I personally love watching all kinds of cooking and baking competitions. I’m always fascinated by the creativity, pressure, and passion that comes with the kitchen. So when Netflix suggested this series under the “We Think You’ll Love This” category, I decided to give it a try: Culinary Class War.
And you know what, Netflix was right after all.
Going into this series, I had no idea what to expect. I assumed it would be like any other cooking competition. However, I was completely wrong. This show went far beyond my expectations.
Why This Competition Felt Different
What stood out to me was how unique and intentional each round felt. Instead of repeating the same test with minor variations, the show incorporated different rules, formats, and challenges to evaluate contestants in multiple ways.
As a viewer, this made the experience far more engaging. More importantly, it made sense. If someone is going to win a competition like this, they shouldn’t just be good at one thing. They should be versatile—someone who can balance:
- Flavor
- Presentation
- Creativity
- Efficiency
- Teamwork
- Professionalism
And this show did an excellent job of testing all of that.
With that said, here are my thoughts on each round of the competition.
First Impressions: The Contestants and Chefs
The competition kicked off with over 100 contestants, which felt overwhelming at first. Still, instead of focusing on the number, I found myself more curious about how the show would narrow it down.
Interestingly, many contestants already knew each other—and some even pretended they didn’t know. Totally not awkward… until it was. LOL.
Soon after, the show introduced the professional chefs,also known as the white spoon chefs.. Out of the twelve, I was only familiar with three: Chef Hyun Soon, Soekyoon, and Chef Park.
What I truly admired about the chefs was their willingness to participate. As well-established chefs, joining a competition like this means putting your reputation on the line. On the bright side, it’s also an opportunity to grow and learn, especially in a generation where food trends evolve so quickly.
Round One: The Signature Dish
The first round required contestants to prepare their signature dish, which immediately set the tone for the competition. This round essentially asked one question: Are you worth being here?
It was intense—not just for the contestants, but also for the judges.
Speaking of the judges, let’s talk more about them.
The Judges: Park Won-piak & Chef Ahn Sung-jae
Before watching this series, I didn’t know who the judges were. When I realized one of them was Park Won-piak, I was genuinely excited. I’ve seen his YouTube content before and always enjoyed his personality.
As expected, his judging style leaned toward encouragement and warmth. Even when he failed a contestant, he still offered kind words and positive expressions. Honestly, if I were competing, I’d want him judging my dish.
Then there was Chef Ahn Sung-jae.
As for Chef Ahn Sung-jae—I’ll admit it—I initially thought he was handsome. However, once judging began… my opinion shifted quickly.
Unlike Park Won-Piak, Chef Ahn, on the other hand, was brutally honest. While his critiques felt harsh at times, I understood his perspective. In a competition like this, especially in the first round, contestants should bring everything they have.
That said, there were two things I truly respected about him: he spoke much more gently to older contestants, showing cultural respect; and he judged based on overall execution, not personal preference—which I believe is crucial.
While Park Won-piak sometimes allowed personal preference to influence his decisions, Chef Ahn stayed incredibly consistent. There’s no right or wrong here—but I appreciated seeing both styles.
Black Spoon vs. White Spoon Begins
After round one, twenty contestants advanced and became known as Black Spoon Chefs, while the professionals remained White Spoon Chefs. This was indeed a Culinary Class War.
Round Two: Blindfolded 1 vs. 1 Battles
This round paired black and white spoon chefs and was judged blindfold. II realized how genius it was.
Because white spoon chefs are already well-known, blind judging ensured fairness. Taste became the only deciding factor.
Round Three: Team Competition
In this round, teams were divided by color. Each side struggled—but in different ways.
- Black Spoon Chefs lacked leadership experience.
- White Spoon Chefs struggled with conflicting opinions.
What made this round even more interesting was the judging process. The production team invited 98 people to observe the cooking process and vote based on preference.
Personally, I loved this idea. Seeing how a dish is made matters. Knowing a dish came from a dysfunctional team would make me uncomfortable eating it. Maybe it’s just me—but teamwork matters.
Round Four: Convenience Store Challenge & Redemption
The following round gave eliminated contestants from the prior round another chance through individual challenges. Not everyone shines in a team setting, so this felt fair.
Also—can we talk about how impressive it was to create dishes using convenience store ingredients? I know it’s possible, but it never crossed my mind before of the options.
Quarter-Finals: Running a Real Mini Restaurant
The quarter-final round might have been one of the most realistic challenges.
Chefs were mixed into teams and tasked with running a mini restaurant with professionalism, complete with menu planning, pricing, and real customers. Food critics were also invited, which raised the stakes even higher.
After all, delicious food means nothing if:
- Service is slow
- Prices don’t match quality
- Presentation falls flat
Every detail mattered.
Semi-Finals: The Tofu Challenge
This round deserves major respect.
Chefs were required to create six unique dishes using only tofu. Tofu is notoriously difficult to work with, and the creativity on display was incredible.
One standout for me was Chef Edward Lee. His versatility, confidence, and willingness to take risks impressed me deeply. He’s very much a go big or go home kind of chef—and it worked.
Final Round: Stories on a Plate
The final came down to Chef Edward Lee versus Napoli Matfia.
Both chefs presented deeply personal dishes.
Chef Edward’s dish resonated with me as an Asian American. Wanting to embrace your roots while living in a different country is something I deeply understand. However, something about the final execution felt slightly disconnected from the concept.
Personally, I was rooting for Napoli Matfia. While his confidence can be overwhelming, his skill—especially during the convenience store round—left a lasting impression on me.
And the final winner for Culinary Class War is…
.
.
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Napoli Matfia
Final Thoughts & Rating
Whew—that was a lot. If you’re still here, thank you for sticking with me
Overall, I loved this series: Culinary Class War. I binge-watched it in under two days. Every round felt fresh, exciting, and thoughtfully designed. Nothing was repetitive, and I was constantly surprised.
Final Rating: 10/10
If you’re even slightly interested in cooking competitions, I highly recommend giving this show a watch.
Youa’s Truly,
