Culinary Class Wars

Culinary Class Wars (흑백요리사) is a Korean cooking survival reality show released by Netflix in 2024. Its official title is "Culinary Class Wars." The format divides unknown and independent cooks ("Black Spoons") and celebrity chefs ("White Spoons") into classes and pits them against each other. Immediately after its release, it entered Netflix's Top 10 in 28 countries and ranked No. 1 globally among non-English TV shows. Following its broadcast, public interest in fine dining and the restaurant industry surged, with reservations at the participating chefs' restaurants increasing dramatically.

The central device is the class contrast. Chefs who have already made a name for themselves are designated "White Spoons," while skilled cooks who are unknown to the public are designated "Black Spoons," and the two groups compete through successive rounds. The early stages are structured around Black Spoons challenging White Spoons, while the later stages narrow into individual competition with the class distinctions removed.

Two judges oversee the competition.

• Ahn Sung-jae (안성재) [Person] : Chef of Mosu (모수), Korea's only three-Michelin-starred restaurant. Judging remarks such as "cook it evenly" became catchphrases.

• Paik Jong-won (백종원) [Person] : A restaurateur and television personality. He represents the perspectives of popular appeal and commercial viability.

Season 1 was released in 12 episodes from September 17 to October 8, 2024. The winner was Black Spoon Kwon Seong-jun (권성준) ("Napoli Matfia"), and the runner-up was White Spoon Edward Lee (에드워드 리). The winner's prize was 300 million won. The chestnut tiramisu that Kwon Seong-jun presented on the show was released as a convenience-store collaboration product and sparked a sellout craze.

The follow-up season was released in December 2025 and, following Season 1, ranked first among Netflix's global non-English TV shows for the second consecutive year. The winner was White Spoon Choi Kang-rok (최강록) [Person], while Black Spoon “Cooking Monster” Lee Ha-sung (이하성) [Person] finished as runner-up. Choi Kang-rok returned after Season 1 and ultimately won.

Following the broadcast, the establishments run by the participating chefs became focal points on the culinary map. The principal cast members and their establishments are as follows.

• Judges

  • Anh Sung-jae (안성재) [Person] : Chef of Mosu (모수), South Korea's only three-Michelin-starred restaurant

  • Paik Jong-won (백종원) [Person] : Food-service entrepreneur and television personality

• Season 1

  • Kwon Seong-jun (권성준; “Napoli Matfia,” winner): Operates the Italian restaurant Via Toledo Pasta Bar in Yongsan. It opened in Yeonnam-dong in 2021 and moved to Yongsan in 2023

  • Edward Lee (에드워드 리): Chef of 610 Magnolia in Louisville, United States

  • Choi Kang-rok (최강록) [Person] : Winner of MasterChef Korea 2. He operated Neo, an omakase pub in Songpa (2022–2024)

  • Hwang Jin-seon (황진선) [Person] : Co-operator of Jin Jin (진진) [Restaurant] and the first disciple of Wang Yuk-sung (왕육성) [Person]

  • Im Seong-geun (임성근) [Person] : “Imokase No. 1”

• Season 2

  • Choi Kang-rok (최강록) [Person] , Lee Ha-sung (이하성) [Person] (“Cooking Monster,” runner-up)

  • Son Jong-won (손종원) [Person] : Chef of L'Amant Secret (라망 시크레) [Restaurant]

Immediately after the broadcast, reservations flooded the participating chefs' restaurants. They became targets of online “reservation rushes,” with users surging onto booking platforms whenever reservations for popular establishments opened, and some restaurants filled several months' worth of slots almost instantly. As an example of a television program rapidly transforming individual restaurants' revenue and public profile, the phenomenon also intersected with discussions about no-shows and reservation culture.