Napoli Matfia (real name Kwon Sung-jun), the winner of Netflix’s ‘Culinary Class Wars’, had his mental strength tested in Italy!
tvN’s new variety show ‘Undercover Chef’ (directed by Hong Jin-joo) premieres on May 21 at 8:40 PM. In this show, Korea’s representative star chefs go undercover as the “youngest staff” in restaurants located in the countries where their culinary styles originated. They will have to leave their titles behind and take on hidden missions.
A video released on the 14th gives a vivid glimpse of ‘Naturalist Saint Chef’ Sam Kim, ‘Queen of Chinese Cuisine’ Jung Ji-sun, and ‘Napoli Matfia’ Kwon Sung-jun facing a brutal ‘Day 1’ in authentic kitchens, sparking high expectations.
First up, Sam Kim infiltrated Parma, Italy, posing as a former farmer, only to suffer the humiliation of becoming a “background prop” in the kitchen. Despite politely asking, “Is there anything I can do?” in the fast-paced environment, he receives a firm “NO.” His flustered attempts to find his place in the corner of the kitchen are sure to bring laughs.
Heading to Chengdu, China, Jung Ji-sun entered the kitchen boldly after an interview where she claimed to be a former “boxing player.” However, she was quickly overwhelmed by the intensity of authentic ingredients. Seeing things like live frogs, she couldn’t help but shudder. Even the ‘Queen of Chinese Cuisine’ was seen screaming, proving that undercover life is no walk in the park.
In Naples, Italy, Kwon Sung-jun also faced an unexpected struggle while pretending to be a former “baseball player.” Despite dominating cooking survivals with his precise techniques, he messed up while prepping potatoes, leading a local senior to snap, “This is how you peel potatoes!” The sight of ‘Napoli Matfia’ looking bewildered while being bombarded with nagging in Italian makes his “rookie adjustment period” all the more entertaining.
But their efforts to hide their identities didn’t last long, as their “chef instincts” became a variable. Their professional knife skills and handling caught the eye of local colleagues, who suspiciously asked, “Have you worked in a restaurant before?” With their identities at risk, fans are curious to see how they will overcome these crises and climb to the top of the kitchen within five days.
The production team shared, “Situations unfolded that were more real than even we expected. The process of these chefs starting from the bottom and challenging themselves to reach the top of the kitchen in five days will provide viewers with fresh fun and a thrilling sense of catharsis.”
