Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars Producers Address Viewer Disappointment and Deny Result Manipulation Allegations

On October 8, Netflix unveiled the concluding episodes of its groundbreaking Korean cooking show, Culinary Class Wars, announcing the season’s champion. While the series gained traction on the platform thanks to its innovative format, it soon faced backlash over accusations of manipulated results.

Audiences expressed their dissatisfaction with the show’s creators, alleging that the producers had deliberately orchestrated the advancement of equal numbers of contestants from both teams through the competition. Just a day prior to the finale, on October 7, a press event was held in Seoul featuring the top eight participants.

According to a report by The Straits Times on October 8, co-producer Kim Hak-min defended the integrity of the results during the press conference. He commented:

“What I found disappointing was when the judges chose two contestants from the black team to advance (after the one-on-one duel challenge between chefs of the two teams in episodes three to five), leading to an equal distribution of 11 each from both the black and white teams.”

He also added:

“That moment was particularly regrettable for me. The production team was secretly hoping for a different outcome. That would have felt more real.”

Kim noted that viewers had been advocating for more individual challenges. He asserted that the finale, which aired on October 8, showcased the peak of these solo competitions.

Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars Breaks New Ground as the First Korean Cooking Reality Series on the Platform

The 12-episode series Culinary Class Wars marked a historic debut as the first Korean cooking reality show produced by Netflix. The show launched on September 17 and swiftly climbed to the number one spot on Netflix’s global non-English series chart for two consecutive weeks.

Featuring a competitive lineup of 100 contestants, the participants were grouped into two teams: the elite White Spoon comprised of 20 well-known chefs and the Black Spoon team made up of 80 rising talents, local restaurateurs, and eatery owners.

The official description of the series on Netflix states:

“From Michelin-star chefs to amateur cooks, 100 contestants ready their knives for a culinary battle where surprises abound — including the ultimate victor.”

The competitors faced elimination through various challenges judged by acclaimed restaurateur Paik Jong-won and South Korea’s sole 3-Michelin-star chef, Ahn Sung-jae.

In a dramatic finale, the two finalists — Chef Edward Lee (representing the White Spoon) and Napoli Matfia (from the Black Spoon) — competed for a grand prize of 300 million KRW (approximately $223,000).

Culinary Class Wars drew considerable attention due to viewers’ intrigues surrounding the prestigious White Spoon chefs as they faced the underdog contestants.

Interest in the participating chefs’ restaurants surged, leading to packed reservations as audiences sought to taste their culinary creations. On September 27, The Chosun Daily reported a spike in bookings, causing several venues to be fully booked.

Fans reached out to dine at establishments from both teams, including notable spots like Choi Kang-rok’s Neo, Triple Star’s TRID, and Chef Oh Jun-tak’s Namyeong Chicken, among others.

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