The final survivor of Infinite Cooking Hell…
If that's true, he really is a monster.
Everything on that plate supported the carrots.
The final survivor is…
…Black Spoon Chef Culinary Monster.
CULINARY MONSTER SURVIVES
HOU DEOK-JUK ELIMINATED
I think both of them
-did a great job here. -Yes, yes, I agree.
-But in terms of creativity… -Looking at that.
-…his was stronger. -Yeah, by just a hair.
I thought the Yuxiang carrot was delicious,
but it's similar to a Chinese dish called Yuxiang eggplant,
and I wish he'd made something a bit more innovative.
It was razor thin, but the carrot dessert
left more of an impression on us, and that gave it an edge.
He's been cooking for longer than I have been alive.
So, It's been an honor to have him as my opponent.
I promise to work hard and give it my all in the finals.
Thank you.
I came into this competition alongside many talented chefs,
and somehow, I managed to make it this far.
At the beginning, when I stood and looked around at all the chefs who'd gathered,
I saw so many of my juniors and apprentices.
It felt like a festival of chefs, and it brought a smile to my face.
Of course, the reason we all came here was to compete against each other,
but getting to cook alongside my colleagues and former students
and seeing how much they've grown was an experience I'll always cherish.
So even though I didn't win, I don't feel disappointed.
After all, managing to make it to the final three
feels like an honor in its own right.
-Thank you for your hard work. -Well done.
Thank you, Chef.
-You did very well. -It's an honor. Thank you.
After 57 years in this industry,
I'm just happy to know that my skills as a chef
are just as sharp as they've ever been.
I can still do what I love to do.
And seeing such a talented junior advance fills my heart with joy.
HOU DEOK-JUK
Let's begin!
You've survived.
-Really? Oh! -Congratulations.
You've survived.
Thank you.
Culinary Monster has survived.
-It was delicious. -Thank you.
Hidden White Spoon Chef Choi Kang-rok has survived.
In a few moments,
the one-on-one Black Spoon versus White Spoon duels will begin.
The survivor is White Spoon Chef Son Jong-won.
Black Spoon Chef Rebellious Genius.
The battle will be All or Nothing.
Two-person Teams:
-Black and White Alliance Battle. -Okay. One, two, three.
Your opponent for the One-on-One Life-or-Death Match…
-Now they spin too! -Why?
Chef Hou Deok-juk has survived.
Thank you.
The Infinite Cooking Heaven.
Infinite Cooking Hell.
Im Seong-keun has been eliminated.
Venerable Sunjae, Brewmaster Yun…
Jung Ho-young.
Black Spoon Chef Culinary Monster.
-Thank you. -Congratulations.
Great job.
Sorry that it's me.
Oh, man.
And with that, only our top two chefs
and our finalists remain,
Choi Kang-rok and Culinary Monster.
We made it to the end. Well, almost.
There's not a modicum of regret left.
Let's burn it down.
I came here because I wanted to win.
So I have to win and I'm going to win.
Wish us luck.
Welcome to Culinary Class Wars,
where we've gathered a hundred of Korea's best chefs
to compete against one another to determine the greatest chef of all.
Today, after five rounds of fierce competition,
our two finalists will go head-to-head and compete in one last culinary battle.
The time has come to introduce the top two chefs
who have made it to the final round.
-Oh, my goodness. -Top two.
-Let's see. -I'm ready.
Please welcome our first finalist,
White Spoon Chef Choi Kang-rok.
Amazing.
CHOI KANG-ROK
Man, I've got chills. I'm so excited.
-He's gotten to ride it twice now. -I know.
You're so cool, man.
This is awesome. I'm so happy for him.
I'm Chef Choi Kang-rok.
Uh, it's super nerve-racking being in the finals for these shows.
I know I've done this once before, but I'm not sure I'm cut out for this.
I get embarrassed easily.
But even if I'm not the most charismatic person,
I can assure you that my food will more than make up for it.
That's how I got here in the first place.
You're almost done.
-You made it. -Good luck. Go for the win, man.
And please welcome our second finalist,
Black Spoon Chef Culinary Monster.
CULINARY MONSTER
Let's go!
-Whoo! You did it! -Way to go!
Say your name.
Black Spoon Chef Culinary Monster,
now that you have made it to the final round,
you will no longer be referred to by your nickname.
Please reveal your real name.
Man, this is so cool.
Hello there. My real name is Chef Lee Ha-sung.
CULINARY MONSTER
LEE HA-SUNG
Now we gotta call him that.
I'm not a special person,
but when I first went abroad, I had to learn how to survive.
And I think it's that determination that's gotten me here today.
Well done.
I've never seen him smile that much.
From the beginning, I said I was going to win this competition
and here I am in the finals.
It's time for me to win this.
Today is the day
that these fierce Culinary Wars will come to an end,
leaving us with one final contestant,
the winner who will claim the 300 million won prize.
There we go.
Where else can we earn that?
We will now reveal the theme for the last match,
which will determine our final winner.
The theme of the final round…
is "A One-of-a-Kind Dish For Me."
-Wow. -Ah, that's cool.
As professional chefs, our top two contestants
have spent most of their lives and careers dedicated to cooking for other people.
However, in this final round, you must challenge yourselves
to create the best dish possible for no other person than yourself.
These kinds of themes are hard.
They're just not really my strong suit.
For people like us, who spend most of their lives cooking for other people,
taking the time to try and cook for ourselves is surprisingly difficult.
A dish for me, that's hard.
I'm not sure if I've ever cooked for myself.
-I've never thought of that. -Right.
It may be surprising, but chefs are notoriously terrible
at cooking for themselves.
Your skills, your dedication, your creativity,
the time you spend, it always goes to other people.
So directing that energy towards myself feels completely alien,
like, "What does that mean?
What kind of effort am I able to devote to myself?"
I think that's a difficult question for any chef to answer.
So I'm very interested to see how our two finalists
will interpret the challenge.
How do you judge that?
Once their dish is complete,
each chef will make their way to the judges' table,
where they will sit and taste the dish they made alongside both judges.
Once both tastings have been completed,
the judges will decide the final winner.
However, just like last season,
the winner of this match will only be determined…
when our judges reach a unanimous decision.
They're ruthless. Wow, that's tough.
If both judges cast their vote for the same chef,
the final match will come to an end.
However, if the judges are unable to reach a unanimous decision,
the contestants must have a rematch.
REMATCHES WILL BE HELD UNTIL A UNANIMOUS DECISION IS REACHED
It's like another Cooking Hell.
-This might take a bit. -That's crazy.
What are they gonna make?
I'm hoping to win one last time
and to leave here having earned the recognition
of the two judges before me,
as well as all of the chefs today who are here with me.
-You can do it! -He's confident.
Well, we're almost done.
So, it's time to break the illusion and move forward.
Thank you.
Now then, let the final round,
the One-of-a-Kind Dish For Me Match…
…begin!
FINAL ROUND COOKING BEGINS
-Let's go! -You got this!
I'm sure they're super nervous.
Oh!
-He looks tense. -There's a lot going on.
Monsters are fearless.
He must be making broth.
Okay.
Shit.
-Other way. -Is it?
That's it.
-Is it broken? -Oh, no.
What's wrong with it?
-He can't close the pressure cooker. -Why can't he?
I don't know, it closed just fine when I was practicing.
-Try lifting. -Oh, was it backwards?
-You got it! -Almost.
-Do that. -Got it.
Then click.
All right, the pressure cooker's closed!
Man, we're really invested in this, huh?
He wins, right?
All that cheering to close a pressure cooker?
You gotta show him up, Kang-rok.
All right!
Geez! A round of applause for closing the pressure cooker?
-He looks incredibly stressed out. -Yeah, he is. It's stressful.
-Yeah. -Stakes are high.
-It's the finale. -Right.
It's either win or lose. That's it. No consolation prize.
What are they making?
Couldn't tell you.
I've got no clue what to expect.
"A dish for me," that's the prompt.
So, I get to make something for myself.
Man, I feel like…
I'm in an MMORPG.
It's like having unlimited freedom,
like I can run around to my heart's content, you know?
All right, what's Kang-rok up to?
I mean, he's probably braising, right? That's, like, his thing.
It's what he's known for.
Yeah, his nickname is Jorimping.
He's probably braising.
Jorimping.
I'm a serial braiser. Call me the braiser of desire.
HIDDEN WHITE SPOON ELIMINATION ROUND
…then braise it.
…and then, I'll braise them.
BLACK SPOON VERSUS WHITE SPOON FACE-OFF
I braised monkfish again.
ONE-ON-ONE LIFE-OR-DEATH BATTLE
ENDLESS COOKING PARADISE
You can do anything. You can braise anything.
Skate fish liver? Braised it.
I braised every fish I grabbed. Truffles? Braised.
All braised. Till the world ends…
I'll be braising.
But the serial braiser should take a break.
I have to make something for me.
It should be different than what I usually make.
I'm using ingredients I like
to create a flavor that I like.
Taking all these little things and putting them together.
This is sesame tofu, uh,
served with broth.
But not braised. Yeah.
-What's in there? -Kudzu starch.
-Pretty sure. -Ah.
For my sesame tofu,
I take sesame paste and mix it with starch.
Then you take your whisk and whip it until it's smooth and starts to thicken.
-Is that how you set it? -Yeah, it's jelly-like.
If you stir it like that, you get a jelly texture.
Does that technically count as tofu if there's no soy beans?
In Japanese cuisine,
any kind of set food like what he's making is considered a type of tofu.
But doesn't it take a long time to set?
I'm sure his arm hurts.
Compared to whipping cream, this is much harder on the body.
-I see. Is it because it's thicker? -Yeah, the liquid's thicker.
-Got it. -And also,
to prevent it from sticking to the bottom,
you have to keep taking it on and off the heat.
I think it looks thicker.
It's not done until it's transparent.
-Completely? -Yeah.
-You've got to be super strong. -Exactly.
I mean, it is a pretty simple final dish.
-That? -Yeah.
I guess it's not that fancy.
He's also not using a lot of tools this time.
But here, there's oil, some charcoal,
a pressure cooker and a stand mixer.
-A lot of tools. -Uh-huh.
-I think it's interesting. -I think so too.
Ah, hello, Chef.
-Chef Lee Ha-sung. -Hello there.
We can use your name now. What are you making?
Today, I'm making sundaeguk.
-Sundaeguk? -He's making sundaeguk.
-Is he really? -That's Korean cuisine.
I can cook anything.
Ah, that's just the kind of guy you are, huh?
He is confident.
So, what's the story behind this?
As a kid, my dad would take me to the bathhouse every Sunday morning,
and when we were done, we'd stop to eat sundaeguk.
So, for me, it's kind of a comfort food.
If I had to pick one thing to make for myself, then I'd pick sundaeguk.
I think he chose an excellent dish.
And he's making the sundae?
No, I don't think.
Then, how did he make the sundaeguk?
What's that?
-Instant rice? -Yep.
-Is it? -I think so.
Guess he's adding it.
INSTANT GLUTINOUS RICE
MINCED PORK
I can't just take intestines and make traditional sundae.
That's not actually making a dish.
So, instead, I'm going to make sundaeguk in my own way.
CARROTS
What's he doing? You don't usually stir fry the filling.
I stir fried the vegetables to remove moisture,
added them to the pork and rice.
-That's the blood, right? -Yep.
…squeezed in the pig's blood…
DOUGH MIXER
…and combined them with a stand mixer.
-That's sundae filling. -He's doing it.
-Really? -He's making the sundae.
That's crazy.
That's very difficult, making sundae from scratch.
My dad and I are both from Daegu, Gyeongsang Province,
and in our hometown, we dip sundae in ssamjang.
So I added ssamjang to the filling,
with some Korean mint and Sichuan peppercorn powder.
Since those seasonings are a staple in Gyeongsang Province.
-It's Korean cuisine all the way down. -That's super cool.
This is sundaeguk, but made the way I like it.
-Oh, I see. -Is that the sundae?
Yeah. So instead of stuffing casings to make links,
he's using a tray to mold them and set them.
He prepared the filling like you would,
seonji and all, but he's making patties.
-It's how he's cooking it. -Fascinating.
I put it into the oven to steam.
I figured we weren't getting traditional sundaeguk.
-Fine dining sundae, huh? -You're right.
I like it. It's interesting and fun.
Oh, man. He's been mixing for 20 minutes.
He's still at it, huh?
Oh, boy, he's still going,
Chef Choi Kang-rok.
Isn't this supposed to be "a dish for me"?
-Why torture yourself? -I know, right?
I wish I could help him. I'm sure he's in pain.
It's really hard.
At this rate, I don't know if he'll be able to finish.
I couldn't not feel anxious.
What do I do? Am I gonna run out of time?
And even if I finish before the end, how far behind will I be?
It's taking a really long time.
There's so much care and effort that goes into it.
Seriously! He's going all in on that, isn't he?
But eventually,
something changes.
And it's finally done.
-I think he's finished. -He's pouring it.
-There we go. -Nice and easy.
It looks like the hard part's all done now.
He's cooling it with the ice.
It's interesting to see the timing line up,
or how different they are.
It's cool to see the same technique.
-I'm excited to see what else they do. -I'm really curious.
I think he's made broth.
He's really taking his time, isn't he?
So, there are two important parts of this dish.
The sesame tofu, and the broth.
There's no real recipe.
The broth is just kind of made up of different ingredients, from my memory.
-What are those? -Chicken leg bones?
Is it chicken broth?
Dried bonito flake broth with Pyogo mushrooms and chicken bones.
-It's like an umami bomb. -Just every umami flavor.
-Here comes the lard. -What'd he throw in there?
Pine mushrooms.
Green onions.
He's being very particular with the broth.
He's stacking these layers. A fatty flavor.
I bet that broth tastes amazing.
Is that chicken bone broth?
It's my kind of broth.
Ah. I see.
I'm sure it's incredible.
Over here.
Pork broth makes the best base.
Mmm. It smells good.
So I took pork bones, the makchang, pork meat and pork fat,
and boiled them together to extract the broth.
Once I extracted it, I strained it,
added lots of green onions and garlic,
and then reduced the mix to concentrate the flavors.
The more concentrated the broth, the stronger the flavor.
-Honestly, it's foolproof. -Yeah.
They both look good. I'd eat them as is, you know?
The longer we sit, the more the fragrance and aroma
of the food fills up the space, right?
The smell changes when you move from one side to the other.
-Two different styles. -Completely.
You know what? They're almost comedically opposite.
Right?
One's kelp based, the other's pork based.
I think his will be lighter, the other will be much richer.
It's good food either way.
Mmm. There's the charcoal.
ABOMASUM
I added an intestine salad.
-Whoa. -Those look great.
Charcoal-grilled makchang.
-You can't beat that, can you? -Yeah, there's no way.
-Small intestines? -Really?
SMALL INTESTINE
-Can't go wrong. -Sure it's delicious.
I wanted to give them that slight smoky charcoal flavor.
Let's see. What's he up to now?
People usually add perilla powder,
but instead, I decided to roast the seeds whole to bring out their flavor.
WHOLE PERILLA SEEDS
GARLIC CHIVES
It's the same ingredients, but he's preparing them in different ways.
SALTED SHRIMP
The makchang was tender,
and the small intestine's a bit chewier.
It's kind of like yangmuchim, but with pork instead of beef,
That looks really, really good.
A fine dining chef's take on sundaeguk.
-I like it. -Me too.
Ah, but I'm sure Chef Choi has got a trick up his sleeve.
Do you know what that green leaf is?
-Pumpkin leaf. -Really?
What's it for?
-Is that sea urchin roe? -Yeah.
Sea urchin roe wrapped in pumpkin leaf?
Interesting.
Does that… Do they go together?
Like, could you actually physically wrap it?
I think you can.
I'm interested to see how it works.
TYPE OF PEAS WITH EDIBLE PODS
-Snap peas? -Yeah.
And green onions.
Those are pine mushrooms.
I can't tell what he's making.
It's a unique combo.
-I don't think I've seen it before. -Right.
I want to eat my favorites.
So I decided to prepare a bunch of things,
and add them to the broth.
What's he making?
-Honestly, I haven't figured it out. -Still?
Usually, I can figure it out if it's Japanese,
but I don't have a clue right now.
Oh, here comes the sundae!
Let's see how it turns out.
I want to see what he does.
-What's that? -Sundae.
-It's done. -Yeah, it's set.
I think he's cutting out circles.
I really like the execution.
-They're literal sausage patties. -Yeah.
FLOUR
They were cut, floured, and fried in perilla oil.
He's lightly pan searing the sundae.
Probably to add flavor and make it a little crispy.
His technique's great.
It's basically a reconstruction of sundaeguk.
Mmm.
I like all the little layers,
the little extra things he's doing.
It's just brilliant.
How much do you think that'd go for?
Isn't it obvious? Three hundred million won.
-Exactly. -Oh, yes, that's right.
I mean, you can't get it anywhere else.
That's true.
The sesame tofu is ready.
I was happy with the consistency. It was perfect.
That tofu turned out really well, huh?
Yeah, it looks great. Nice and bouncy.
I think the tofu is ready.
Everything looks good.
I'm just not sure how it comes together.
What's the actual dish?
Do we know yet?
I wonder.
Contestants, there are ten minutes remaining.
You got this!
Let's go! Let's go!
That's the thing. Every time I'm on one side,
I get curious about the other side.
I'm glad they're both this close.
You want to try to finish hot dishes right before you serve them,
Ah, he's plating it now.
I worked hard on this dish and I'm proud of it.
I think I'm gonna win.
Way to go!
-Let's go! Good job! -You're doing great.
-Great job, Chef! -Way to go!
You did it!
If there was ever a restaurant
that decided to try and specialize in this dish,
I think most diners would be confused.
But even though I'm being judged,
I chose to make something that would make me happy.
And I did my best. So, no regrets.
Well done.
Wow!
You did it, Chef!
Both dishes for the final round have been completed.
I think he is incredibly creative.
If it tastes as good as it looks, I think he might…
Will it taste good? I think his dish is more subtle.
I think Chef Lee's will have a really strong flavor,
probably straightforward, rich and delicious.
Yes, super rich. Absolutely.
I'm still a little puzzled by it.
They're just complete opposites. Wow.
I mean, I'm getting two different auras here.
-It's almost like night and day. Wow. -It's a really distinct.
Chef Lee Ha-sung, your dish will be judged.
Please make your way to the judges' table.
-You got this! -You're the coolest, man!
I need to clear the last hurdle.
My goal was always winning, but now I'm even more desperate for it.
I know it's not over yet, but I think I'll win.
Please let me join you.
Oh, they're all eating.
Thank you, Chef.
-Man. -He must be nervous.
Please serve Chef Lee Ha-sung's One-of-a-Kind dish.
Ooh, I like this.
I'm sure sitting down to eat Korean sundaeguk with a fork and knife
was something the judges never expected.
First of all, it's an honor to be able to sit and dine with you at the same table.
What are you talking about?
It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, isn't it?
The dish I've prepared today is sundaeguk.
SUNDAEGUK
You'll notice that, for the first layer,
I took the makchang and small intestines
and combined them to make a sort of intestine salad similar to yangmuchim.
Then you have the sundae, made to my own preference,
seasoned with lots of Sichuan peppercorns and Korean mint leaves.
And I topped that with a salted shrimp crumble.
SALTED SHRIMP CRUMBLE
I've also prepared pork skin chicharrón with chive powder.
CRISPY FRIED PORK SKIN
And left the broth on the side so you can enjoy the dish to your preference.
Should we pour the broth around it?
Since it's sundaeguk, I think the best way to enjoy it is as a soup.
-Should we try it as is or-- -You could do that.
Or you can pour it in the start.
It's very detailed.
I wonder why he chose to make this dish in particular.
So, why did you want to make yourself this dish?
When I was a kid,
when I was really young, before I started elementary school,
my father would take me to the bathhouse every Sunday morning.
-Every Sunday? -And of course, I hated it
-'cause I was a kid. -As you do.
-And every time, he'd take the-- -Exfoliation?
Exactly, he'd scrub me so hard, I thought my skin would come off.
-But it was above a restaurant. -Ah!
So, every Sunday, we'd go to the bathhouse, get a scrub in,
and as a reward, I'd get to eat sundaeguk.
From the moment you'd step through the door of the sundaeguk restaurant,
you could smell the broth.
So the memory of my dad buying me sundaeguk every Sunday,
of us sitting down and enjoying a hot meal together
has really stuck with me.
It gives me this sense of nostalgia.
It's the little things that stay with you.
I actually did the same thing with my dad.
How about that?
All I got was banana milk.
-Back in the day. -Can you believe that?
When I was 21, I decided to leave Korea.
And I moved abroad to pursue my professional career.
I sort of went back and forth between Europe and the US,
so, I couldn't settle down anywhere.
Traveling to new cities and trying to adapt,
not knowing the language,
trying to get hired at restaurants…
That's sort of how I've lived my life until now.
Whenever I think of home, I think of sundaeguk.
-So, whenever I make my way back to Korea, -Hmm.
it's the first thing that I want to eat.
And so…
I always crave it whenever I'm out of the country.
-It warms your heart. -Really does.
Yeah, it's moving.
-So now that you've cooked for yourself, -Yeah.
is there anything you'd like to maybe say to yourself?
As you complete this first chapter of working in kitchens
and learning as much as you can and prepare to open your own restaurant,
I hope you continue to learn and grow and become a better chef.
I think there's a lot for you to be proud of.
So it's interesting that you're telling yourself to work harder.
I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so…
in terms of overall skill, I think I've got a long way to go.
He could just tell himself, "Good job,"
but all he thinks about is trying to be better.
He's been pushing himself this whole time.
I want to give him a hug. I really, really do.
Well, thank you.
-Please enjoy. -Thank you, Chef.
Thank you.
God, it smells so good.
-I'll try without the broth. -Let's eat.
I was really interested in the sundae itself.
Mmm.
Mmm!
That's sundae.
Mmm.
Adding the broth really changes it a lot.
My favorite part is when the sundae kind of bursts in the broth,
-you get that flavor. -Come on!
-What? -You're making me hungry.
I mean, it looks amazing.
-All those layers. -Judges seem to love it.
They keep nodding their heads.
I think that's a good sign.
Oh, my god, I'm nervous for him.
-Aren't you hungry? -Well, no, not really.
-Every time I take a bite, um… -Yes?
I know it's sundaeguk,
but there's something refined in the way it tastes,
and I like the way it sort of ebbs and flows
without losing the originality of the dish.
And you did a great job of balancing the flavors while keeping their subtlety.
I appreciate that.
The sense of comfort is palpable,
and I get a sense of how personal this is.
I feel like I just left the bathhouse.
It probably tastes more delicious after a nice bath.
It tastes delicious now. No bath needed.
I think Judge Paik Jong-won really loves it.
All good things
-They're eating it all. -Looks like it.
-They're scraping. -It's an impressive dish.
He may have won this.
Yeah.
Oh, man. Now I'm hungry.
I think he's gonna win.
I really enjoyed that.
-Thank you, Chef. -Thank you, both of you.
Thank you.
Great job! Well done!
-Congratulations, Chef! -You did it!
-I wish he'd eaten more. -Yeah.
-He was really nervous. -Can you blame him?
-Very memorable. -Yeah.
So…
this is his take on sundaeguk.
It could go either way.
This dish is very different, so it'll be interesting.
It's amazing that they both made it from the first round.
If Chef Choi manages to win, then fortune really does favor the brave.
Chef Choi Kang-rok, please make your way to the judges' table.
Let's go!
-All right! -You got this!
I'm proud of myself for working so hard,
but I'm also overcome with emotion.
-Great work. -Thank you.
You've done well.
Please serve Chef Choi Kang-rok's One-of-a-Kind dish.
This is a broth-based dish with sesame tofu.
SOUP WITH SESAME TOFU
But…
made the way I like it.
I didn't intend to make something that would be this difficult to cook.
But, since you gave me 90 minutes,
I thought I'd make the tofu, sort of as a self-assessment.
I have this little memory I'm fond of,
of eating sesame tofu and watching the pieces melt in the hot broth.
So, to me, this sesame tofu,
it… it reminds me to persevere
and not to fall behind when things might get difficult.
-It was hard to make. -Yeah.
A "self-assessment," that's interesting.
Of course, I also made sure to include my favorites.
PINE MUSHROOM, SNAP PEA, PUMPKIN LEAF, UNI, SESAME TOFU
Even though I know there's a chance
that it may not be completely to your preference…
-personally, I love udon broth. -Oh!
One time, at my restaurant, I had leftover chicken bones,
and I added them to the udon broth instead of tossing them.
And so, I remade it with dried bonito flake broth,
added in a ton of green onions, and created a soup that's just for me.
Why did you want to serve yourself this dish?
I know I'm known for my braising.
Yeah.
And,
as you know, I won a competition show
and I made a lot of braised dishes for that.
Mmm.
I was The Braiser, The Serial Braiser, Jorimping.
I ended up with those nicknames.
But I wasn't good at braising.
I just pretended to be good.
Of course, I studied up on it.
And while I eventually got good…
uh, I was still pretending to be something I wasn't.
Braising is something I do for others, so I didn't want to do it for myself.
-It's heartbreaking. -Oh, I feel really bad.
So I decided to make something that brought me comfort.
I mean, most days I just push myself. I keep trying to get better.
I don't think I've cooked for myself for more than 90 seconds. Yeah.
Aw.
It's just such an emotional topic.
So, when I sat down and asked myself
what I wanted to eat, this is what I wanted.
Man, that's cool.
So, even at home, you haven't done this?
Just instant noodles. That's all I've made for myself.
-Wait a minute. Instant noodles? -Yeah.
So then,
Jorimping, Serial Killer--
-No, it's Serial Braiser. -Oh!
-I'm so sorry. -Be careful.
-Braiser. -Did he say "killer"?
"Serial killer."
-You can't make stuff up. -Killer, Chef, same thing.
Braiser. Serial Braiser.
Do you have anything you'd like to say to yourself?
-Yes. -What would you like to say?
You've done good, Jorimping.
You can go ahead and take a break just for today.
Shouldn't we start with the soju?
Oh, right. So the soju, uh, it's not that it goes with the dish,
it's more like what you drink to relax.
-Mmm. -Like a nightcap
A drink that chases away the day's problems, you know, before bed.
-I mean… -That's what everyone wants.
-Soju! -Yeah, that's a must-have, right?
-With the red cap. -The stronger, the better.
I mean, that's what you want after a long day.
Warm food and a strong drink.
I think if that were me, I would have picked soju too.
-Cheers. -Yes.
-Looks great. -Yeah.
I think that's a great idea, serving it with soju.
They have no choice. They have to relax.
Mmm.
Is there something we should eat first?
The sesame tofu is the star here.
So I'd suggest trying that out first and letting it melt in your mouth.
-Please. -Right.
How's the tofu texture? Are you happy with it?
I'm happy with it. Yes.
That's what you wanted?
-Yeah. -I hope so.
-You made this for yourself, didn't you? -Yes.
Oh! What are these little pockets here?
Oh, I put some urchin roe in the pumpkin leaves.
Ah! It's hidden.
I'm curious to know if you think that those two…
um, do you think they pair well together?
I think they do. I think it's a good match.
-Me too. -Oh, good.
I've never had this.
Sea urchin roe and pumpkin leaves?
-Guess it works. -Good to know.
From what I see, I think they like this too.
-They seem excited. -Mmm.
I almost feel like they're enjoying this more. Do you think?
Yeah, this is really interesting.
-I think he's stressed out. -Probably.
So, just to clarify…
Do you prefer the nickname Serial Braiser,
or do you think Serial Killer suits you more?
Uh, well, I do abide by the law.
-"Abide by." -Good answer, man.
You know, sometimes I get asked, like, as a chef, what's your thing?
You know, what are your signature moves?
But, to be honest, I don't… I really don't think I have any.
I don't consider myself to be a standout chef.
I just do what most chefs do.
I work in the kitchen with all the other chefs,
doing what needs to be done without any kind of fanfare.
And somehow, through sheer dumb luck, I ended up as Jorimping.
So…
Whoa.
-I think that's really nice. -Yes, it's admirable.
I think there's lots of chefs who can relate to the idea
of feeling like you need to put on a mask of sorts,
a feeling like you need to pretend to be something you're not.
I mean, I relate to that.
So I think something,
hmm, as honest and as vulnerable as this,
is just excellent.
Is he eating the whole thing?
-They really love it, huh? -Every last drop.
You're right. Look at that.
-It's empty. -Yep.
It's a real toss up, isn't it?
I mean, I think either one of them could walk away with it.
Thank you.
I really enjoyed it.
Thank you.
I'm in awe of both of them.
So, what do you think?
I really got no clue.
I think he's a genius.
-It's so simple, and yet… -He's just good.
It's really amazing.
Now then, the time has come for both judges to cast their vote
in order to determine the final winner.
Choi Kang-rok versus Lee Ha-sung.
Lee Ha-sung versus Choi Kang-rok.
Of the two chefs before you,
please select the one chef who you believe
is the ultimate culinary champion of Korea.
Oh, man. How do I pick between them?
I think they're torn.
Number 1 is Lee Ha-sung.
Number 2 is Choi Kang-rok.
Judges, please cast your vote now.
They must be nervous.
-Look at the judges. -It's gonna be close.
-Yeah. -They seem stressed about it.
Yeah, this feels right.
JUDGE ANH SUNG-JAE VOTING COMPLETE
Judge Paik Jong-won, please cast your vote now.
One second.
It's the battle of the broth based dishes.
Okay.
BOTH JUDGES HAVE COMPLETED VOTING
That's it. That's both votes.
The voting has now concluded.
Good work, you two!
The judges must reach a unanimous decision
in order for us to decide on a final winner.
The results are as follows…
After casting their individual votes, the two judges have reached…
Why am I getting nervous?
-Oh, my god! -Tell us already!
…a unanimous decision.
UNANIMOUS DECISION REACHED
Oh!
Really?
…a unanimous decision.
Amazing!
-Who is it? -Who won?
My palms are all sweaty now.
There, there.
I was confident that I'd won.
I wasn't sure if I'd want or not, but I really wanted to.
-Lee Ha-sung. -Oh, man.
This is it.
-Chef Choi is praying. -It's all over.
The winner of the 300 million won prize money is…
Why are my palms sweaty?
Congratulations…
White Spoon Chef Choi Kang-rok!
…White Spoon Chef Choi Kang-rok!
WHITE SPOON CHEF CHOI KANG-ROK WINS
Congratulations!
-Incredible! -Great job, Chef!
He did it!
Oh, man! Amazing!
He really did it.
-Oh, wow! -Well done.
Wow.
I really wasn't sure how you were gonna vote.
It's done.
He came back and won the whole thing.
Personally, I think, had the theme been different,
I think my opponent, Chef Culinary Monster…
would have won. I do.
He's an amazing chef,
and I know he would have made the most amazing dish.
Like I've said, I don't think I'm special.
I'm not an extraordinary chef by any means.
I just happen to…
be a chef, that's all.
There are thousands of people just like me,
who work hard to make food for other people every single day,
without any sort of public recognition.
I'm glad I took your words to heart.
And I'm glad I was able to grow so much while here.
And I promise to cherish the connections I've made,
and to continue to think more deeply about the food I make. So, thank you.
-You did it, Chef! -Nicely done!
First, to all the chefs here and to all the participants who aren't present,
you're incredible, and you've all done a great job.
I've really enjoyed this competition,
and I'm so grateful to have made it this far,
and to have been given the chance to face Chef Choi Kang-rok.
As a chef, all I've wanted is to become someone who cooks well.
So, no matter what happens, at least I can say
I guess I'm actually pretty good at cooking.
And I hope that someday,
I will be able to use my profession and my abilities as a chef
to make people happy.
I want to be able to take care of others with relative ease,
and in doing so, I'll make myself happy.
You know, this competition, the crux of the show,
is to divide us into Black Spoons and White Spoons.
So as a White Spoon, I find myself asking what winning means.
There are countless chefs out there of different backgrounds.
Some are culinary masters,
and others are just starting their careers.
But all of us work incredibly hard.
Each of us has a gift for making something.
I've never been happier than in the 11 years I made sausages.
I consider it to be my life's work.
And some of us decide to make a living with that gift.
I started learning how to cook because I was just trying to survive.
I'll have a great burger joint and have my happy ending.
If I had it my way, I wouldn't talk about myself.
I just want to talk about those of us who love to cook.
Cooking is just what I do,
and because it's what I do, I put everything into it.
And I mean everything.
This is my job, something I have to do.
There are skilled chefs, but few consistent,
so I want to be consistent.
Of course I'm still a chef.
My love of cooking has never faded.
I try to live without regret,
so I make sure to show up and do my best every single day.
I love cooking, so I'm glad I became a chef.
I don't know if I'd be here today if I wasn't able to cook.
I've been a chef for 57 years now,
which means, I'm just three years away from reaching my new 60-year goal.
I think we all feel that same desperation.
I don't think anyone can say that they want it more than somebody else.
My twenties were ending,
and I decided to start a restaurant.
I'd go shopping at the crack of dawn, clean, do dishes.
I woke up with the sun each day just so I could study.
I collapsed while working once.
Cooking requires patience.
It meant so much, I couldn't give it up.
The moments when I cook are when I'm truly happy.
I like to think I'm here on behalf of all my fellow chefs.
I won't get complacent.
I'm just glad I decided to try again.
CHOI KANG-ROK