Kwon Seong-joon: Everything You Need to Know About the Winner of Culinary Class Wars

The winner of Netflix’s inaugural cooking competition, Culinary Class Wars, has been announced as Chef Kwon Seong-joon, famously known as Napoli Matfia. On Tuesday, October 8, Netflix released the final two episodes of the culinary showdown.

Among the top eight finalists, which included notable chefs like Edward Lee, Triple Star, Cooking Maniac, Jung Ji-sun, Auntie Omakase #1, Choi Hyun-Seok, and Jang Ho-jun, competitors showcased their culinary prowess and techniques one last time.

After conquering the ‘Cook Your Life’ challenge, Napoli Matfia faced off against Korean American Chef Edward Lee in the concluding ‘Signature Dish’ challenge, ultimately emerging victorious with a grand prize of 300 million KRW. Kwon Seong-joon’s expertise lies in Italian Cuisine, and according to Korea JoongAng Daily, he is fluent in Italian.

He operates Toledo Pasta Bar in Yongsan, Seoul, where he shares his deep passion for Italian cuisine with Korean diners. The restaurant features a remarkable seven-course Sicilian dinner, featuring various pastas, risottos, an appetizer, and dessert. Kwon Seong-joon commenced his culinary career at Dani Maison, a prestigious two-star Michelin restaurant located on Ischia Island in Naples.

Get to Know Culinary Class Wars Champion Kwon Seong-joon, aka Napoli Matfia

Kwon Seong-joon adopted the title Napoli Matfia (Korean: 나폴리 맛피야) to express his admiration for Naples, which he highlighted through his bisque risotto pasta in the initial round of Culinary Class Wars, drawing attention to the region’s rich history. The term ‘Matfia’ cleverly combines ‘Mafia’ with ‘Mat’, which means ‘taste’ in Korean.

Gaining notable recognition from the South Korean public, Napoli Matfia triumphed in the show’s ‘Convenience Store Mission’ by crafting a delightful Chestnut Tiramisu using Yeonsei Milk Marron Cream Bread and HEYROO Chestnut Deuktem purchased from CU convenience stores.

In response to the growing popularity, Netflix’s official social media channels released the recipes for the three dishes showcased in that mission. In addition, CU has confirmed plans to offer Kwon Seong-joon’s tiramisu in their shops, as reported by Daily. The Chestnut Tiramisu will be available for pre-order from October 8 to 10 on Pocket CU, with nationwide sales commencing on October 12, 2024.

While reflecting on his victory during episode 12, Kwon Seong-joon expressed his thoughts:

“Today, I achieved my dream. I have spent my life alternating between the kitchen and home, often questioning if this was the right choice, whether this path made sense, and if cooking was my only calling. Now that I have won, I understand those challenging ten years were worthwhile. I will continue my journey as a chef, balancing my time between the kitchen and home.”

During the press conference for Culinary Class Wars held on October 7, which featured all eight finalists and the production team, Kwon Seong-joon expressed enthusiasm about returning for a potential second season:

“If I get an invitation for season 2, I would participate as a ‘white spoon’ contestant. My goal is to become the first participant to compete in two consecutive seasons and achieve remarkable results. I am confident about making it into the top 3.”

About Culinary Class Wars

Culinary Class Wars is an exciting cooking competition series on Netflix, comprising twelve thrilling episodes. Following a format similar to Physical: 100, the competition pits 100 contestants against each other for the prestigious title and a prize of 300 million KRW.

Participants are categorized into two groups: Black Spoon Chefs, encompassing 80 non-celebrity chefs, and White Spoon Chefs, consisting of 20 celebrity chefs, fostering a high-stakes competitive environment.

All episodes of Culinary Class Wars are now available for streaming on Netflix.

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