Zero Tolerance: "Culinary Class Wars 2" Producers to Take Legal Action Against Malicious Comments

Although “Culinary Class Wars 2” is sweeping the global charts, the production team had to put a definitive stop to things this Tuesday, January 6, 2026. Studio Slam, the company behind the hit Netflix cooking reality show, announced that it will initiate strict legal action to protect its contestants from a wave of unjustified online hate.

Here we tell you what is happening, the rumors that triggered this decision, and the full official statement.

Protecting the Passion for Cooking and “Culinary Class Wars” Participants

This Tuesday, through their official channels, the production team of “Culinary Class Wars 2” issued a clear warning: patience with “haters” has run out.

According to reports, several participating chefs—many of whom are not celebrities used to public scrutiny—have been receiving constant personal attacks. The situation escalated to the point where individuals have sent abusive and hateful messages directly to the personal social media accounts of the chefs.

Studio Slam emphasized that these actions gravely damage the reputation of professionals who have dedicated their lives to cooking and cause emotional harm that is difficult to heal.

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What Triggered This Reaction? Online Rumors

To understand the gravity of the matter, one must look at what has been said in forums and social media about the chefs of “Culinary Class Wars 2.” According to recent reports, the production company’s decision comes after the spread of unverified rumors, including serious accusations such as:

The alleged formation of a “cartel” among the chefs.
Accusations that a chef abused their power and used abusive language.
Rumors about workplace bullying occurring in their restaurants.

These unfounded rumors provoked a wave of public backlash against certain contestants, forcing the production team to intervene to stop the defamation.

Culinary class wars netflix — Culinary Class Wars 2, Netflix

The Full Official Statement from the Production

So you don’t miss any detail of the official stance, here we share the full translation of the statement issued by Studio Slam this January 6:

Hello, this is the production team of “Culinary Class Wars 2.”
Since the program began airing, there have been instances of personal attacks targeting specific participating chefs, malicious comments, and even abusive messages being sent to their personal social media accounts.
Such actions not only gravely damage the honor of chefs who have devoted their lives to cuisine but also leave deep, lasting wounds on non-celebrity participants.
To ensure that the chefs, who entered this competition with a pure passion for cooking, suffer no further harm, the production team will respond as follows:
Response to malicious slander and defamation The production team is continually collecting evidence of defamatory posts and social media messages targeting specific chefs.
We clearly state that we will take strong legal action without leniency against authors of confirmed malicious posts and messages.
Your mature viewing culture and consideration are the greatest strength in protecting the chefs and sustaining the program. We earnestly ask that you refrain from indiscriminate condemnation and personal attacks that go beyond healthy critique.

A Global Success Despite the Controversy 🌍

Despite this bitter pill, it is undeniable that “Culinary Class Wars” continues to be a phenomenon.

The second season of “Culinary Class Wars” has maintained international interest, topping Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English TV Shows chart for two consecutive weeks since its release last month.

The format, which pits talented chefs competing anonymously, called “Black Spoons” (true hidden gems of gastronomy), against world-renowned famous chefs, many of them Michelin star winners, the “White Spoons,” continues to captivate audiences with its culinary level, and the production hopes the focus will return to what matters most: the food.

Netflix show culinary class wars 2, white spoons vs black spoons — Culinary Class Wars, white spoons vs black spoons, Netflix

You can also read Culinary Class Wars Season 2: Legends, Michelin Stars, and the Shadow of Controversy

🧐 FAQs: Everything You Need to Know About the “Culinary Class Wars” Universe

If you got hooked by the controversy or just arrived at Season 2 of “Culinary Class Wars,” here are the key facts to understand why this show is the king of the kitchen on Netflix.

1. What exactly do “White Spoon” and “Black Spoon” mean? It is the foundation of the show. The “White Spoons” are established, famous chefs with Michelin stars or massive recognition. The “Black Spoons” are the challengers: talented but unknown cooks, owners of local restaurants, or chefs who do not yet have the fame of their rivals. The dynamic is the classic “David vs. Goliath” struggle.

2. Who are the judges deciding the chefs’ fate in “Culinary Class Wars”? The panel is a mix of “business” and “pure technique.”

Paik Jong-won: He is the godfather of food in Korea, a culinary business tycoon with massive franchises, vast culinary knowledge, and a palate that represents the “taste of the people.”
Anh Sung-jae: Represents fine dining. He is the owner-chef of Mosu Seoul and gained fame for being the only chef with 3 Michelin stars in South Korea. He is the one who always looks for something “beyond” in the dishes chefs give him—originality, flavor combinations, subtleties, etc.

3. How much is the prize for the winner? The competition is not just for honor. The chef who manages to survive all rounds takes home a cash prize of 300 million won (approximately 230,000 US dollars), a figure that changes the life of any independent restaurant owner.

4. Who won the historic first season? The first winner who put the show on the map was Napoli Matfia (Kwon Sung-jun), a “Black Spoon” who surprised everyone with his modern Italian cuisine, winning an epic final against famous Korean-American chef Edward Lee.

5. Why did the “blind tastings” go viral? It is one of the most iconic moments of the format. To prevent judges from being influenced by the fame of the “White Spoons,” in certain rounds they must taste dishes blindfolded. This ensures judgment is based 100% on flavor and texture, eliminating any popularity bias. In this stage, more than one surprise has occurred.

6. What impact does the show have on the participants’ real restaurants? It is known as the “Netflix Effect.” After the first season aired, reservations for participants’ restaurants (both winners and eliminated chefs) were sold out for months. The reservation platform CatchTable reported server crashes due to massive demand from fans wanting to taste the dishes they saw on screen.

Culinary class wars judges netflix — Blind tasting moment, Netflix

7. What is the original Korean name of “Culinary Class Wars”? The international title is “Culinary Class Wars,” but in Korean it is “Heukbaek Yori: Yori Gye-geup Jeonjeong,” which translates literally as “Black and White Cuisine: Culinary Class War,” emphasizing much more the social status conflict between famous and unknown chefs.

8. Did any world-famous chef participate in the franchise? Yes. In addition to local talent, the franchise gained international prestige by including figures like Edward Lee (in Season 1), who is a culinary legend in the United States, an Iron Chef America winner, and has even cooked at the White House, which elevated the competition level to global standards.