'Napoli Mafia' chef Kwon Sung-jun revealed that he used his prize money to secure a new home. On the 265th episode of tvN's 'You Quiz on the Block' aired on the 16th, Kwon, the winner of 'Black and White Chef', made an appearance.
Host Yoo Jae-suk noted the difference between Kwon's confident on-screen persona and his gentle demeanor in person. Kwon explained, "It was a survival program, and I was one of the younger participants, so I tried to appear strong to not be intimidated. Confidence is key."
Reflecting on his victory, Kwon expressed, "Looking back, I wonder how I won. But I feel confident that I could win again if I participated."
Yoo Jae-suk commented on Kwon's rising popularity, to which Kwon humorously replied, "The only show I wanted to appear on was 'You Quiz'. I even had a suit custom-made the week after my win, hoping for an invitation."
Since the show, Kwon's restaurant has seen a surge in visitors. "We have a reservation app, and there are 20,000 people on the waiting list. We've surpassed 110,000 reservations," Kwon shared. "We limit daily reservations to six to maintain quality over quantity."
Kwon used his 300 million won prize to secure a new home near his restaurant, emphasizing his focus on work. "I wanted the money out of sight to avoid complacency," he said.
After graduating with a degree in hotel culinary arts, Kwon studied in Italy. "I served as a cook in the military and decided to pursue Western cuisine, leading me to Italy," he explained. "I was captivated by Naples and started working at a Michelin 2-star restaurant. It was challenging, with long hours and a language barrier, but it was a period of significant growth."
Kwon recalled his early days in the Naples restaurant, "The kitchen was spotless, and I was responsible for cleaning it for 3-4 hours daily. I worked from 9 AM to 1 AM, often without understanding the language." He adopted the Italian mindset of "Don't be afraid, or you'll achieve nothing," which helped him gain the trust of his colleagues.
Kwon's fluent Italian has sparked curiosity, with many assuming he lived in Italy for a decade. In reality, he spent only a year and a half there. "Despite the short time, my passion led to my nickname," he concluded.
Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr