Culinary Class Wars Season 2: Every judge, White Spoon chef, and Black Spoon chef and what makes them special, explored in depth

The Black Spoon, White Spoon Chefs and the two beloved judges are back in Culinary Class Wars Season 2 on Netflix. The Korean TV shows aren't just about cooking showdowns between these groups, but also about how they make the dishes unique and add value to them.

While there have been two major shifts in this chapter, the basic rules about White Spoon and Black Spoon Chef against each other remain the same. Excitement is also high among viewers as they witnessed eliminations right in the premiere episodes.

One of the White Spoon Chefs from Season 1 was among the hidden chefs who got eliminated, startling fans who thought he would make it to the next round. The show will return next Tuesday with more episodes.

So while the episodes are on the way, you can explore the complete details and list of the judges and every chef in Culinary Class Wars Season 2 below.

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Culinary Class Wars Season 2: Who are the judges in the new chapter of the Korean cooking show

Culinary Class Wars Season 2 continues with the same two judges from Season 1. They played a major role as the main decision-makers in the first season, and the show has chosen to keep them for the new season as well.

Here's a look at the judges:

1) Ahn Sun-jae

Ahn Sung-jae is a well-known chef and the owner of Mosu, which is currently the only restaurant in South Korea to hold three Michelin stars. He moved to Southern California at 13, and has even served in the U.S. Army and later went on to study cooking at a culinary school.

Before opening Mosu in San Francisco, Ahn gained experience by working at several highly respected restaurants. And now, Mosu is known for its high-end French cooking, but Ahn adds a unique touch by using traditional Korean fermented ingredients in his dishes. Along with managing the restaurant, he also runs a popular YouTube channel, where he shares food-related content.

As a judge, Ahn has a reputation for being extremely detail-focused and strict. For Season 2, he has stated that he plans to judge contestants with even greater accuracy and attention than before.

Ahn Sun-jae's Instagram account: @sungmosu.

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2) Paik Jong-won

Paik Jong-won, whose name is also written as Baek Jong-won, is a famous restaurant owner and television personality. He is the CEO of TheBorn Korea, a company that runs many restaurant brands. Some of these include Paik’s Noodle, Paik’s BBQ, and Hanshin Pocha, which also operate in the United States.

He's also extremely popular on YouTube and before appearing in Culinary Class Wars Season 2 and even 1, Paik Jong-won has been a part of Netflix food programs, such as Paik’s Spirit and the Rhapsody series.

Recently, there have been controversies going on about Paik Jong-won related to his influence and the use of outside ingredients in his food products. No accusation has been proven so far, but the chef did share his apologies.

Paik Jong-won's Instagram: @paikscuisine_official.

Also Read: Culinary Class Wars Season 2: What is the Paik Jong-won controversy? Explained in depth

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Culinary Class Wars Season 2: Every White Spoon Chef explored

In Culinary Class Wars Season 2, the White Spoon chefs are highly respected professionals in the food world. Many of them are Michelin-starred chefs, long-standing masters of their cuisine, or widely recognized culinary figures.

The show includes 20 White Spoon chefs. At the start of the season, 18 chefs are introduced openly, while two additional chefs appear later as surprise entries, known as the "Hidden White Spoons."

Here's a list of the White Spoon chefs:

1) Chef Jun-lee (Lee Jun): Founder and head chef of the two-Michelin-star restaurant Soigné in Seoul. Known for modern dishes inspired by Korean roots and creative pop-up dining.

2) Chef Son Jong-won: The only Korean chef with two Michelin stars at two different Seoul restaurants. Specializes in French cuisine and modern Korean food, with U.S. fine-dining training.

3) Venerable Seonjae (Sunjae): Recognized as Korea’s first master of temple cuisine. Follows Buddhist, plant-based cooking focused on mindfulness and balance.

4) Chef Hu Deok-juk (Hou Deok-juk): A veteran Cantonese chef with over 50 years of experience. Leads a Michelin-starred restaurant and introduced classic Cantonese dishes to Korea.

5) Chef Cheon Sang-hyun: Former executive chef of the Blue House for nearly 20 years. Cooked for five South Korean presidents and appears on cooking programs.

6) Chef Park Hyo-nam: First Korean executive chef at a major Western hotel in Korea. Created premium airline menus for Lufthansa and was honored by the Korean government.

7) Chef Im Seong-geun: Winner of Hansik Battle Season 3 and expert in Korean cuisine. Has cooked for international state banquets and global chef organizations.

8) Chef Song Hoon: Former judge on MasterChef Korea Season 4.

9) Chef Jung Ho-young: Owner of Udon Kaden with over two decades of culinary experience. Trained in Japan and runs multiple restaurants in Seoul.

10) Chef Sam Kim (Kim Hee-tae): Owner of Trattoria Sam Kim and Osteria Sam Kim. Well-known TV chef who gained popularity through cooking and variety shows.

11) Chef Raymon Kim: One of the star chefs featured on Netflix’s Chef & My Fridge.

12) Chef Chun Sang-hyun

13) Chef Choi Yu-gang

14) Chef Jennie Walldén

15) Chef Shim Sung-chul

16) Chef Lee Keum-hee

17) Chef Kim Sung-woon

18) Chef Kim Geon

Hidden White Spoon Chefs in Culinary Class Wars Season 2:

Choi Kang-rok: Former White Spoon from Season 1 and winner of MasterChef Korea Season 2.

Kim Do-yun: Former White Spoon from Season 1 and chef behind the Michelin-recognized restaurant Yun Seoul.

During the elimination round in Culinary Class Wars Season 2, Kim Do-yun got eliminated. To many, it was a surprise as Kim performed really well in Season 1. However, the cooking battle is more challenging now, and Kim Do-yun didn't make it to the next round.

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Culinary Class Wars Season 2: All Black Spoon Chefs revealed

As explained earlier, there are 80 Black Spoon Chefs in Culinary Class Wars Season 2. However, only 19 advanced after the elimination round. Here's a list of all 80 Black Spoon Chefs, starting from the ones who qualified and then the others:

1) Brewmaster Yun (Yun Nara): Owner of a traditional tavern known for home-brewed Korean alcohol and food. Has over 10 years of brewing experience and impressed judges with self-made soju dishes.

2) Seoul Mother (Woo Jung-wook): Expert in Seoul-style everyday comfort food and owner of a popular restaurant. Former private cooking instructor who qualified with a clean, efficient Seoul-style meal.

3) Dweji-Gomtang in NY (Ok Dong-sik): Runs an international restaurant chain famous for pork soup dishes. Known for pork bone stew with a clear, light, and savory broth.

4) Loner in a Hole-in-the-Wall (Kim Sang-hoon): He's the owner of a Korean pub specializing in food paired with alcohol. In the elimination round, he went ahead with a modern juansang set praised for flavor and balance.

5) Little Tiger (Kim Si-hyeon): Works at a Michelin-starred contemporary Korean restaurant. In Culinary Class Wars Season 2, he qualified by presenting perfectly seasoned vegetable dishes with drinks.

6) French Papa (Tommie Lee): Owner of a French-style bistro operating since 2009. Stood out with a classic bouillabaisse served hot to control the fish flavor.

7) Culinary Monster (Hasung Lee): Former head chef at a two-Michelin-star restaurant in New York. Advanced with a creative wild chive porridge finished with truffles.

8) Witch with a Wok (Yi Moon Jang): Longtime hotel chef specializing in Chinese cuisine. Prepared a fusion dish combining Chinese techniques with Korean elements.

9) Barbecue Lab Director (Yoo Yong-wook): Runs award-winning wood-fire dining and barbecue research spaces. Qualified with Texas-style beef ribs enhanced by Korean soy-based seasoning.

10) Iron Arms (Park Ju-sung): Owner-chef of a noodle-focused restaurant with a physical disability.Impressed judges by hand-making soba noodles despite muscle loss in one hand.

11) Annyeong Bonjour: Owner of a private kitchen blending Korean and French cooking. Won praise for perfectly cooked protein using precise doneness control.

12) Perfect Match (Park Ga-ram): Executive chef trained in elite Western fine-dining kitchens. Secured her place with a visually creative lobster salad dish.

13) Boss in the Kitchen: Restaurant owner respected by fellow chefs. Advanced with a shrimp porridge made without artificial seasonings.

14) Side Dish Master: Leads a professional kitchen team focused on Korean side dishes. Qualified by transforming simple ingredients into something distinctive.

15) Knife Omakase (Shin Hyun-do): Owner of Japanese restaurants known for precision cooking. Stood out through advanced knife skills and refined dish execution.

16) Rebellious Genius: Sous chef at a modern Korean fine-dining restaurant. Advanced with a bold rabbit dish rarely seen in Korean cuisine.

17) Fan Master: Charcoal-grilling specialist known for elegant technique. Trained in Japan at a historic eel-focused restaurant.

18) Trendsetter (Kim Hun): Owner of a restaurant known for innovative comfort food. Qualified with a unique lasagna-style dish popular with customers.

19) Three-star Killer: Experienced working alongside multiple world-famous three-star chefs. Selected last after impressing judges with an elite professional background.

The remaining 61 Black Spoon Chefs in Culinary Class Wars Season 2 are:

20) Culinary Scientist

21) Chinese biker gang

22) Kalmakase

23) 4-Pyeong Loner

24) Rest Area Executive Chef

25) The Legendary School Buffet

26) Crown Prince Seochon

27) 1.6 billion with Chicken Feet

28) Dear Grandma

29) What The Hell

30) Kimchi Dining

31) Pyongyang Big Brother

32) King of Grinding

33) Rice Thief Pojangmacha

34) Golden Hand

35) Baby beast

36) 2nd Place Taste

37) The Art of Frying

38) New York Knights Restaurant

39) Angry Korean

40) 5-star Kimchi Restaurant

41) Three-Generation Dual System

42) Tonkatsu with a Long Line

43) Burnout Chef

44) Padagirl

45) Internal White Paper

46) Made in Korea

47) The Famous Chef At That Time

48) Tteokbokki Master

49) Vegetable Prince

50) Pyeongnyeongsinseong

51) National Soccer Team Chef

52) Mangwon Market Hero

53) Laosholic

54) Debt Collector

55) Jjajang That Crossed The Line

56) Right-hand Chef

57) Trophy Collector

58) Madame Salad

59) Another Meatball

60) Fresh Cheese Man

61) I Can't Eat It

62) Pasta Star

63) Charcuterie Fairy

64) Master Gappo

65) Burger Champion

66) Euljiro Yun Deputy Manager

67) Burning Hotel Man

68) Sashimi Swordsman

69) Youngest Embassy Chef

70) Mr. Saigon

71) Devaluation

72) Namhae Hipster

73) Two-Star Ramen

74) Paju Bujeon

75) Iron Plate Captain

76) Life Sausage

77) Youngblood

78) Dr. Eel

79) Cooking Trainer

80) Potato Pancake President

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The major structural change in Culinary Class Wars Season 2 explained

The first two episodes of Culinary Class Wars Season 2 make it clear right away that this season is harsher. No matter if the chef is from the White Spoon team or the Black Spoon team, everyone has presented something that immediately clicks with the judges' taste buds.

As mentioned before, it's also about the reputation that these chefs have to build from scratch. The judges in Culinary Class Wars Season 2 waste no time in eliminating the chefs, and while doing so they also offer fair and useful insights and feedback about each dish.

Early on, contestants and viewers notice something off: the White Spoon lineup is smaller than expected. Instead of the usual number, only 18 chefs appear. This mystery is soon explained when the show reveals a surprising twist.

Two standout chefs from the previous season, Choi Kang-rok and Kim Do-yun, have returned in secret as Black Spoon competitors. Their situation is even tougher than that of regular Black Spoons, as they must earn approval from both judges to stay in the competition.

Culinary Class Wars Season 2 can be streamed on Netflix now (new episodes arriving on Tuesdays).

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Also Read: Culinary Class Wars Season 2 release schedule: When do new episodes of the Korean cooking battle drop?

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