Chef Ahn Sung-jae Reveals Behind-the-Scenes Stories from 'Culinary Class Wars'
Oct 21, 2024
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When asked if he had to go on a diet before appearing on 'Culinary Class Wars', Chef Ahn humorously replied, “If I hadn’t, I couldn’t have been a judge!” He also reflected on a standout moment during a one-on-one blind mission where Chef Jeong impressed him by creating 'Candied Sweet Siraegi' using dried radish leaves as the main ingredient.
Chef Ahn remarked, "My expertise lies in Western, Japanese, and Korean cuisine, so when I tasted the dishes prepared by the Chinese chefs, I was amazed. How did they manage to create such textures and flavors using something as simple as dried radish leaves?"
When asked about seeing his former trainees like 'Black Spoon', One Two Three, and Triple Star on the show, Chef Ahn responded, "I don’t really like the term ‘student.’ I’ve never seen them as pupils. I know their capabilities, and I felt proud to work alongside them as colleagues. They’ve progressed much more than I expected.”
There has been speculation about Chef Ahn's reaction to Chef Choi Hyun-suk’s elimination during the ‘Tofu Mission in Hell’. Viewers noted that the usually composed Chef Ahn broke into a big smile and made an expressive hand gesture after tasting Chef Choi’s dish. Addressing this, Chef Ahn clarified, "Absolutely not. Chef Choi added too much lamb and saffron to the mapo tofu, which made it far more complex than I anticipated. I thought to myself, ‘How did this dish turn out this way?’ On the outside, I smiled and said it was delicious and fun, but internally I was wondering, ‘Where’s the tofu?’”
Chef Ahn also shared a personal anecdote about cooking at home, joking, "If I ever judged my wife’s cooking, I’d be in trouble—I wouldn’t be able to sleep at home! Even my mother-in-law’s cooking is great," he added with a thumbs-up. "But when I cook for my kids, I’m very strict. If the seasoning is even slightly off, they won’t eat it. Cooking for them makes me the most nervous."
With the announcement of the second season of 'Culinary Class Wars', many wonder if Chef Ahn will return as a judge. Chef Ahn said, "We need to discuss it further. If there’s someone better suited for the role, I wouldn’t mind stepping aside," but he thanked the anchor for expressing excitement at his potential return.
When asked to evaluate the interview itself, Chef Ahn joked, "It’s my first time talking to a news anchor. It was nerve-racking! I was thinking, ‘Why am I walking around so much when I should be speaking?’ I’m embarrassed, but I’m also grateful for the opportunity. This feels like a survival show for me!"
rightlight@sportschosun.com
