After two successful seasons, Netflix’s popular Korean cooking competition Culinary Class Wars has officially been renewed for a third season. The announcement, made on January 16, 2026, comes with a major twist: the show is shifting from a contest featuring individual chefs to a high-stakes battle between restaurant teams. This significant format change marks a new chapter for the series that has spent years on Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English TV list.
The Big Change: From Solo Chefs to Restaurant Teams
The core of the Culinary Class Wars Season 3 announcement is a complete overhaul of the competition structure. For its first two seasons, the show focused on individual chefs, dividing them into elite “White Spoon” veterans and up-and-coming “Black Spoon” challengers. Season 3 will instead feature four-person teams representing a single restaurant kitchen.
Netflix states the new format will turn the series into “a collective battle for pride, reputation, and survival”. The focus will expand beyond individual skill to test teamwork, leadership, and a kitchen’s ability to perform consistently under intense pressure. The shift means victory or defeat will belong to an entire establishment rather than a single chef.
โThanks to the incredible support from viewers around the world through Season 2, weโre grateful to move forward with Season 3,โ said producer Kim Eun-ji of Studio Slam. โWeโll do our best to deliver an even more exciting format and entertainment that lives up to expectationsโ.
How to Apply for Culinary Class Wars Season 3
With the new team-based format, the application rules have also changed significantly. Applications for Season 3 opened on January 16, 2026, via Netflix Korea’s official social media channels.
The key eligibility requirement is that a team must consist of four chefs who are currently working together at the same restaurant. Netflix will not accept applications from individual chefs or from teams formed by friends who work at different restaurants. However, the rules state that restaurants operating under the same brand across multiple locations may apply as a single, unified team.
Looking Back at the Season 2 Finale and Lasting Impact
The renewal news follows shortly after the conclusion of Culinary Class Wars Season 2. The finale, which dropped on January 13, 2026, saw chef Choi Kang-rok win the title and the 300 million won (approximately $200,000) grand prize. Choi, who was also a contestant in Season 1, defeated his rival Lee Ha-seong, known as the “culinary monster,” in a final cook-off themed “the one and only dish just for me”.
Season 2 continued the show’s strong performance, ranking high on Netflix’s global charts and maintaining its popularity. The series has been widely credited with revitalizing interest in Seoul’s dining scene, leading to increased restaurant bookings and public attention on the competing chefs. Online maps and saved lists featuring contestants’ restaurants have garnered hundreds of thousands of views.
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Who is Returning for the New Season?
The original creative team from Studio Slam will return to produce Season 3. This includes producer Kim Eun-ji and writer Mo Eun-seol, who have been with the series since its beginning. While the production team is confirmed, it has not been officially announced whether the show’s famous judgesโcelebrity chef Paik Jong-won and Michelin three-star chef Anh Sung-jaeโwill return for the new team-based format.
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