Who is Cooking Maniac, also known as Yoon Nam-no? Insights on the Culinary Class Wars Contestant Featured on BTS’ j-hope’s Instagram

On Wednesday, October 2, BTS’ j-hope shared several photos on his official Instagram account, including one featuring Cooking Maniac, also known as Yoon Nam-no, from the popular Netflix survival cooking show, Culinary Class Wars. This post hinted that the K-pop star has been keeping up with the series. Additionally, j-hope featured Cooking Maniac’s image on his Instagram story.

For those unfamiliar, Culinary Class Wars is not Cooking Maniac’s first reality show. Previously, he was a contestant in MasterChef Korea season 4, where he garnered significant acclaim from the judges, placing in the top five. Unfortunately, he was disqualified during the crucial boot camp stage, which was essential for advancing to the finals.

Currently, he operates a bar-restaurant called Deepin in Seoul. Furthermore, it’s been revealed by netizens that he is caring for his ailing mother.

Netflix’s TUDUM website recently featured Cooking Maniac’s profile, highlighting his extensive culinary experience:

“An impassioned chef and veteran of competition cooking shows, he’s a former contestant on MasterChef Korea Season 4. Off-camera, he has worked at Bennelong, the iconic restaurant at the Sydney Opera House, and currently leads the kitchen at Deepin, a natural wine bar and restaurant in Seoul.”

Netflix’s cooking competition show features two classes: Black Spoon and White Spoon. Cooking Maniac is in the Black Spoon category, which showcases the hidden gems of the cooking world.

Season 1 Finale of Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars Set to Release on October 8

Culinary Class Wars premiered its first episode on Netflix on September 17, 2024. With the recent release of the eighth, ninth, and tenth episodes on October 1, fans are excitedly awaiting the concluding episodes of this 12-part series, slated for release on October 8.

The competition started with 100 culinary chefs divided into two teams: the White Spoons and the Black Spoons. These categories are rooted in Korean cultural symbolism, where a “black spoon”signifies a more modest background, and a “white spoon”represents someone born into privilege.

Initially, eighty skilled participants claiming the title of Black Spoon entered the competition, while twenty prestigious chefs with Michelin stars formed the White Spoon team. The White Spoon chefs received an exemption to progress through the initial round due to their exceptional culinary skills.

The judging panel features renowned South Korean chef Paik Jong-won along with Ahn Sung-jae, Korea’s sole three-Michelin-star holder and owner of MOSU Seoul. The victor of Culinary Class Wars will walk away with a prize of 300 million KRW.

The show has assigned various nicknames to the Black Spoon chefs, such as Cooking Maniac, Triple Star, Auntie Omakase #1, Comic Book Chef, and Master of School Meals.

BTS’ j-hope is currently in the final days of his military service, with discharge scheduled on October 17, after completing his mandatory 18-month term.

1) Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars reportedly leads to sold-out tables amid soaring popularity
2) What is Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars about? Black spoon vs White spoon battle, eliminations, & more explained

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