Chef Ahn Sung-jae has clarified his remarks about Chef Choi Hyun-seok in the Netflix show 'Black and White Chef'.
Magazine Singles has unveiled a visual pictorial of Ahn Sung-jae, who has become a central figure of interest due to Netflix's 'Black and White Chef'.
'Black and White Chef' is a Netflix original variety show featuring a culinary battle between 20 renowned chefs, the 'White Spoons', and 80 hidden masters, the 'Black Spoons'. The show gained immense popularity, ranking first in Netflix's global top 10 non-English TV category in its first week of release.
When asked if he anticipated such popularity, Ahn Sung-jae stated, "I did not predict or intend for this boom from the start. However, I felt that a new kind of vitality was needed when I looked around at my fellow chefs and the business."
He added, "As someone who takes food very seriously, I hoped that chefs would not just provide laughter but show their pride and persistence in their work. I wanted a great program that could actually benefit the dining industry through such raw appearances. Thankfully, the production team understood and accepted my opinion well."
In 'Black and White Chef', Ahn Sung-jae asked chefs about the intentions behind their dishes. He explained, "Everyone must have brought their best skills, and taste is a given. I asked about their intentions to establish a higher level of distinction."
He continued, "Even though I am an expert, believing my evaluation is absolute is a dangerous thought. If I judge a dish as tasty or not without hearing the chef's intention, I think it is not a fair opportunity for them. Chefs execute their imagined concepts through a series of processes to create a final product, so asking about their intentions was only natural for me."
Ahn's appearances on 'Black and White Chef' have been edited into memes, gaining popularity online. Ahn humorously remarked, "Even if I don't want to see them, people around me keep sending them to me. What are they trying to say?"
When the meme 'Ahn Sung-jae excited about eliminating Chef Choi Hyun-seok' was mentioned, Ahn clarified, "That's the most unfair part. I didn't act with such thoughts. It was my affectionate expression of the diverse flavors. And there was a photo of me smiling while looking at Chef Choi's back. It was genuinely out of admiration for his passion and greatness. But they connected it that way."
Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr