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On October 21, the magazine "Singles" released the photoshoot and interview from their November issue featuring chef Ahn Sung Jae, who served as the judge in Netflix's Korean variety show Culinary Class Wars.
Culinary Class Wars is a Netflix original variety show themed around a cooking competition between 20 star "White Spoon" chefs and 80 underdog "Black Spoon" cooks. The show quickly gained global popularity, ranking first in Netflix's Global Top 10 Non-English TV category within its first week of release.
Chef Ahn Sung Jae on what he intended Culinary Class Wars to be
In the magazine interview, Ahn Sung Jae shared his thoughts on participating in Culinary Class Wars, stating, "I never thought we needed to show something [overly] entertaining or showy. During the initial discussions with the production team, I said that there should be no exaggeration or scripted content for the sake of fun." He continued, "I take food very seriously so I don't want chefs to turn into people who make viewers laugh. I hoped that the stubborn and dedicated nature of the chefs would be fully reflected, and I wanted the program to be something that benefits the restaurant industry as well. Thankfully, the production team fully understood and accepted my opinion."
When asked how he compared the dishes from Omakase and fine dining for judging, Ahn responded, "I aimed to judge based on the context of the cuisine. If it was an everyday meal like a set menu, I evaluated it by incorporating my understanding as a professional into the general public's standards. If it was a fine dining concept, I looked at what techniques were used, how well those techniques were executed according to the intended purpose, and also evaluated how refined those techniques were."
He also stated, "This is a show that people and chefs from around the world, not just from Korea, can watch. I thought this program could showcase the dining standards of Korea. As the chef of the country's only Michelin 3-star restaurant, I shouldn't be impressed by the chefs' outdated and rough techniques. Therefore, when it comes to dining concepts or when techniques are included, I aimed to judge even more strictly."
Will chef Ahn Sung Jae return for Culinary Class Wars Season 2?
Ahn Sung Jae also shared his thoughts on the possibility of him returning as a judge in Culinary Class Wars Season 2: "I’ll think about it when the time comes." "The timing and conditions have to be right."
On the other hand, when asked if he would be willing to participate as a contestant in another global cooking competition, he smiled and replied, "I've already been on those shows many times." He continued, "I always say that when considering such shows, I see if my criteria are met. Also, since my life revolves around being a chef, I also have to consider whether my schedule aligns. If those criteria and the timing align, and if I can contribute meaningfully, then of course, I'd be open to it."
