Chef Jung Ho-young Opens Up About the Emotional Toll of Competing Against Non-Professional Chef Kim Poong

In the high-stakes world of culinary competitions, where even veteran chefs find it hard to endure, the unconventional cooking prowess of writer Kim Poong is once again in the spotlight. The intense psychological battles beyond the kitchen have been revealed.

On the YouTube channel 'Calm Man,' operated by Calm Man himself, a video titled 'Consulting with Chef Jung Ho-young at 'Kaden' with Mat Pizza' was uploaded.

In the video, Jung Ho-young candidly shared his feelings during the filming of 'Please Take Care of My Refrigerator.' Joined by 'Napoli Mafia' Kwon Sung-joon, Jung Ho-young discussed the stress following culinary competitions during a meal.

Jung Ho-young confessed that while he can respect the guest's preferences and accept a loss if the opponent's skills are undeniable, it's hard to hide his disappointment when he believes his dish was superior but the results say otherwise. He also revealed the culture among chefs of humorously mocking each other's failures, highlighting the pressure of the competition.

Jung Ho-young particularly warned of the emotional impact when losing to Kim Poong, who is not a professional chef. While he praised Kim Poong's exceptional ability to choose dishes that fit the theme, he jokingly expressed concern about the aftermath for 'Baby Beast' Kim Si-hyun, who might face Kim Poong early on.

Jung Ho-young recalled his own experience of underestimating Kim Poong, thinking he could easily win, only to taste defeat. Kwon Sung-joon, who was present, also shared his discomfort when losing to Kim Poong, adding humor to the conversation.

Although he now acknowledges Kim Poong's skills, Jung Ho-young emphasized the significant psychological impact on chefs in the early days, wrapping up the behind-the-scenes stories.

Chaeryeong Lim, Ten Asia Reporter syjj426@tenasia.co.kr