"Culinary Class Wars Season 2" winner Choi Kang-rok: "I briefly panicked... the weight of stepping into someone else's place" [Interview]

[Financial News] Choi Kang-rok, winner of "Culinary Class Wars Season 2," said in an interview at a café in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 16th, "I plan to use the 300 million won prize money to help prepare a noodle restaurant I want to open in my later years."

When reminded that he also received the same amount in prize money for winning "MasterChef Korea Season 2," he laughed and said, "It doesn’t reflect inflation, but unlike back then, at least this time I don’t have any failed restaurants, and that’s a relief."
Speaking about the dish he presented for the final mission, "The one dish just for me," he explained, "It was a staff meal." He said, "Sometimes we order separate ingredients just for the staff, but often we cook using leftover ingredients. A lot of the time, we eat ingredients that can’t be used the next day. Sea urchin roe is a typical example, and whenever we have sea urchin roe on the staff meal menu, it puts me in a good mood."
Known for his braised dishes, he earned the nicknames "Braise King" and "Braise Slayer." After the final mission, he said in an interview, "I didn’t want to make another braised dish, not for a dish that was supposed to be for myself," adding, "I wanted to give myself a bit of comfort." He went on, "I’ve always just pushed myself every day, but I’ve never spent even 90 seconds cooking purely for myself," a remark that resonated with judge Anh Sung-jae and the fellow chefs.
He also described himself as "not a special chef." "People ask what my signature dish is, but in truth, I don’t have a clear signature," he said. "I’m just one of many chefs across the country who quietly repeat the same work in the kitchen without standing out." Even so, he added, "I was lucky enough to be given the nickname 'Braise King,' and I’m grateful for that alone." His words drew reactions like "That’s really cool" from those present.
Choi admitted that his mindset going into Season 2 was different from Season 1. "There were a lot of people who wanted to be on Season 2, but I ended up standing there with the title of Hidden Silver Spoon Chef," he said. "I didn’t want to fill that spot lightly, so I worked even harder." He further explained, "I said those things because I felt like I was stepping in on someone else’s behalf."
However, he confessed that when he actually heard on set that he had to pass the evaluations of both judges, Anh Sung-jae and Paik Jong-won, he briefly went into a panic.
He recalled, "For a moment I thought about backing out, but when I saw the separate cooking station set up just for the two Hidden Silver Spoon Chefs, I realized there was no turning back."
As a chef approaching his fifties, he also spoke candidly about the physical strain.
He said, "My stamina isn’t what it used to be, and there are many times when I feel like my mind doesn’t work as quickly either." He continued, "In my twenties and thirties, making sesame tofu wasn’t difficult at all, but at some point I started feeling aches and pains after making it." He then explained his choice for the final dish, saying, "Through sesame tofu, I wanted to prove to myself that I can still do it."

jashin@fnnews.com Shin Jin-ah Reporter