Culinary Class Wars Season 2 cast: The chefs to know and follow on Instagram

Craving a new show to binge this December? Netflix is serving up a new season of the well-loved reality cooking series Culinary Class Wars, and rest assured that it’ll whet your appetite.

Following the success of its debut season, the show returns with a fresh lineup of talented chefs from across South Korea, who will battle it out in a series of high-stakes cook-offs for the title of top chef and a hefty cash prize of KRW 300 million.

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Much like the first season, the second will feature 20 “White Spoon” chefs, representing established culinary stars, including well-known international names such as Jennie Walldén and Edward Lee, alongside Korean culinary figures like Lee Jun, Raymon Kim, and Sam Kim, who will go head-to-head with 80 other “Black Spoon” chefs in a series of challenges.

If you’re curious to learn more about the chefs and follow them on Instagram, you’ve come to the right place. Ahead, we’ve rounded up some of the contestants from Culinary Class Wars Season 2 that you need to check out, stat.

WHITE CHEFS

Chef Jun Lee

Founder & Executive Chef of 2 Michelin-starred restaurant in Seoul called ‘Soigné’ 

Born in Korea and trained in the US, Chef Jun Lee is the founder and executive chef of Seoul’s two-Michelin-starred restaurant, Soigné. He’s known for blending Western techniques with Korean cuisine, earning international acclaim for his modern, thoughtful approach.

Chef Son Jongwon

Executive Chef of Michelin 1-Star ‘L’Amant Secret’ and ‘Eatanic Garden’

A prominent figure in Seoul’s fine-dining scene, Chef Son Jongwon is the executive chef behind Michelin-starred restaurants Eatanic Garden and L’Amant Secret. After switching careers from civil engineering to cooking, he has built a reputation for blending Korean traditions with French techniques, guided by discipline, creativity and a strong focus on sustainability.

Chef Seonjae Seunim (Venerable Seonjae)

Korea’s 1st Master of Temple Food & Former Director of the Institute for the Advancement of Korean Food

A revered figure in Korean cuisine, Chef Seonjae Seunim is Korea’s first master of temple food and a former director of the Institute for the Advancement of Korean Food. A Buddhist nun, researcher and author, she has played a key role in preserving Korean temple cuisine while bringing its philosophy and flavours to a global audience.

Chef Hu Deok-juk

Master Chef of Ambassador Seoul Pullman Hotel ‘Haobin’

With over 50 years of experience, Chef Hu Deok-juk is a respected authority in Korean-Chinese cuisine. He serves as the master chef of Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant Haobin at the Ambassador Seoul Pullman Hotel, where his decades of expertise and refined techniques continue to define the restaurant’s legacy.

Chef Jung Ho-young

Owner of Japanese Restaurant ‘Kaden,’ 1st Generation Star Chef

A first-generation star chef in South Korea, Chef Jung Ho-young is the owner of Japanese restaurant Udon Kaden. With over two decades of culinary experience and formal training in Osaka, he’s known for his deep respect for Japanese food culture.

Chef Park Hyo-nam

A French cuisine legend with 47 years of experience

With 47 years of experience, Chef Park Hyo-nam is a respected figure in South Korea’s fine-dining scene, and is best known for his French cuisine infused with Asian influences.

Chef Kim Hee-eun

Owner-Chef of Michelin 1-Star ‘Soul’

Chef Kim Hee-eun is the owner-chef of Seoul’s one-Michelin-starred restaurant Soul, which she co-runs with her husband and fellow chef Yoon Dae-hyun. She’s known for her modern take on Korean cuisine, blending traditional flavours with Western techniques.

Chef Im Seong-geun

Winner of Hansik Battle Season 3

Chef Im Seong-geun is best known for winning Hansik Battle Season 3. Aside from that, he’s also a prominent name in modern Korean fine dining, and is known for pushing the boundaries of Korean cuisine through his Michelin-starred restaurants Mosu in Seoul and Mosu Hong Kong.

Chef Sam Kim

Owner Chef of ‘Trattoria Sam Kim’ and ‘Osteria Sam Kim’

An Italian cuisine specialist, Chef Sam Kim is the owner-chef of Trattoria Sam Kim and Osteria Sam Kim. You might also recognise him from the MBC drama Pasta, where he served as Lee Sun Gyun’s cooking doppelgänger and coached the cast, or from his regular appearances on JTBC’s Please Take Care of My Refrigerator.

Chef Choi Yu-gang 

2022-2024 Michelin 1-Star ‘Kozacha’ Owner Chef

Chef Choi Yu-gang is the co-owner and chef of Seoul-based restaurant Kozacha, which has held a Michelin one-star since 2022.

Chef Song Hoon

Judge for MasterChef Korea Season 4

Chef Song Hoon is best known as a judge on MasterChef Korea Season 4. With a Michelin-starred background that includes time at New York’s Eleven Madison Park, he later shifted his focus to modern Korean dining and premium Korean pork brand Nanchukmatdon.

Chef Lee Geum-hee

Korea’s First Female Executive Chef of a 5-Star Hotel 

Chef Lee Geum-hee is a pioneering figure in Korean gastronomy, recognised as the country’s first female executive chef of a five-star hotel

Chef Jennie Walldén 

2013 Winner of MasterChef Sweden

Winner of MasterChef Sweden in 2013, Chef Jennie Walldén is a Swedish chef, restaurateur and author known for blending her Korean heritage with Nordic flavours. She’s best recognised for her Malmö-based restaurant Namu and her continued presence across international culinary shows.

Chef Shim Sung-chul

Owner-Chef of New York Michelin 1-Star ‘KOCHI’ and ‘MARI’

Based in New York, Chef Shim Sung-chul is the owner-chef behind Michelin-starred Korean restaurants Kochi and Mari. Trained at fine-dining institutions like Le Bernardin and Per Se, he’s known for reinterpreting Korean flavours through refined techniques inspired by his roots in Jeollanam-do, Korea. 

Chef Raymon Kim

Celebrity chef who blends Korean flavours with Western cuisine

A South Korean-Canadian celebrity chef and TV personality, Chef Raymon Kim is known for blending Korean flavours and ingredients with Western cooking techniques

Chef Kim Sung-woon

2018-2022 Michelin 1-Star ‘Table for Four’ Owner Chef

Chef Kim Sung-woon is the former owner-chef of Seoul restaurant Table for Four, which held a Michelin one-star from 2018 to 2022. He’s known for his European-inspired cuisine that highlights fresh, seasonal ingredients sourced from his hometown of Taean.

Chef Kim Geon

Michelin 1-Star ‘Goryori Ken’ Owner Chef 

Chef Kim Geon is the chef-owner of the Michelin one-starred restaurant Goryori Ken. After founding the restaurant in 2016 and reopening it in 2019, he refined his kappo-style, drinks-forward approach, curating menus that highlight natural textures and umami. Goryori Ken has held a Michelin star from 2022 to 2025.

Chef Cheon Sang-hyun

Former Executive Chef for the President of the Blue House

Chef Cheon Sang-hyun is a prominent South Korean chef who served as executive chef to the President at the Blue House (Cheong Wa Dae) for nearly 20 years, cooking for five different presidents.