Culinary travel just got more exciting thanks to Netflix “Culinary Class Wars.” As the show revealed not only the top-tier Korean restaurants but also the hidden culinary gems to visit in South Korea, Netflix “Culinary Class Wars” gives you a whole new checklist of culinary adventures to venture. So, today we’re going to help you figure out the most popular restaurants featured in Netflix “Culinary Class Wars” you can visit during your trip to Seoul in the part 1 of our ultimate guide below.
Elevate Your Culinary Adventure with Netflix “Culinary Class Wars”
As one of the most-watched non-English TV series on Netflix, “Culinary Class Wars” has become a new source of inspiration for both global and local culinary enthusiasts. Apparently, since the show started airing, the restaurants owned by most of the participant chefs have been fully booked with a long list of reservations.
Yet, this hype is certainly not without reasons. After all, Netflix “Culinary Class Wars” has offered a genius concept of competition between the industry’s favorites and the underdogs. Throughout the show, you will witness how these underdogs are battling against the most famous culinary industry veterans.
As a result, amidst the struggling market in the Korean culinary business, Netflix “Culinary Class Wars” has successfully breathed fresh air, reviving the depleting market.
And if you’re a passionate Korean culinary traveler, today we’re going to guide you through some of the best restaurants whose chefs have joined Netflix “Culinary Class Wars.” These restaurants are a must-visit while traveling to South Korea’s metropolitan city, Seoul.
Famous “Culinary Class Wars” Chefs Restaurants in Seoul (Part 1)
So, here are some of the best Seoul restaurants, which belong to one of the participant chefs in the Netflix “Culinary Class Wars,” and please note that this is only the part 1 of our ultimate guide to your new culinary adventure.
1. Via Toledo Pasta Bar, Yongsan
Firstly, we have the Via Toledo Pasta Bar, one of famous Italian restaurants located in the Yongsan District, Seoul. It belongs to Netflix “Culinary Class Wars” participant, Chef Kwon Seong Joon the Napoli Mafia.
If you’re looking to find one of the best fine-dining Italian restaurants in Seoul, then Via Toledo is your must-visit culinary destination. It offers a single seven-course Sicilian dinner featuring a wide variety of pasta, risotto. In this place, you will not only be able to taste the main menu but also rich selections of appetizers and desserts.
For now, the price still revolves around 89,000 KRW (approximately 67 USD) for each person. However, please be aware that this price will highly likely increase due to the restaurant’s skyrocketing popularity.
Most interestingly, there is no fixed menu in this first-class premium restaurant in Seoul as the dishes they featured in the course will likely change every other month.
Via Toledo, Yongsan District, Seoul by Napoli Mafia Chef Kwon Seong Joon
- Address: 7-2 Wonhyo-ro 83-gil, Seoul, South Korea.
- Phone: +82 507 1384 0986
- Opening Hours: 5 to 10 PM (Tue – Sat)
- Instagram: @viatoledo_official
- Naver: Via Toledo
2. Pono Buono, Gangnam
Secondly, one of Netflix “Culinary Class Wars” restaurants to visit during your Seoul travel is Pono Buono in Gangnam. This restaurant belongs to Chef Lee Sang Pil the Hidden Genius participant who impressed the judges with his genius cooking skills.
While Chef Lee Sang Pil gained attention for his Aglio Olio in the official menu, Pono Buono will intrigue you with its “hidden pasta” option. Not only that, but this Italian restaurant also features Italian culinary fusion with seasonal seafood and vegetables, protein selections, and house-made ice cream and sorbets.
Pono Buono, Gangnam District, Seoul by Hidden Genius Chef Lee Sang Pil
- Address: South Korea, Seoul, Gangnam District, Dosan-daero 45-gil, 8-7 2층.
- Phone: +82 10 9617 4499
- Opening Hours: 6 to 12 PM, last order at 10 PM (Mon – Sat)
- Instagram: @pono_buono
- Naver: Pono Buono
3. Cho Kwang 201 and Cho Kwang 101, Songpa
Thirdly, you definitely must visit the two Seoul restaurants by Cho Kwang Hyo the Comic Book Chef of Netflix “Culinary Class Wars.” He is well-known in the series for acquiring his cooking skills through comic books. Not only that, but he also managed to stun the judges with various comic book recipes that they picked him to advance for the team challenges despite losing 1-on-1 round.
Cho Kwang 201
If you’re into those familiar Chinese dishes with a hint of Korean touches, then the Cho Kwang 201 will be your must-visit destination. This place offers various Chinese cuisines, including Malatang (hot pot), Mala Xiang Guo (stir-fried hot pot), Mapo Tofu (tofu braised in spicy sauce), Dong Po Rou (braised pork belly), and Lazji (firecracker chicken).
Cho Kwang 201 Songpa District, Seoul by Comic Book Chef Cho Kwang
- Address: South Korea, Seoul, Songpa District, Saemal-ro 8-gil, 13 2층.
- Phone: +82 10 5885 2017
- Opening Hours:6 to 10 PM (Tue – Sat)
- Instagram: @chokwang2o1
- Naver: Cho Kwang 201
Cho Kwang 101
Meanwhile, Cho Kwang 101 is basically the chef’s research lab that develops his experimental dishes. One of the main attractions here is the Dish of the Day and Dumpling of the Day, both made fresh with seasonal ingredients that Chef Cho personally brings in daily. What’s cool is that there’s no set price for these dishes!
Plus, if you’re craving a bit of comfort, you can even bring your own instant ramyeon, and for just 2,000 KRW (about 1.52 USD), the chef will cook it up for you.
Cho Kwang 101, Songpa District, Seoul by Comic Book Chef Cho Kwang
- Address: South Korea, Seoul, Songpa District, 장지동 Saemal-ro 10-gil, 8 1층.
- Phone: +82 10 2459 0503
- Opening Hours: 6 to 11 PM (Tue – Sat)
- Instagram: @chokwang101
- Naver: Cho Kwang 101
4. Buto, Yongsan
Meanwhile, if you’re more into traditional Korean cuisine (hansik), then Buto in the Yongsan district is among the best Korean restaurants to visit in Seoul. This place is owned by Netflix “Culinary Class Wars” chef Lim Hee Won, who has reportedly cooked for famous Korean celebrities.
In the series, Lim Hee Won stunned the judges by cooking vegetarian sashimi that tasted perfectly the same as the originals. And if you’re interested in how it actually tastes, you can visit the restaurant Buto.
This place actually specializes in Korean hansik that offers bold umami flavors. They’ve got dishes like mala herring roe dry noodles, braised chicken with Nurungji (scorched rice), and fried eggplant shrimp toast, all perfectly crafted to pair with your favorite drink.
For something fun and a bit different, check out their playful twists like vegetarian sashimi with tempeh cucumber salad, truffle egg cream, and even Kkwabaegi (those delicious twisted Korean doughnuts). It’s a unique experience you won’t want to miss!
Buto, Yongsan District, Seoul by Celebrities’ Chef Lim Hee Won
- Address: 32 Hannam-daero 27ga-gil, Hannam-dong, Yongsan District, Seoul, South Korea.
- Phone: +82 2 6052 7785
- Opening Hours: 6 to 11.30 PM (Tue – Sat)
- Instagram: @buto_hannam
- Naver: Buto
5. Namyeon Dak, Yongsan
Finally, while you’re still traveling around Yongsan, you might want to visit one of the famous restaurants owned by Netflix “Culinary Class Wars” Chef Oh Joon Tak, also known as Jason Oh. His restaurant, the Namyeon Dak, is one of the most popular restaurants among all the series black spoon chefs in Seoul.
As a specialist in Chicken cuisines, this restaurant features various dishes stemming from chicken traditionally grilled over charcoals. The chef will turn this material into various aromatic dishes, including Ppenking Chicken and Chicken Sando.
Namyeon Dak, Yongsan District, Seoul, by Yeong Chicken Chef Oh Joon Tak
- Address: 1층, 12 Hangang-daero 80-gil, Yongsan District, Seoul, South Korea.
- Phone: +82 70 8733 5949
- Opening Hours: 5 PM to 1 AM (Mon – Sat)
- Instagram: @nychicken.kr
- Naver: Namyeon Dak
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