Son Jong-won Brews Coffee Mid-Battle as Four-Win Jung Ho-young Faces Him on Chef & My Fridge

On JTBC's "Chef & My Fridge," Son Jong-won, the current number one in the rankings, goes head to head with Jung Ho-young, who is on a four-win streak, in a 15-minute cook-off. The two are cooking for CODE KUNST, who opens his fridge in the episode airing on the 18th.

A fridge full of confidence

Before the fridge was opened, the chefs worried aloud that another "Ppata" fridge, following Joo Woo-jae's, was on its way. CODE KUNST replied that his was "stocked so well there's no comparison." Known as one of the entertainment world's leading "small eaters," the genius producer and entertainer appears on the show to present how much he eats and what is in his fridge. "I eat well these days," he says.

The episode centers on CODE KUNST's fridge and on dishes tailored to his taste. The preview says viewers will see in turn what he has stored, and how the chefs react, and that the conversation runs on from the jokes about his appetite. It also flags a scene in which he insists he has escaped his "small eater" label. When he describes how much he eats, Kim Poong says, "Even my kid eats that much," and Nam Sung-Hoon fires back, "Even a cat eats that much." The banter plays on the gap between CODE KUNST's idea of eating well and the chefs' view of it. The broadcast presents this talk first and only then reveals what is actually inside the fridge.

A tape measure, a favorite ingredient and a first showdown

Despite his confidence, items that puzzle the chefs appear one after another. When a tape measure comes out, the chefs react with bewilderment, calling it a new way of using a fridge. As the items are identified one by one, CODE KUNST says, "It's better than being empty." The contrast with his earlier claim that the fridge is well stocked fuels the cast's conversation.

The reveal does not stop there. CODE KUNST's favorite ingredient, boasting top-grade freshness, comes out and draws the chefs' attention. The preview does not name it, saying only that the first cook-off is built around it. Viewers will see on air how it is unveiled and how the chefs use it.

Nam Sung-Hoon and Kim Poong take the first match, both working with the ingredient CODE KUNST likes best. Nam Sung-Hoon draws the eye with flashy cooking technique, while Kim Poong stakes his bid on a dish with an unimaginable look. Kim Poong shows his confidence by disclosing an unexpected family story tied to the ingredient, and Nam Sung-Hoon says, "It's a special ingredient that put me where I am today." The match turns on how each cooks the shared ingredient to win over CODE KUNST's palate.

After tasting, CODE KUNST lavishes praise, saying, "I've met the dish of my life." The preview does not say which of the two dishes he chose, only his reaction. The favorite ingredient's identity, the makeup of the two dishes and the final pick will be revealed on air. The format follows the show's usual rules, in which chefs have limited time to cook for the client's taste. The preview presents the first match as covering the favored ingredient and the two chefs' ties to it, and the second as putting the chefs' winning streak and ranking up front.

The second match: streak against ranking

In the second match, four-win Jung Ho-young meets Son Jong-won, the current number one. Before it begins, Son Jong-won opens the war of nerves by telling Jung Ho-young, "You seem to have lost your original spirit lately." Jung Ho-young answers by touching on what Son Jong-won cares about most these days. The preview frames the bout as one with the winning streak and current ranking at stake, with both aiming at CODE KUNST's distinctive palate. The time limit is 15 minutes, and the preview shows Son Jong-won leisurely brewing coffee amid the tense cooking. What the two cooked and whom CODE KUNST picked were not part of the pre-broadcast material.

"Chef & My Fridge" airs on JTBC on the 18th at 8:50 p.m.

Read the original (Korean)