The nail-biting cliffhanger from the last episode of Culinary Class Wars Season 2 has been resolved. The long wait to see who would secure the final spot in the Top 7 Semifinalists is over. The latest episode, released on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, revealed the outcome of the tense one-on-one duel between Son Jong-won and the mysterious Culinary Monster.
The new episodes also launched the chefs into the Infinite Cooking Heaven and Hell challenges, setting the stage for the finals with more surprises and eliminations.
The Judges’ Decision: Culinary Monster Advances
At the start of Episode 11, the judges, Anh Sung-jae and Paik Jong-won, were tasked with breaking their deadlock. In the previous episode, they had each chosen a different chef. Paik Jong-won selected Son Jong-won, while Anh Sung-jae picked Culinary Monster.
After a period of intense discussion about the two crab-based dishes, they reached a final decision. They announced that Culinary Monster would be the seventh and final chef to join the semifinals. This meant the immediate elimination of popular White Spoon chef Son Jong-won.
“For me, I really loved the way it kind of burst in your mouth. And in terms of harmony and cohesion, I just felt it was a little bit stronger,” said judge Anh Sung-jae, explaining his initial choice of Culinary Monster’s dish.
The judges agreed that while both dishes were excellent, Culinary Monster’s Xiao-long-bao-style crab meat dumplings showed a bolder and more distinct flavor profile compared to Son Jong-won’s grilled snow crab egg custard. Judge Anh Sung-jae later described the margin between the two chefs as microscopic, noting it wasn’t a paper-thin difference but even smaller.
Fan Reaction to Son Jong-won’s Elimination
The elimination of Son Jong-won triggered a strong response from viewers online. Many fans expressed disappointment, believing the skilled White Spoon chef deserved to stay in the competition longer. Some viewers even suggested they might stop watching the show.
Comments on social media reflected the audience’s surprise and frustration. “He carried the team Challenges, then carried CM when he messed up the cakeโฆ he deserved to stay,” said one fan. Another viewer posted, “son jongwon is eliminated so iโm out, no reason to continue watching #CulinaryClassWars2 anymore”.
This reaction ended online rumors and spoiler debates that had circulated before the episode’s official release, which were based on analyzing preview clips.
Meet the Top 7 Semifinalists
With the last duel decided, the full lineup of chefs moving into the semifinal round is now set. The group includes five White Spoon chefs and two Black Spoon chefs.
The Top 7 Semifinalists are:
- Choi Kang-rok (White Spoon)
- Venerable Sun-jae (White Spoon)
- Jung Ho-young (White Spoon)
- Hu Deok-juk (White Spoon)
- Im Seong-keun (White Spoon)
- Brewmaster Yun (Black Spoon)
- Culinary Monster (Black Spoon)
The First Semifinal Mission: Infinite Cooking Heaven
Immediately after the Top 7 were announced, they faced their first major test: the Infinite Cooking Heaven mission. This challenge was designed as a benefit for the seven remaining chefs. The winner would earn a direct pass to the season finale, becoming one of the two finalists.
The chefs were given access to a grand pantry stocked with over 500 varieties of meats, vegetables, fruits, and seasonings. They had a total of 180 minutes to cook and could choose to make as many dishes as they wanted within that time. Each dish was scored by the two judges, with a maximum possible score of 200 points.
The dishes and scores included:
- Im Seong-keun: Pogye (Korean Fried Chicken) – 165 points
- Venerable Sunjae: Vegetable Stir Fry – 167 points
- Hu Deok-juk: Abalone in XO sauce – 171 points
- Brewmaster Yun: Jumo’s Bunsik (Tteokbokki) – 180 points
- Choi Kang-rok: Mushizushi – 185 points
With his high score for Mushizushi, Choi Kang-rok won the Infinite Cooking Heaven mission. This victory secured his place as the first finalist of Culinary Class Wars Season 2, allowing him to bypass the next grueling challenge.
The Second Mission: Infinite Cooking Hell
The six chefs who did not win the first missionโVenerable Sun-jae, Jung Ho-young, Hu Deok-juk, Im Seong-keun, Brewmaster Yun, and Culinary Monsterโwere then forced into the Infinite Cooking Hell challenge. This was a brutal, rapid-fire elimination round where the chefs had to create dishes using only one main ingredient: carrots.
Similar to a challenge in Season 1 that used tofu, the chefs faced a new round every 30 minutes. One chef was eliminated after each round, until only one remained. The winner of this marathon would become the second finalist and face Choi Kang-rok for the title.
The dishes and eliminations proceeded as follows:
- Round 1: Dishes included Carrot Japchae and Warm Carrot Salad. Im Seong-keun was eliminated.
- Round 2: Dishes included Carrot Jeon and Steamed Carrot Custard. Venerable Sun-jae was eliminated.
- Round 3: Dishes included Carrot Choux and Carrot Tortilla. Brewmaster Yun was eliminated.
- Round 4: Dishes included Carrot Soup and Carrot Jjangmyeon. Jung Ho-young was eliminated.
This left only two chefs standing: Culinary Monster and Hu Deok-juk. In the final round, Culinary Monster prepared a Carrot Cake, while Hu Deok-juk made Yuxiang Carrots. The episode concluded without revealing the winner of this final duel. The identity of the second finalist will be announced in Episode 13, the season finale.
How and When to Watch
All episodes of Culinary Class Wars Season 2, including the newly released Episodes 11 and 12, are available for streaming globally on Netflix. The episodes are approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes long and come with subtitles for international viewers.
The series finale, Episode 13, is scheduled for release on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. This episode will reveal the winner of the Culinary Monster vs. Hu Deok-juk duel and crown the champion of Season 2.
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