Latest news with #ChefAndMyFridge
The Star
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Singaporean chef raids K-pop star Kim Jae-joong's fridge on 'Chef And My Fridge'
In the episode, Han Li Guang(left) took an 'intense 15-minute cook-off', using ingredients from K-pop idol Kim Jae-joong's fridge. Photos: Han Li Guang/Instagram, Kim Jae-joong/Instagram Singaporean chef Han Li Guang, who helms and owns the one-Michelin-starred Restaurant Labyrinth in Esplanade Mall, was the first Singaporean chef to appear on the South Korean cooking competition series Chef And My Fridge . In the show, chefs whip up dishes using ingredients found in the fridge of a featured guest, with the guest picking the winner of the challenge. Han appeared in a special episode that aired in South Korea on May 11 and featured chefs heading the kitchens of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list. Restaurant Labyrinth, which serves modern Singapore cuisine, ranks No. 37. The episode will be available to stream on Netflix in June. Other chefs who appeared in the episode were Yusuke Takada of La Cime in Osaka and Antimo Maria Merone of Estro in Hong Kong. The episode also featured famed South Korean chefs like hit Netflix cooking competition Culinary Class Wars (2024) winner Kwong Seong-jun, also known as Napoli Matfia; Choi Hyun-seok; and Yoon Nam-no, better known by the moniker 'Cooking Maniac'. In the episode, Han took on Choi in what he said was an 'intense 15-minute cook-off', using ingredients from K-pop idol Kim Jae-joong's fridge. Kim was previously a member of the boy band TVXQ. The theme for the challenge was to create a dish that would go well with the traditional Korean alcoholic drink, makgeolli, a type of rice wine. Han, 39, said on Instagram: 'So proud to be the first Singaporean to compete on this global show and even prouder to present to the world a take of our national chilli crab (and squid) dish with whatever I could find in the chiller.' He posted photos of himself in the makeup chair for the series on his Instagram Stories. He also uploaded wefies of him with Choi, and another South Korean chef Son Jong-won, as well as a snapshot with Kim. Chef And My Fridge is a long-running and popular programme in South Korea, which first aired in its home country from 2014 to 2019. It was rebooted on Netflix and cable television in South Korea in 2024. The programme regularly features A-list celebrities in South Korea, who willingly trot out the contents of their fridge to have their regular diet examined, before a professional chef cooks them a meal. In its most recent rebooted season, stars like supergroup BTS' J-hope, girl group Ive's Jang Won-young, actor Song Joong-ki and actress Ha Ji-won have appeared on the show. Chef And My Fridge is available on Netflix, with new episodes every Sunday. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network View this post on Instagram A post shared by LG Han (@han_lg)
Straits Times
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Restaurant Labyrinth's Han Li Guang is first S'porean chef on K-cooking show Chef And My Fridge
Singaporean chef Han Li Guang (left) competing with South Korean chef Choi Hyun-seok (right) on South Korean cooking competition series Chef And My Fridge. Han is the first Singaporean to compete on the programme. PHOTO: JTBC ENTERTAINMENT/YOUTUBE Restaurant Labyrinth's Han Li Guang is first S'porean chef on K-cooking show Chef And My Fridge SINGAPORE – Singaporean chef Han Li Guang, who helms and owns the one-Michelin-starred Restaurant Labyrinth in Esplanade Mall, was the first Singaporean chef to appear on the South Korean cooking competition series Chef And My Fridge. In the show, chefs whip up dishes using ingredients found in the fridge of a featured guest, with the guest picking the winner of the challenge. Han appeared in a special episode that aired in South Korea on May 11 and featured chefs heading the kitchens of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list. Restaurant Labyrinth, which serves modern Singapore cuisine, ranks No. 37. The episode will be available to stream on Netflix in June. Other chefs who appeared in the episode were Yusuke Takada of La Cime in Osaka and Antimo Maria Merone of Estro in Hong Kong. The episode also featured famed South Korean chefs like hit Netflix cooking competition Culinary Class Wars (2024) winner Kwong Seong-jun, also known as Napoli Matfia; Choi Hyun-seok; and Yoon Nam-no, better known by the moniker 'Cooking Maniac'. In the episode, Han took on Choi in what he said was an 'intense 15-minute cook-off', using ingredients from K-pop idol Kim Jae-joong's fridge. Kim was previously a member of the boy band TVXQ. Singaporean chef Han Li Guang created a Korean take on Singapore's national dish chilli crab for K-pop idol Kim Jae-joong in a recent episode of South Korean cooking competition series Chef And My Fridge. PHOTO: JTBC ENTERTAINMENT/YOUTUBE The theme for the challenge was to create a dish that would go well with the traditional Korean alcoholic drink, makgeolli, a type of rice wine. Han, 39, said on Instagram: 'So proud to be the first Singaporean to compete on this global show and even prouder to present to the world a take of our national chilli crab (and squid) dish with whatever I could find in the chiller.' He posted photos of himself in the make-up chair for the series on his Instagram Stories. He also uploaded wefies of him with Choi, and another South Korean chef Son Jong-won, as well as a snapshot with Kim. Chef And My Fridge is a long-running and popular programme in South Korea, which first aired in its home country from 2014 to 2019. It was rebooted on Netflix and cable television in South Korea in 2024. The programme regularly features A-list celebrities in South Korea, who willingly trot out the contents of their fridge to have their regular diet examined, before a professional chef cooks them a meal. In its most recent rebooted season, stars like supergroup BTS' J-hope, girl group Ive's Jang Won-young, actor Song Joong-ki and actress Ha Ji-won have appeared on the show. Chef And My Fridge is available on Netflix, with new episodes every Sunday. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Michelin-starred Labyrinth's LG Han becomes first Singapore chef on South Korea reality show ‘Chef & My Fridge' (VIDEO)
SINGAPORE, May 12 — Singapore's culinary scene just scored a spicy milestone on South Korean TV. For the first time ever, the hit reality cooking show Chef & My Fridge featured a Singaporean chef — none other than LG Han of Michelin-starred Restaurant Labyrinth — in a special '50 Best' episode aired on May 11. The concept? Chefs must whip up a dish using ingredients found in a celebrity's fridge. Representing 'Team Asia' alongside Japan's Yusuke Takada (La Cime) and Hong Kong's Antimo Maria Merone (Estro), Han faced off against 'Team Korea', which included seasoned TV personalities Son Jeong-won, Kwong Seong-jun (aka Napoli Mafia), and Choi Hyun-seok — Han's chosen rival and longtime friend. 'He's the chef who has been on the show the longest and has the highest win rate,' Han said of Choi in an interview with Channel News Asia (CNA). 'When they asked me, 'Can you win against Choi? Why did you pick the oldest chef?' I said, 'He's a legend, and I would love to try to defeat the legend.'' The fridge he raided belonged to none other than Kim Jae-joong, former member of K-pop juggernaut TVXQ. 'My fridge had a lot of Korean ingredients: ssamjang, perilla leaves, gochujang, squid,' Han shared. 'Kim Jae-joong likes really spicy food, like, make you sweat kind of spicy.' The episode also revolved around the K-pop star's new makgeolli brand. 'So, we had to create a dish suited for makgeolli,' Han explained. Han's answer? A bold, Singapore-meets-Seoul take on chilli crab — reimagined with Korean pantry staples. He swapped mantou for grilled rice cakes boiled in makgeolli, added heat with Korean 'death sauce', and used ssamjang in place of garlic and shallots. He also made a side of julienned pear wrapped in kimchi. 'I've been to South Korea quite often and tasted ssamjang, so I kind of knew it should work... but I'd never put those things together, so it was really just pure instinct,' he was quoted as saying. 'Towards the end, my hands were shaking because I was running out of time.' Though known for his innovative approach at Labyrinth, Han opted for something traditional. 'I didn't want to do a modern, Labyrinth-style dish... I wanted to do something that could showcase Singapore's traditional foods to the world.' Shooting took 13 hours, and language proved another hurdle. 'I had an earpiece with 'live' translation,' he said. Asked what he took away from the experience, Han quipped, 'That I still have it in me to cook a delicious Singaporean dish in 15 minutes.' Han and Choi will reunite in Singapore for a two-night collab at Labyrinth on July 13 and 14, serving their Chef & My Fridge creations and other dishes, paired with makgeolli. Watch Labyrinth's socials for booking updates. The episode drops on Netflix on June 20.
Malay Mail
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Michelin-starred Labyrinth's LG Han becomes first Singapore chef on South Korea reality show ‘Chef & My Fridge' (VIDEO)
SINGAPORE, May 12 — Singapore's culinary scene just scored a spicy milestone on South Korean TV. For the first time ever, the hit reality cooking show Chef & My Fridge featured a Singaporean chef — none other than LG Han of Michelin-starred Restaurant Labyrinth — in a special '50 Best' episode aired on May 11. The concept? Chefs must whip up a dish using ingredients found in a celebrity's fridge. Representing 'Team Asia' alongside Japan's Yusuke Takada (La Cime) and Hong Kong's Antimo Maria Merone (Estro), Han faced off against 'Team Korea', which included seasoned TV personalities Son Jeong-won, Kwong Seong-jun (aka Napoli Mafia), and Choi Hyun-seok — Han's chosen rival and longtime friend. 'He's the chef who has been on the show the longest and has the highest win rate,' Han said of Choi in an interview with Channel News Asia (CNA). 'When they asked me, 'Can you win against Choi? Why did you pick the oldest chef?' I said, 'He's a legend, and I would love to try to defeat the legend.'' The fridge he raided belonged to none other than Kim Jae-joong, former member of K-pop juggernaut TVXQ. 'My fridge had a lot of Korean ingredients: ssamjang, perilla leaves, gochujang, squid,' Han shared. 'Kim Jae-joong likes really spicy food, like, make you sweat kind of spicy.' The episode also revolved around the K-pop star's new makgeolli brand. 'So, we had to create a dish suited for makgeolli,' Han explained. Han's answer? A bold, Singapore-meets-Seoul take on chilli crab — reimagined with Korean pantry staples. He swapped mantou for grilled rice cakes boiled in makgeolli, added heat with Korean 'death sauce', and used ssamjang in place of garlic and shallots. He also made a side of julienned pear wrapped in kimchi. 'I've been to South Korea quite often and tasted ssamjang, so I kind of knew it should work... but I'd never put those things together, so it was really just pure instinct,' he was quoted as saying. 'Towards the end, my hands were shaking because I was running out of time.' Though known for his innovative approach at Labyrinth, Han opted for something traditional. 'I didn't want to do a modern, Labyrinth-style dish... I wanted to do something that could showcase Singapore's traditional foods to the world.' Shooting took 13 hours, and language proved another hurdle. 'I had an earpiece with 'live' translation,' he said. Asked what he took away from the experience, Han quipped, 'That I still have it in me to cook a delicious Singaporean dish in 15 minutes.' Han and Choi will reunite in Singapore for a two-night collab at Labyrinth on July 13 and 14, serving their Chef & My Fridge creations and other dishes, paired with makgeolli. Watch Labyrinth's socials for booking updates. The episode drops on Netflix on June 20.
CNA
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
Labyrinth's LG Han is the first Singaporean chef to compete on Korean show Chef & My Fridge
Singapore is represented for the first time on the popular Korean reality cooking competition series Chef & My Fridge by way of Restaurant Labyrinth's chef Han Liguang, better known as LG Han. He competed in a special '50 Best' episode of the show that challenges chefs to cook a dish from ingredients in a celebrity's fridge. Aired on Korea television on Sunday (May 11), the episode featured 'Team Asia' – made up of Singapore's Han, chef Yusuke Takada of La Cime in Japan and Antimo Maria Merone of Estro in Hong Kong – going up against 'Team Korea', which was represented by Son Jeong-won of Eatanic Garden as well as Culinary Class Wars alumni Choi Hyun-seok and Kwong Seong-jun (known as Napoli Matfia). Han was invited to participate because of Labyrinth's standing at number 37 on the latest Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list, and he accepted because he wanted to 'have fun, make friends and, most importantly, showcase what Singapore has,' even though his policy up until now has been not to compete in on-air competitions because 'I don't want to lose,' he quipped. Han flew to Seoul and filmed for the episode over 13 hours on Apr 26. For his opponent, he chose Culinary Class Wars' Choi, because the two have been longtime friends, having first met in Singapore eight years ago at an editorial shoot arranged by the Singapore Tourism Board and subsequently at global culinary events. 'He's the chef who has been on the show the longest and has the highest win rate,' Han said. 'When they asked me, 'Can you win against Choi? Why did you pick the oldest chef?' I said, 'He's a legend, and I would love to try to defeat the legend.'' Whose fridge did he raid? The celebrity of the day was Kim Jae-joong, erstwhile member of popular south Korean boy band TVXQ. 'My fridge had a lot of Korean ingredients: Ssamjang, perilla leaves, gochujang, squid. We have to cook according to the celebrities' preference. Kim Jae-joong likes really spicy food, like, make you sweat kind of spicy.' In addition, there was a 'Do you know makgeolli?' theme, as 'Kim Jae-joong just launched his own makgeolli brand. So, we had to create a dish suited for makgeolli.' Han's solution was to whip up a classic Singapore chilli crab from the Korean ingredients that would pair well with the Korean rice wine, 'like drinking Tiger Beer to wash it down'. To make the dish, he used ssamjang, tomato sauce, oyster sauce, Korean fish sauce, Korean sesame sauce, hot sauce known as 'Korean death sauce', and egg whites, along with squid and a frozen leg of crab that were in the fridge. 'I've been to Korea quite often and tasted ssamjang, so I kind of knew it should work, but I'd never put those things together, so it was really just pure instinct,' he recalled. 'Ssamjang has garlic, shallots, chilli paste, fermented soy bean paste', which was ideal since 'there was no time to chop garlic and shallots'. To replace shaoxing wine, he used soju, and chose pickled perilla leaves to take the place of lime. And, 'Instead of mantou, I used instant rice cakes boiled in makgeolli for a bit of sweetness and creaminess, then grilled.' He also made a side dish of julienned pear wrapped in kimchi. 'Towards the end, my hands were shaking because I was running out of time.' The final dish tasted a lot like a classic chilli crab, he said, while still being 'a bit different, like a Korean version.' He explained: 'I didn't want to do a modern, Labyrinth-style dish, firstly because of the timing; and secondly, I wanted to do something that could showcase Singapore's traditional foods to the world. My point is that I think the knowledge of Singapore cuisine is still not there when it comes to the world stage. It's not like Korean cuisine, Japanese cuisine, Thai cuisine or Filipino cuisine. What I do has always been about showcasing what Singapore is, whether traditional or modern.' During the competition, here were a few panic moments, he said, like chopping up mushrooms and then forgetting to use them, and the rice cakes cooking unevenly due to the shape of the pan. There was also the language barrier. 'I had an ear piece with live translation,' he revealed, and 'when I spoke in English, there was a loudspeaker in the studio translating it into Korean' for the others. Of course, with many people speaking simultaneously, the translation got a little confusing at times. It helped to have Choi there as a friend, he said, offering to show him how the equipment worked and being generally supportive. 'To be honest, my strategy was just to complete my dish,' Han said. 'I asked the producer beforehand, 'Has anyone not completed their dish?' And they said, 'No, never'. I was a bit nervous, as well – it was a different world altogether, it was a 13-hour shoot, and I had to compete first because I was the youngest!' He did receive some sage advice, though. Prior to leaving on the trip, he shared, 'my wife said to me, 'It's more important to be entertaining than to win or lose.'' As for whether he did anything to prepare for the competition, he said, 'Nothing, I just tried to have an early night before the shoot.' An interesting behind-the-scenes tidbit is that 'every time we took a break, we all had one-on-one assistance – they would talk to us about the script. They would say, 'This is coming up, you must follow this instruction, you must say something about your dish,' or, 'Choi is going to poke fun at you – just react in good humour.'' Did he learn anything about himself through the experience? 'That I still have it in me to cook a delicious Singaporean dish in 15 minutes,' he quipped. He mused: 'I think chefs every day have to learn to live with pressure and be quick-thinking. If mistakes happen, or the quality of the ingredients is not good enough, what do we do? How do you change the dish? So, this show technically takes what we're doing in real life and compresses it into 15 minutes.' On his part, 'I wanted to show Korea what we have. I would have loved to show them authentic Singapore food, but because of the rules of the show, I had to cook out of a Korean fridge, so, I did my best to show what Singapore flavours are, based on what we share in culture and ingredients – and that we are a lot closer than what we think we are when it comes to our flavours.' Meanwhile, Choi will be in Singapore in July and will be cooking together with Han at Labyrinth. In a special two-night collaboration planned for Jul 13 and 14, the two chefs will present the competition dishes they made on the show, paired with the same makgeolli; as well as other dishes like a samgyetang dish they worked on together. (Event updates and booking details will be available on Labyrinth's social media accounts).
