The cooking survival show pits the industry’s best professionals, White Spoon chefs, against the underdogs, Black Spoon chefs. The big names of the White Spoons garnered public interest before the show aired, but now, over halfway through the series, it’s evident that the Black Spoons are making the program truly unique and exciting.
Coming from unconventional backgrounds and cooking with passion instead of rules, this group of cooks serves flavors that challenge the craft of the industry’s most educated chefs and revered veterans.
Many are shaping their city’s incredibly competitive mid-price dining sector. Some are working abroad or have returned to open their own restaurants in Korea. Whatever their stories, the Black Spoon chefs offer the latest insight into Korea’s booming gastro scene.
So who exactly are these Black Spoon chefs, what are they doing now, and — if we visit their restaurants — will we be able to taste the dishes they made on the show?The Korea JoongAng Daily looked behind their show nicknames to answer some of these questions.
Chef Kwon Seong-joon’s passion for Italian food is evident on the show, from his fluent Italian to his pride for the country, which he translates into his dishes. On the show, he’s cooked up a bisque risotto inspired by the Amalfi Coast and a fagottini-stuffed pasta that captures the history of Naples.
Kwon’s first job as a professional chef was at Dani Maison, a two-Michelin-star restaurant in Ischia, an island near Naples. He still regularly visits Naples but has brought some Neapolitan charm to his restaurant in Seoul, Via Toledo Pasta Bar in Yongsan District.
It’s a fine dining establishment offering a single seven-course Sicilian dinner, mainly featuring various kinds of pasta and risotto, along with an appetizer and dessert. The current price is 89,000 won ($67.40) per person, though prices are expected to rise slightly next month, according to the restaurant’s social media. The dishes in the course change every two months or so.
Hidden Genius: Lee Sang-pil
While many on the show showcased their skills with multiple dishes and elaborate presentations, Chef Lee Sang-pil stuck to the traditional aglio olio and received high praise from judge Ahn Sung-jae.
Lee’s unconventional preparation method adds intrigue. He cooks his linguine for just three minutes, strains it and coats it with olive oil while still hot. He then lays out the noodles in an aluminum sheet pan, lets them cool slightly and covers them with another pan until they reach al dente perfection from the residual heat.
His restaurant, Pono Buono, in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, doesn’t have aglio olio on the official menu, but there is a “hidden pasta” option where he is currently offering the dish to diners.
The modern dining bar features a stylish list of Italian fusion offerings, with only two pasta dishes. Other options include a variety of proteins, seasonal vegetables and seafood, along with housemade sorbet and ice cream.
Goddess of Chinese Cuisine: Park Eun-young
One of the few female chefs specializing in Chinese cuisine in Korea, Park has been a standout as a close apprentice of Lu Ching Lai, a veteran Taiwanese chef in Korea who is also featured on the show as a White Spoon.She worked under him for over a decade, most recently at Hong Bo Gak, a Chinese restaurant inside Novotel Ambassador Hotel Seoul Gangnam, southern Seoul. She has demonstrated technique and craftsmanship in simple dishes like dumplings and fish soup, earning considerable respect from the judges.
Park is currently in Hong Kong, working as a sous-chef at Grand Majestic Sichuan in Central. It’s a high-end, classic Sichuan restaurant managed by Hong Kong-based hospitality group Black Sheep Restaurants and led by chef Theign Phan.
BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]
