Chef Edward Lee Reflects on the Journey and Lessons from Culinary Class Wars
On October 11th, Edward Lee posted a lengthy message in English on his social media, starting with the words, “Where do I even begin?”
Edward Lee expressed his gratitude by saying, “I am truly thankful for all the love from those who have watched Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars over the past few weeks. I was moved by all your comments and messages. While there are too many to reply to individually, please know that I have read them all, and I am overwhelmed with emotion by your kind words.”
Reflecting on his experience as a Korean-American, he added, “I can’t explain in words what it feels like to be connected to my heritage and represent a vision of Korean cuisine, feeling the support from all of you, especially as someone who spent much of my youth away from Korean culture.”
Edward Lee also expressed his gratitude to the chefs he competed with, saying, “Thank you to all the chefs I competed with. It was a crazy experience, and I am lucky to call you all friends. It was an absolute pleasure to work with the production team, directors, producers, editors, and the culinary team. I will miss you all.”
He added, “It was my dream to cook in my homeland and show the world how beautiful and diverse Korean cuisine is.”
Addressing those who commented on his lack of practice kitchens in Korea, Edward Lee said, “Some people mentioned that I was at a disadvantage for not having a practice kitchen in Korea. But what is a kitchen? While staying in Korea, I turned my hotel room into a test kitchen during every break, bought ingredients at the market, and watched Korean dramas for inspiration while testing new ideas. A kitchen isn’t just about fancy equipment or luxurious ingredients; it’s a place where passion, love, and creativity come together. With just a cutting board, a knife, and curiosity, you can turn any room into a kitchen.”
He concluded by thanking everyone and encouraging them to try something new in the kitchen, no matter the circumstances.
Meanwhile, Edward Lee, who proved his skills on the American culinary survival show Iron Chef and gained fame in the U.S., took on the challenge of competing in the Korean cooking survival show Culinary Class Wars, where he finished as the runner-up. His creativity and storytelling in his dishes garnered significant attention.