Chef Choi Kang-rok took the crown on Netflix’s "Culinary Class Wars 2", walking away with 300 million won. If Season 1 was all about “Bibim Man” Edward Lee’s stirring runner-up storyline, Season 2 played out like an unscripted saga for the self-dubbed “Braise Guy,” a.k.a. the “Serial Braiser.”
In the finale, released Jan. 13 on Netflix, Choi ― the “white spoon” contender ― won with a soulful broth featuring sesame-studded mochi-like tofu (mochiridofu).
The last challenge asked chefs to cook “a dish for myself,” flipping the script on pros who’ve spent their lives cooking for others. Choi channeled a patient low note of flavor, crafting mochiridofu with his own secret stock.
It was a humble bowl, but it carried the weight of his career and a personal narrative that let you see the chef behind the dish.
Asked why this was the dish he wanted to serve himself, Choi admitted, “I’m a braise guy.” He explained, “I once won a competition by leaning hard into braised dishes, so people started calling me the ‘Braise Guy,’ the ‘Serial Braiser’―even ‘Braise-ping.’ Truth is, I’m not great at braising; I just acted like I was. I’ve studied and worked a lot, but there’s been a lot of ‘acting like it’ in my life. I didn’t want to braise for a dish that was supposed to be for me.”
He added, “I wanted to give myself a little comfort. I’m hard on myself every day. I’ve never spent even 90 seconds making something just for me. In this little alternate world, I wanted to try that.”
His honesty landed. Then came a cheeky twist: a pour of soju with the distinctive red cap ― a higher-proof nod in a world that’s trending lighter. Choi served the judges a shot each, framing it as the working chef’s drink of choice, equal parts “fuel” and “comfort.”
“When people ask, ‘What’s your kick? What’s your signature?’ I don’t really have one,” Choi said. “I’m not a special kind of chef. Most of us just do the unglamorous, repetitive work in the kitchen. I just got lucky and became ‘the braise guy.’”
Judge Ahn Sung-jae agreed: “Every chef goes through that phase. I did a lot of ‘acting like it’ too. This feels like an honest plate.” He downed the remaining broth in one go.
The winner was decided by a unanimous call from both judges ― and Choi sealed it in a single dish. Chef Lee Ha-sung, known as the “Cooking Monster,” took runner-up with a blood sausage soup that paid tribute to memories with his father.
In an unusual move, the finale skipped explicit tasting notes, but the judges’ reactions and smiles told the story.
After being named champion, Choi praised his rival: “If the theme hadn’t been ‘a dish for myself,’ the Cooking Monster would’ve turned out something even more spectacular.” He continued, “I’m not someone who makes showy food. I’m one of the many cooks working hard in kitchens all over the country. I’ll hold the judges’ words close, value the connections I made here, and keep thinking deeply about food.”
"Culinary Class Wars 2" topped Season 1 in buzz and viewership, but early leaks revealing the finalists ― and even the winner ― spread online. Midseason, producers also caught flak for failing to blur a nametag showing the Cooking Monster’s real name.
Despite the spoilers, the finale still landed for many, with viewers calling Choi’s redemption arc ― a returning challenger taking it all ― genuinely moving.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)
댓글