Culinary Class Wars season 2 new challenge - Hidden White Spoons explained 

Culinary Class Wars season 2 premiered on Netflix on December 16, 2025. The series brings together elite chefs and lesser-known cooks in a high-pressure kitchen showdown. In the show, White Spoon chefs represent experience, awards, and reputation.

Meanwhile, the Black Spoon chefs enter anonymously, fighting for recognition through skill alone. After eighteen White Spoon chefs were already introduced in the first episode, the show revealed a twist. Two additional chefs entered later as Hidden White Spoons. Their identities were kept secret at first.

Culinary Class Wars season 2 (Image via X/@NetflixKR)

However, they entered during the Black Spoon elimination round, where only 18 contestants are selected to match the current number of White Spoon chefs. Unlike other White Spoon chefs, they cooked directly against Black Spoons. Their involvement reshaped the early structure of the competition, which is explained below.

Who are the Hidden White Spoons in Culinary Class Wars season 2? Their role explained

The Culinary Class Wars season 2 took an unexpected turn with the arrival of the Hidden White Spoon chefs. They entered during the Black Spoon elimination round. Their appearance was kept secret until the challenge began. The Hidden White Spoons included two chefs. One was Choi Kang-rok, the MasterChef Korea season two winner. He is widely known for his braising expertise. He also runs a respected omakase restaurant in Seoul.

The other was Kim Do-hyun, a Michelin one-star Korean chef. He is recognized for his deep focus on ingredients and fermentation. Kim built his career without formal culinary schooling. They followed the same cooking time and kitchen rules as Black Spoons. Each prepared a single dish they trusted most, and that reflected their core strengths.

Choi prepared a braised freshwater eel. He paired it with seasoned tofu and carefully cooked vegetables. Kim Do-hyun served baekwang-weat perilla oil noodles. The preparation leaned on technique rather than decoration. Their plates were served to the same judges.

However, their evaluation rules were stricter. Both Anh Sung-jae and Paik Jong-won had to approve their dish individually. Approval from only one judge was not enough. If either judge rejected the dish, elimination was immediate. There was no standby or second opportunity for them. If both chefs passed, the Black Spoon selection would rise to twenty. If only one succeeded, the count would increase to nineteen.

If neither survived, the total would remain at eighteen. Their participation directly affected the final count. Choi Kang-rok succeeded after both judges approved his braised eel dish. Meanwhile, Kim Do-hyun failed to receive unanimous approval. As a result, only one additional slot for the Black Spoon chef was added.

With this, the Hidden White Spoon challenge in Culinary Class Wars season 2 ended with one chef advancing.

Edited by Shreya Jha