Latest news with #CulinaryClassWars
South China Morning Post
26-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
What is Hong Kong's Red Hot Chef cooking show, inspired by Culinary Class Wars?
Last year's Korean Netflix show Culinary Class Wars helped fuel a surge of interest in reality cooking competitions, as well as the chefs who star in them. Riding that wave of popularity is chef Anh Sung-jae of Seoul-based restaurant Mosu , which held three Michelin stars before its relocation earlier this year. Ahn, one of two judges on Culinary Class Wars , has partnered with HSBC to create a new, strikingly similar contest set in Hong Kong. Red Hot Chef, a three-episode series, dropped its first episode on Hong Kong TV channel TVB Jade on July 19. The remaining two are set to air on July 26 and August 2. The competition features eight Hong Kong chefs, chosen from over a hundred applicants, fighting for the grand prize: a restaurant marketing package worth HK$1 million (US$127,000).
South China Morning Post
25-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Red Hot Chef: on Hong Kong's take on Culinary Class Wars, 8 finalists gear up to impress the judges
Last year, Korean reality show Culinary Class Wars captivated audiences around the world, sparking global interest in Korean cuisine and proving that cooking competitions can be just as thrilling as any K-drama. Looking to capitalise on the popularity of Culinary Class Wars, which has a second season on the way soon, Hong Kong has launched its very own version: Red Hot Chef. This new reality series features an impressive lineup of culinary talent. Chef Anh Sung-jae – a judge from Culinary Class Wars, the first Korean chef to earn three Michelin stars in Seoul, and the founder of Mosu Hong Kong – hosts the show. He's joined by two giants of Cantonese cuisine: chef Tam Kwok-fung, of Chef Tam's Seasons in Macau, and chef Vicky Cheng, of Vea and Wing fame, who serve as judges. Out of over 100 chefs who auditioned across the city, only eight finalists made the cut, gracing our screens when the first episode of the series dropped on July 19. These culinary hopefuls, ranging from seasoned industry veterans to dynamic rising stars, are now ready to ignite Hong Kong's most anticipated cooking competition. So who will succeed, and who will get eliminated? We'll just have to see what happens in the following episodes. Frankie Wong – Ankôma The winner of Michelin's Hong Kong & Macau Young Chef Award 2025, chef Frankie Wong from Ankôma. Photo: Handout At just 30, chef Frankie Wong has made a name for himself on the city's fine dining scene, recently taking home the 2025 Michelin Guide Hong Kong & Macau Young Chef Award. After sweating in top kitchens like Zest by Konishi, and Écriture under chef Maxime Gilbert, Wong opened Ankôma in 2022 to express his own take on French-Japanese cuisine and modern fine dining. Run by a team who are all under 30, Ankôma boasts youthful energy, and serves up exquisite, vibrant dishes such as lava stone-grilled lobster tail, roasted three yellow chicken and Racan pigeon. Deng Hua-dong – Deng G (Tsim Sha Tsui) Chef Deng Hua-dong, Master Chef at Deng G, making dan dan noodles at his restaurant. Photo: Nora Tam For almost half a century, chef Deng Hua-dong has devoted himself to mastering the intricate art of Sichuan cuisine and its philosophy of 100 dishes, 100 flavours. At his restaurant, Deng G, he shows that true innovation lies not in reinvention, but in refining the classics rooted in centuries of tradition. With a strong focus on balance and precision, Deng pairs high-quality seasonal products with exacting techniques, allowing bold, robust spices to amplify rather than overpower the natural umami of principal ingredients. In Deng's hands, flavours are precisely executed and everyday classics become extraordinary. Lau Ka-wing – Hau Tak Restaurant Lau Ka-wing is the executive head chef of Hau Tak Restaurant in Causeway Bay. Photo: handout In a city saturated with Cantonese eateries, Hau Tak Restaurant stands out as a hidden gem that stays true to the roots of traditional Cantonese cuisine. At the helm is chef Lau Ka-wing, who spent years at the famed 'tycoons' canteen' Fook Lam Moon before leading Hau Tak for the past 17 years.
CNA
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
Chinese cooking show hosted by Nicholas Tse and others accused of copying Netflix's Culinary Class Wars
There is a new cooking competition in China stirring up controversy, and it is not because of its recipes. Chinese tech company Tencent's One Dish To Rule Them All, a cooking competition fronted by Hong Kong star Nicholas Tse, Haidilao founder Zhang Yong, and Michelin-starred chef Zheng Yongqi, is facing backlash for allegedly copying the format of Netflix's Culinary Class Wars. The only glaring difference between the two shows appears to be the country's cuisine and One Dish To Rule Them All's long list of celeb drop ins. Celebrity guests such as Carina Lau, Charlene Choi and Michelle Chen made appearances, adding star power to Tencent's version. Everything else, including the format, is painfully similar. Like the Netflix hit, One Dish To Rule Them All's 100 contestants were also split into black and white teams. Sixteen renowned chefs form the white team, while 84 newbies make up the black. Culinary Class Wars also had 100 participants, with 20 experienced chefs classed as White Spoons who competed under their real names, while the remaining 80 newbies were placed as Black Spoons, competing under an alias. Despite some fans pointing out that Tencent's version adds a more interesting twist with A-listers, viewers are still calling it a blatant imitation. 'That is just silly. Culinary Class Wars didn't need to all these celeb gimmicks to become a success,' retorted a netizen. Culinary Class Wars was fronted by Michelin three-star chef An Sung-jae, and celebrity cook Baek Jong-won as judges.
Pink Villa
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Has China copied Baek Jong Won, Anh Sung Jae's Culinary Class Wars? Netflix responds to plagiarism allegations
Culinary Class Wars has been the talk of the culinary world ever since its release in September 2024. The show subsequently went viral in its home country, South Korea, and sparked renewed global interest in Korean cooking methods and food. The chefs who appeared on the show have been hailed for their presence and techniques, but a Chinese version, seemingly heavily inspired by the original, has invited doubts. Amid questions of Netflix selling the official license to their famed Korean cooking show, the OTT giant has responded to reports, denying any sales on its end. Culinary Class Wars goes global? Know about the Chinese 'copy' Known as Yi Fan Feng Shen (Chef of China), the Chinese program premiered on July 17. Run by Tencent Video, the media mogul, it has already invited scrutiny from global viewers over its similarities to the Korean reality show. Said to be a battle involving the Chinese cuisine, it has been heavily cirticized for the undeniable overlaps between the two programs. The fight between the black-apron and white-apron chefs, a battle-like set-up, and overall vibe match to quite a serious level, according to Chinese viewers who have called out the blatant copy. Amid the concerns, a representative of Netflix has shared with Ilgan Sports that the platform has not officially sold any remake rights for Culinary Class Wars to China and added that they are currently discussing how to respond to the similarities seen in the show. An intellectual property tussle and court case over legal implications may soon follow. Meanwhile, the inaugural season was led by Paik Jong Won (Baek Jong Won) and Anh Sung Jae, as they judged 100 contestants from known and unknown backgrounds, who competed for the prize money of 300 million KRW. 20 veterans and 80 newbies fought it out over 12 episodes. A second season was confirmed in October 2024 and is expected to air later this year.
South China Morning Post
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Meet Culinary Class Wars' Comic Book Chef, self-taught cook and Netflix star
The story of chef Cho Kwang-hyo is a testament to life's unpredictable twists. A decade ago, he was a bicycle designer in South Korea with no culinary training or particular interest in food. Today, he is widely known as the Comic Book Chef from Netflix's cooking survival show Culinary Class Wars – in which he stood out as a self-taught chef against Korea's most acclaimed culinary legends. In early July, the chef, who runs two Sichuan restaurants in Seoul, was in Hong Kong for a four-hands collaboration with Kyle Lee, executive chef of Honjokko in the city's Quarry Bay neighbourhood. Kyle Lee (left) and Cho Kwang-hyo prepare food during their four-hands collaboration at Honjokko. Photo: Jelly Tse The pair's menu blended Korean, Japanese and Chinese influences paired with soju makgeolli and champagne. It also featured Cho's signature Dongpo pork and mapo tofu, which were both spotlighted on Culinary Class Wars. The menu will be available at the restaurant until August 3. Cho admits he is as surprised by his journey as anyone. He recalls lying on his bed watching YouTube when he saw the advertisement that changed his life.
