“We didn't get along very well”— Ahn Sung-jae breaks silence on work dynamics with Baek Jong-won on Culinary Class Wars, addresses season 2 return

On October 21, 2024, a South Korean media outlet, News1 reported that Chef Ahn Sung-jae broke his silence on his work dynamics with fellow judge Baek Jong-won during their time on Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars. In an interview with JTBC’s Newsroom, aired on October 20, Chef Ahn admitted that he and Baek did not always see eye to eye.

He described their collaboration as challenging, though he acknowledged their differences contributed to a balanced judging process. When asked about their dynamics, Ahn Sung-jae stated,

"We didn't get along very well. It was fair because we could assess things from very different perspectives. Baek was incredibly skilled, and as we filled in the gaps in each other's knowledge, I grew to respect him. Still, if we meet again, I won’t back down from my opinions."

Chef Ahn made it clear he stood firm on his opinions and would exercise the same judgment again if he and Baek Jong-won were to meet for future projects. Reflecting on his experience as a judge, Chef Ahn Sung-jae further spoke about how he approached the role, believing his background and expertise positioned him to be a fair judge in the competition.

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Chef Ahn Sung-jae addresses his possible return to the second season of Culinary Class Wars

After the show's immense global success, Netflix has officially renewed Culinary Class Wars for a second season. On October 15, 2024, the streaming giant announced the return of the hit South Korean cooking competition, which became the first Korean unscripted show to hold the No. 1 spot on Netflix's Global Top 10 Non-English TV list throughout its airing.

As for a potential return in a second season of Culinary Class Wars, Ahn Sung-jae cautiously hinted at the possibility. While discussions have taken place, he noted that more conversations are needed before any decisions can be made.

"They've mentioned it to me, but we need to have more discussions," he stated.

Chef Ahn expressed his surprise at some of the culinary creations on the show, especially the impressive techniques used by contestant Chef Jeong Ji-seon, particularly how she prepared shiitake mushrooms in one dish.

When asked about the chefs he had mentored, including Triple Star, Ahn clarified that he doesn't see them as his "students," but he feels proud of their progress and improvement, which has moved him to near tears.

Addressing speculation about his reactions to the elimination of Chef Choi Hyun-seok, Chef Ahn Sung-jae explained that his facial expressions were due to the complexity of Choi’s dish, not excitement over his departure. He emphasized that his focus was on the dish's ingredients, such as lamb and tofu, which he found to be unexpectedly intricate.

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As per the announcement notice on Netflix's official website, season 2 is set to air in the second half of next year.