The fourth round of Culinary Class Wars Season 2 took a shocking turn in its tenth episode, forcing chefs to battle their closest allies in a high-stakes, one-on-one duel where elimination meant no second chance.
The dramatic shift was announced at the start of Episode 10, released globally on Netflix on December 30, 2025. The host informed the remaining contestants that for the second match of the fourth round, “the opponent you will face in this life-or-death match will be none other than your former teammate”. The announcement left the chefs visibly stunned, with reactions ranging from disbelief to calling the twist “crazy”.
How the Life-or-Death Match Opponents Were Selected
The selection process was direct and based entirely on the partnerships formed in the previous team challenge. The episode opened with the kitchen workstations rotating until each chef was positioned directly opposite their former partner.
This meant the pairs who had just collaborated to create a single dish were now pitted against each other. The five matchups were determined as follows:
- Sam Kim vs. Jung Ho-young
- Kim Hee-eun vs. Venerable Sunjae
- Hou Deok-juk vs. Chun Sang-hyun
- Kim Sung-woon vs. Choi Kang-rok
- Son Jong-won vs. “Culinary Monster” (a Black Spoon contestant competing under an alias)
The twist added a deep psychological layer to the competition. Kim Hee-eun, upon learning she would face Venerable Sunjae, confessed, “I mean, it’s Venerable Sunjae. I’m up against a master”. One of the judges noted the inherent drama of turning allies into “enemies”.
The Rules of the One-on-One Battle
The challenge came with a brutal set of restrictions designed to test the chefs’ creativity and strategy under extreme pressure.
First, chefs were only allowed to use the ingredients they had utilized in their previous team battle. Furthermore, they were required to share that finite pool of ingredients with their opponent. The host instructed them to “divide them however you wish,” but the ultimate goal was singular: “every chef must create a dish that will defeat their opponent”.
This rule explained a curious detail from the earlier team round, where chefs received “double amounts” of ingredientsโa provision that seemed odd at the time but was revealed as preparation for this very twist. The stakes were absolute: the winner of each match would advance to the Top 7, while the loser would be immediately eliminated with no opportunity to return.
Results of the Head-to-Head Cook-Offs
With limited shared ingredients, the chefs crafted remarkably different dishes. Judges Paik Jong-won and Anh Sung-jae delivered their verdicts after tasting each pairing.
- Sam Kim vs. Jung Ho-young: Both chefs used croaker. Jung Ho-young prepared a Japanese-style braised dish, while Sam Kim reinterpreted their team dish in his own way. The judges initially split their votes, but after deliberation, Jung Ho-young was declared the winner.
- Kim Hee-eun vs. Venerable Sunjae: Venerable Sunjae made a soy sauce and doenjang (soybean paste) bibimbap. Kim Hee-eun presented “Herb Smoked Abalone with Gim Mascarpone.” Both judges voted for Venerable Sunjae, with Paik Jong-won praising the simple yet profound happiness of her temple cuisine.
- Hou Deok-juk vs. Chun Sang-hyun: Chun Sang-hyun served “Lobster with chili sauce and fried sweet and tender mango,” while Hou Deok-juk prepared “Lobster la chow mein.” The judges unanimously chose Hou Deok-juk as the victor.
- Kim Sung-woon vs. Choi Kang-rok: Kim Sung-woon made crepe rolls with a white potato mash sauce, and Choi Kang-rok presented a “Potato Manju.” The judges again gave one vote each, leading to another deliberation. Chef Anh Sung-jae called it a “really difficult decision” before announcing Choi Kang-rok as the winner.
The Unresolved Cliffhanger
The final matchup between Son Jong-won and the Culinary Monster ended the episode on a tense cliffhanger. Son Jong-won prepared a grilled snow crab egg custard with champagne sauce and caviar, while the Culinary Monster made crab meat dumplings blended with soft tofu.
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After tasting, Paik Jong-won gave his vote to Son Jong-won. However, as Chef Anh Sung-jae began to discuss a “tiny detail” that would decide his vote, the episode concluded, leaving viewers to wait for the next installment to learn who secures the final spot in the Top 7.
This suspense is set against fan speculation that the Culinary Monster may have already advanced deep into the competition. Sharp-eyed viewers noted that in one interview clip, the Black Spoon contestant was referred to by his real name, Lee Ha Seong. Since Black Spoon contestants traditionally only reveal their real names upon reaching the finals, this has led to online debate about whether it was an editing spoiler or intentional misdirection.
The next episodes of Culinary Class Wars Season 2 (Episodes 11 and 12) are scheduled for release on January 6, 2026, with the season finale to follow on January 13.
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