tvN's 'Undercover Chef' Premieres May 21: Top Chefs Go Incognito in Global Kitchens

tvN's new variety show 'Undercover Chef' is set to premiere on May 21, featuring renowned chef Jung Ji-sun, known for her role in 'Black and White Chef.' Meanwhile, her co-star from the same show, Chef Ahn Sung-jae, is currently embroiled in a wine swapping controversy.

'Undercover Chef' will showcase top Korean chefs going undercover as kitchen assistants in restaurants of the countries that inspired their culinary foundations. The show promises a unique challenge as these chefs set aside their prestigious titles to tackle hidden missions.

The three chefs taking on this undercover challenge are Sam Kim, known for his naturalistic cooking style, Jung Ji-sun, the queen of Chinese cuisine, and Kwon Sung-joon, the 'Napoli Mafia.' The newly released poster, ahead of the show's premiere, depicts these chefs stepping away from their fame to immerse themselves in the intense environments of foreign kitchens.

Sam Kim will head to Parma, Italy, to see if his philosophy of enhancing the natural flavors of ingredients resonates in this culinary city. Jung Ji-sun will start as a kitchen assistant in Chengdu, China, returning to her roots in Sichuan cuisine, having previously honed her skills at Yangzhou University. Kwon Sung-joon, deeply attached to Naples, will return to his 'second home.' Having studied at Italy's top culinary school, ALMA, and gained experience in Michelin-starred restaurants, he will now prove his skills from the ground up as a kitchen assistant.

The production team stated, "Sam Kim, Jung Ji-sun, and Kwon Sung-joon, representing Korea, will start from scratch in the cities that shaped their culinary careers. As they face unfamiliar kitchens and the tasks of a kitchen assistant they haven't done in years, viewers can look forward to a genuine kitchen survival story."

'Undercover Chef' premieres on May 21 at 8:40 PM.

Reporter Se-yoon Jung, TenAsia yoon@tenasia.co.kr