“Culinary Class Wars” Winner Is Matfia, But The Real Main Character Is Lee Kyun

“I have an American name, Edward, but I also have a Korean name. My parents gave me a name, my Korean name is Kyun. So, Lee Kyun made this dish. When I eat in Korea, they always give me too much food, so I’m always full and I can’t finish it. So, when I order tteokbokki, I always have two or three rice cakes left. I thought it was a waste, but it’s not that. I believe it shows abundance and love, consideration for others, and this is what Korean food is. So I made the dessert with the remaining three tteokbokki.”

In the last episode of Netflix’s “Culinary Class Wars,” which was released on October 8th, Korean-American Chef Edward Lee introduced the final dish in front of the judges. He spread out a piece of paper written in crooked Korean letters and conveyed his identity and sincerity about cooking.

“Culinary Class Wars” is basically a survival game in which unknown chefs challenge famous chefs. If a dirt spoon wins, they can reveal their real name to the world instead of the nickname they used throughout the program. The studio was filled with emotion when the winner Napoli Matfia revealed his real name “Kwon Jung-joon” before the final match. However, the moment Edward Lee revealed his real name “Lee Kyun” shortly afterwards was truly a “kick” of the program. This is why many say, “The winner of ‘Culinary Class Wars’ was Napoli Matfia, but the protagonist is Lee Kyun.”

Prior to the final match, Edward Lee said besides winning, he also came to know about Korea and his identity as a Korean. As he said, he introduced new dishes incorporating Korean food instead of the signature dish he is selling at his restaurant from the beginning to the end of the competition. He had to compete with the best chefs in Korea without taking out his weapon, and many are impressed by his veteran fighting spirit, concentration and humor.

One netizen expressed emotion with a comment on Netflix’s official YouTube channel, saying, “Watching Edward Lee is like watching Picasso mastering popular art and drawing abstractions.”

Source: Sports Kyunghyang