'Culinary Class Wars' contestant Son Jong-won gives special lecture at Dongguk University

Chef Son Jong-won, a star contestant in the second season of Netflix’s hit culinary survival series “Culinary Class Wars” (2024-), delivered a special lecture at Dongguk University in central Seoul.

The lecture, held on Tuesday in celebration of the university’s 120th anniversary, centered on the theme of “a recipe for self-discovery to complete fine dining.” During the session, Son reflected on his career journey and the philosophy that shapes his approach to cooking.

According to Dongguk University, Son spoke about his decision to pursue a culinary career while studying civil engineering, as well as his journey to earning Michelin stars for his restaurants, L’Amant Secret and Eatanic Garden.

He also shared his thoughts on building a distinct culinary identity, the importance of sustainability as a social responsibility and his future goals as a chef.

On “Culinary Class Wars 2,” Son was eliminated before reaching the Top 7, losing to fellow contestant Lee Ha-sung, also known as “Culinary Monster.”

Son currently runs two restaurants in Seoul: the contemporary dining restaurant L’Amant Secret, located in L’Escape Hotel in Jung District, central Seoul, and the Korean restaurant Eatanic Garden, located in Josun Palace in Gangnam District, southern Seoul. Notably, Eatanic Garden was named one of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants last year.

BY YOON SEUNG-JIN [[email protected]]