Hyundai Card’s Chung Tae-young Praises ‘Culinary Class Wars’ Chef Son Jong-won: “His Character Is Exceptional”

[The Financial News] Vice Chairman of Hyundai Card Chung Tae-young has drawn attention by publicly cheering on Chef Son Jong-won, who appears on the Netflix original variety show “Culinary Class Wars Season 2.”
On the 8th, Chung Tae-young posted a photo of Chef Son Jong-won on his Social Networking Service (SNS) account and highly praised the chef’s cooking and character.
“I don’t like omakase or set-course restaurants,” Chung Tae-young wrote, explaining, “You lose the freedom to choose, you end up overeating, and the explanations that come with every dish interrupt the conversation.” He went on, “But the Eatanic cuisine I had from Chef Son Jong-won last winter was so impressive that I wanted to go back. The deeply flavored dishes paired with alcohol drew in even someone like me, who dislikes course meals, and made me focus.”
He added, “The food is worthy of at least two Michelin stars. At that level, most chefs tend to be curt and lean on charisma, but when we first met, Chef Son Jong-won greeted us with a warm smile and kindness that really stood out. You can see that same character on ‘Culinary Class Wars Season 2’ as well.”
Eatanic Garden is a Korean restaurant led by Chef Son Jong-won at Josun Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Gangnam. Along with L'Amant Secret, a French restaurant at L'Escape Hotel where he also serves as head chef, it has been awarded one Michelin star. Chef Son Jong-won is the only chef in Korea to have received Michelin recognition in both Western and Korean cuisine.
Meanwhile, Chef Son Jong-won has recently gained popularity through his appearance on “Culinary Class Wars Season 2.” The show is a cooking survival program where underdog “black spoon” chefs from outside the establishment try to overturn the hierarchy with taste alone, while Korea’s top “silver spoon” star chefs strive to defend it.
hsg@fnnews.com Han Seung-gon Reporter