Chef Ahn Sung-jae Remains Unchanged, Judging with Strict Standards on 'Chef vs. Chef 2'

The Netflix variety show 'Chef vs. Chef: The Battle of Culinary Ranks 2' premiered on the 16th, drawing attention to Chef Ahn Sung-jae, who returned as a judge alongside Chef Baek Jong-won.

Ahn Sung-jae, living up to his reputation as 'Korea's only 3-Michelin-star chef,' maintained his characteristic meticulous and objective judging, setting his own standards like 'evenness' and 'degree of cooking.' His mere presence created a tense atmosphere among the chefs. Chef Ahn's sharp critiques and warm praise led to a rollercoaster of emotions for the contestants.

Notably, Chef Ahn offered a harsh review of a dish featuring molecular gastronomy, stating, "Old techniques remind me of 20-year-old cuisine. Raw apples taste better." He also decisively eliminated Chef Kim Do-yun's noodle dish, commenting, "The dryness remains. It didn't become a delicious noodle for my palate."

However, he lavished praise on 'Yoon Jumo the Alcohol Brewer's' distilled dish, saying, "The fruity aroma of makgeolli is alive in the soju. The best side dishes to eat with alcohol are not the menu itself, but the skill behind it." Upon receiving the pass, Yoon Jumo was visibly moved to tears. At the press conference on the 17th, Yoon Jumo expressed deep respect for Chef Ahn, saying, "I didn't expect to survive, so I was deeply touched. I was so nervous with Chef Ahn Sung-jae as a judge."

Despite a large cast of talented contestants this season, Chef Ahn Sung-jae judged with his consistent principles. Although he no longer holds the 3-Michelin-star title after the reopening of 'Moo:su,' his reputation and culinary standards remain as strong as ever. Both Chef Ahn and Chef Baek are strictly adhering to the unique criteria of 'Chef vs. Chef' this season.

'Chef vs. Chef 2' is generating anticipation for who will win this season and what further critiques Chef Ahn Sung-jae will deliver to make viewers laugh and cry.

Netizens watching the show commented, "Chef Ahn Sung-jae's judging standards are really accurate," "I get immersed watching the chefs cry and laugh at his evaluations," and "I'm really looking forward to next week's broadcast."