Where to Find the Restaurants Owned by Chefs from "Culinary Class Wars" Season 2
Off-screen, this is where the chefs’ Michelin-recognized cooking comes to life.
Published on Dec 23, 2025
Culinary Class Wars has returned for a second season, and with it comes another lineup of chefs whose reputations extend outside the competition floor. Among the White Spoons are chefs who already run some of the most talked-about kitchens in Seoul—and beyond—many of them backed by Michelin stars, Bib Gourmands, and long waitlists.
If Season 2 has you wondering where these chefs cook when the cameras are off, consider this your starting point. Here’s where to find the restaurants behind the White Spoons.
The White Spoons
Lee Jun
Soigné
Address: #201, 2F Sinsa Square, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Distinction: Two Michelin Stars
Soigné is built around storytelling. Chef Lee Jun’s tasting menus—known as the “Episode” series—are structured like a classical narrative. Michelin recognition highlights how Chef Lee blends Korean sensibilities with contemporary technique, letting seasonal ingredients lead chapters.
Son Jong Won
Eatanic Garden
Address: 36F Josun Palace Hotel, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Distinction: One Michelin Star
Set high above the city, Eatanic Garden leans into a sense of calm despite its urban perch. Michelin describes the space as an “urban garden,” with window-facing tables offering expansive skyline views. Instead of a traditional menu, diners are guided through a series of illustrated cards, each pointing to a seasonal ingredient anchoring the dish.
L’Amant Secret
Address: 26F L’Escape Hotel, Jung-gu, Seoul
Distinction: One Michelin Star
At L’Amant Secret, Chef Son shifts gears. Inspired by Parisian dining rooms, the restaurant focuses on what he calls Korean-style Western cuisine. Michelin notes how local, seasonal Korean ingredients are paired with Western techniques, creating dishes that feel refined yet approachable.
Hu Deok Juk
Haobin
Address: 2F, Ambassador-Pullman Hotel, Jung-gu, Seoul
Distinction: One Michelin Star
Chandeliers and Chinese tableware set the mood at Haobin. The restaurant is helmed by Chef Hu Deok Juk, who brings more than five decades of experience to the kitchen. Michelin highlights his mastery of soups, particularly Buddha Jumps Over the Wall—a dish he famously introduced to Korea.
Kim Geon
Goryori Ken
Address: 2F, 15-3 Eonju-ro 152-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Distinction: One Michelin Star
With just eight seats at the counter, Goryori Ken offers a front-row view of Chef Kim Geon at work. Michelin recognition points to the restaurant’s focus on seasonality and intuition, with dishes shaped by what’s freshest at the time. The sake list leans toward small Japanese breweries, reinforcing the restaurant’s quietly serious approach to hospitality and craft.
Choi Yu Gang
Kojacha
Address: 17 Hakdong-ro 97-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Distinction: Previously One Michelin Star (2022–2024)
Kojacha—short for Korean, Japanese, and Chinese cuisine—is exactly that. Chefs Choi Yu Gang and Jo Yeong Du alternate Chinese and Japanese courses within a single tasting menu, served in private rooms filled with vintage furniture from the ’50s and ’60s. Michelin attention has often centered on the restaurant’s theatrical presentations, from chilled abalone salad to shark fin braised in Chinese superior stock.
Kim Sung Woon
Table for Four
Address: 5F, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Distinction: Previously 1 Michelin Star
At Table for Four, Chef Kim Sung Woon cooks with his hometown of Taean firmly in mind. Michelin recognition has noted his use of seasonal ingredients from South Chungcheong Province, sometimes transformed through European techniques, other times left intentionally simple.
Shim Sung Chul
Kochi
Address: 652 Tenth Ave., New York, USA
Distinction: One Michelin Star
Kochi rethinks the tasting menu format. Michelin coverage emphasizes its open kitchen and skewer-driven menu, designed to be eaten by hand. Chef Shim draws on his Korean roots and fine-dining background to produce dishes that feel playful but controlled.
Mari
Address: 679 Ninth Ave., New York, USA
Distinction: One Michelin Star
Mari takes the idea of a hand-roll counter and turns it into a tasting menu experience. Michelin highlights the way Korean flavors are folded into pristine seafood, served at a counter where chefs work at full view. The meal closes with banchan and seafood, grounding the experience firmly in Korean tradition.
Gui
Address: 776 Eighth Ave., New York, USA
Distinction: Michelin Selected
Near Times Square, Gui Steakhouse brings Korean influence into classic steakhouse territory. Michelin selection notes its balance between raw bar offerings, Japanese wagyu, USDA Prime steaks, and comfort dishes like wagyu fried rice and dan dan noodles—making it as viable for theater nights as destination dining.
Kim Hee Eun
Soul
Address: B1F, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Distinction: Michelin Star
Run by husband-and-wife duo Chefs Yun Dae Hyun and Kim Hee Eun, Soul explores modern Korean dining through everyday flavors and refined technique. Michelin recognition points to the restaurant’s thoughtful spatial design, with different sections suited to different dining styles, mirroring the layered nature of the food itself.
Jennie Walldén
Namu
Address: Landbygatan 5, Malmö, Sweden
Distinction: Michelin Bib Gourmand
At Namu, Nordic ingredients meet Chef Jennie Walldén’s South Korean heritage. Michelin’s Bib Gourmand distinction highlights the restaurant’s value-driven approach with bold, generous dishes designed for sharing. The menu leans playful and flexible, with tasting options for the indecisive and a neighboring cocktail bar, Gaji, for those not ready to call it a night.
Culinary Class Wars Season 2 is streaming on Netflix.
Kat is Preview's Lifestyle Editor, explorer, and occasional rhymer. When not globe-trotting, she's over her computer, writing her next big novel.
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