef Dweji Gomtang

Chef Dweji Gomtang or Ok Dongsik was the next chef to make it through. He prepared dweji gomtang or pork bone stew with a clear broth using Berkshire K pork shoulder. 

His dish also made the cut, as Paik Jong-won said:

“Simmering just the meat made the broth so savory. It wasn’t greasy. It was clean and light.”

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Chef Loner in a Hole-in-the-Wall

Chef Loner in a Hole-in-the-Wall or Kim Sang-hoon prepared a “modern Korean juansang,” which included mackerel bibimbap, skewers, and drinks. 

Paik Jong-won appreciated the taste of the bibimbap, noting that it did not have a fishy smell or bones. 

When he gave the chef a pass, he broke down in tears, saying:

“I have been doing everything completely on my own, but now it all feels worth it.”

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Chef Little Tiger

Chef Little Tiger or Kim Si-hyeon went out of the box and presented drinks with only seasoned vegetables and no meat. Despite the risk, her efforts paid off, and she advanced to the next round. 

She admitted that she felt “incredibly grateful” for being appreciated for her dish.

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Chef French Papa

Chef French Papa or Tommie Lee joined the safe Black Spoon chefs with his rendition of a classic French bouillabaisse.

Paik Jong-won liked how the dish was served hot rather than lukewarm to control the fishiness of the stew. 

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Chef Culinary Monster

Chef Culinary Monster, the head chef at Atomix, a Michelin-starred Korean eatery in NYC, prepared a wild chive porridge with truffles. 

Its taste pleasantly surprised Ahn Sung-jae, who confessed that his porridge tasted “unique.”

That said, he advanced Chef Culinary Monster earned his spot among the safe Black Spoon chefs. 

To Ahn Sung-jae, the chef was a “promising talent of the next generation.”

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Chef Witch with a Wok

Chef Witch with a Wok or Yi Moon Jang made a dish that perfectly blended both the Chinese and Korean cuisines, called “Happy Family.”

It comprised vegetables, stir-fried seafood, and an accompaniment of crabmeat with egg whites. 

Her preparation also impressed the expert, as she advanced to the next round. 

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Chef Barbeque Lab Director

Chef Barbeque Lab Director, or Yoo Yongwook, also made it to the next round of the competition with his signature barbequed beef ribs, prepared in the Texas style but using a Korean-style soy sauce marinade. 

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Chef Iron Arms 

Chef Iron Arms or Park Ju-sung prepared handmade buckwheat soba noodles and served them with chicken broth, earning himself a spot in the next round. 

“I was really, really proud of myself. I’ve been working so hard … so I was thrilled,” he reacted.

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Chef Annyeong Bonjour

Chef Annyeong Bonjour followed suit, making his way to the next round by mixing Korean and French cooking styles in his dish. 

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Chef Perfect Match

Next was Chef Perfect Match, or Park Garam, who cooked lobster salad with a faux lobster tail, using tuile. 

Her craftiness and the overall taste of the dish immediately earned her a spot in the next round. 

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Chef Boss in the Kitchen

Chef Boss in the Kitchen prepared a shrimp porridge with spring greens, one that was without the use of any artificial seasonings.

The expert judge appreciated the “clear intent” behind the dish and gave him a pass into the next round,

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Chef Side Dish Master

Then came Chef Side Dish Master, who used simple ingredients like cabbage, pollock, and sesame leaves to secure his spot in the subsequent stage of the competition. 

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Chef Knife Omakase 

Chef Knife Omakase was put on hold, but was later given a pass as he impressed the judges with his knife skills and innovation. 

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Chef Rebelious Genius

Chef Rebelious Genius followed suit, leaving a lasting impression on the judges with his rabbit and rabbit liver dish. 

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Chef Fan Master

Chef Fan Master also made it to the next round, as he promised to do his best. 

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Chef Trendsetter 

Chef Trendsetter or Kim Hun also survived the elimination round with his lasagna roll, a classic at his restaurant Sam Sam Sam. 

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Chef Three Star Killer

Chef Three Star Killer was the last chef to be selected from the group. He is known for working alongside many famous three-Michelin-starred chefs, including Chef Corey Lee and Chef Thomas Keller. 

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Stay tuned for more updates.