The kitchen is heating up for the return of a global television hit. The second season of the South Korean cooking competition “Culinary Class Wars“ will premiere on December 16, 2025, exclusively on Netflix. The announcement came with a new teaser, giving fans a first look at the famous chefs who will defend their titles against a new wave of ambitious challengers.
Season 2 Premiere and Streaming Information
Mark your calendars for December 16, 2025. This is the official premiere date for the first episode of Culinary Class Wars Season 2. The entire season will be available to stream globally only on Netflix, requiring a standard subscription to the platform. The show will feature subtitles and audio dubbing in multiple languages for its international audience.
The new season continues the show’s high-stakes format where 100 chefs compete in a culinary battle. The contestants are divided into two groups: the “White Spoon” chefs, who are established, award-winning culinary stars, and the “Black Spoon” chefs, who are talented up-and-comers, often self-taught or from less privileged culinary backgrounds. The ultimate winner will receive a grand prize of 300 million Korean won, which is approximately $220,000 USD.
New Contestants and Returning Judges
The recently released teaser spotlights several renowned White Spoon chefs joining the competition. The lineup includes Lee Jun, a chef who has earned two Michelin stars for his restaurant Soigné. Another notable participant is Son Jong Won, a chef who holds one Michelin star for each of his restaurants, Eatanic Garden and L’Amant Secret. The competition will also feature Venerable Sunjae, recognized as Korea’s first master of temple cuisine, and Hou Deok Juk, a master of Chinese cuisine with decades of experience.
The producers have noted that casting for the new season saw a “boomerang effect,” with many chefs who initially turned down an invitation for the first season now eager to participate after seeing the show’s success. The full list of Black Spoon contestants is yet to be revealed.
Fans will be familiar with the two judges returning to oversee the culinary battles. The panel will again be led by famed restaurateur and television personality Paik Jong-won and three-Michelin-star chef Anh Sung-jae.
Background and Global Popularity
Culinary Class Wars quickly became a worldwide sensation after its first season launched in 2024. It achieved the notable distinction of being the first Korean unscripted show to rank number one on Netflix’s Global Top 10 non-English TV chart for three weeks in a row. Its popularity had a real-world impact, with many contestants’ restaurants in South Korea experiencing a significant surge in reservations and public interest.
The production team for Season 2 has promised to build on this success. The producers stated:
“We’ve poured our hearts into crafting the second season to meet the audience’s expectations. We hope viewers will affectionately cheer on all the chefs.”
They also confirmed that the new season will feature upgraded rules, new missions, and plenty of surprises, all designed based on viewer feedback from the first season.
Also Read:
What to Expect in the New Season
The core drama of the show comes from the clash between the elite White Spoon chefs and the hungry Black Spoon underdogs. The White Spoons are fighting to protect their established reputations, while the Black Spoons are challenging them for glory and recognition. Contestants will come from a wide range of culinary backgrounds, including Korean, Western, Chinese, Japanese, and fusion cuisines, ensuring a diverse and creative competition.
The first season concluded with chef Kwon Seong-joon, known as Napoli Matfia, defeating renowned American chef Edward Lee to claim the prize money. Season 2 is expected to follow a similar structure, beginning with a large number of Black Spoon chefs being whittled down through preliminary challenges before they can face the White Spoon legends in head-to-head battles.
Also Read: SBS Drama “Would You Marry Me” Finishes Strong with Record-Breaking Finale
