Celebrity Chef Jeong Ji-seon Admits Unfamiliarity with Michelin Star Chef Ahn Sung-jae on 'Knowing Bros'

On the recent episode of JTBC's 'Knowing Bros' aired on the 9th, Chef Jeong Ji-seon confessed that she was not familiar with Chef Ahn Sung-jae. The episode featured the four chefs from 'Black and White Chefs' - Fabrice, Jeong Ji-seon, Lim Tae-hoon, and Yoon Nam-no.

The chefs are currently experiencing a surge in popularity due to the success of 'Black and White Chefs'. Jeong Ji-seon, who runs a Chinese restaurant, shared, "Reservations for this year are fully booked, and we only accept walk-in customers. There's a line wrapping around half the building."

Lim Tae-hoon and Yoon Nam-no also revealed that their monthly reservations are filled within one minute and 50 seconds, respectively. Fabrice boasted, "Walk-in customers start lining up three hours before opening. Many wait at nearby cafes, making the area a hot spot. We've all become quite successful."

Jeong Ji-seon explained her initial reluctance to join 'Black and White Chefs', saying, "I declined several times because I was busy with my work and concerned about my staff's opinions. However, with the dining industry in a slump and few chefs appearing on TV, I decided to participate."

She was surprised by the appearance of chefs like Yeo Kyung-rae and Choi Hyun-seok, and pointed out Lim Tae-hoon, whom she knows well, as a surprising participant.

The judges for 'Black and White Chefs' were food entrepreneur Baek Jong-won and Chef Ahn Sung-jae, the head chef and owner of Mosu Seoul, the only Michelin 3-star restaurant in Korea.

The cast of 'Knowing Bros' admitted they were unaware of Chef Ahn Sung-jae before the show. Jeong Ji-seon also confessed, "I didn't know Chef Ahn Sung-jae either." Fabrice added, "He's famous worldwide. I know him well from my fine dining days. Mosu and Mingles are well-known in the fine dining community."

Jeong Ji-seon remarked, "I thought Chinese cuisine was distant from Michelin," and admitted she was unaware of a Michelin 3-star chef in Korea. Yoon Nam-no commented on the prestige of a 'Michelin 3-star chef', saying, "It's the pinnacle. You could retire from cooking at that level."

Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr