Chefs Kwon Sung Jun and Edward Lee recently appeared as guests on tvN’s You Quiz on the Block. During the episode, Kwon Sung Jun shared his experiences studying in Italy, while Edward discussed his journey to becoming a chef despite graduating from New York University at the top of his class.
Kwon Sung-Jun, known as the “Napoli Mafia” and the winner of the Netflix cooking competition Culinary Class Wars, explained that after graduating from a hotel culinary program, he decided to study in Italy.”After serving as a cook in the military, I felt the urge to pursue Western cuisine, which led me to Italy. I was captivated by the charm of Naples and began working at a Michelin 2-star restaurant,” he said.
He added, “During that time, I struggled with communication and was the only foreigner on the staff. The work was extremely demanding; I often worked six days a week for 16 hours a day, sometimes surpassing 100 hours a week. Consequently, I lost 8 kilograms (17.6 pounds) in just a month. Looking back, I believe my skills improved significantly during that period.”
During Culinary Class Wars, Kwon Sung Jun showcased his fluent Italian and remarked, “Many people wondered if I was born in Naples or if I had lived there for about ten years, but in reality, I was there for only a year and a half. Despite the short duration, my passionate interest likely earned me the nickname Napoli Mafia.”
Following Kwon Sung Jun, Edward Lee, who finished as the runner-up in Culinary Class Wars, has a distinctive background as a graduate in English literature from the esteemed New York University. Graduating at the top of his class, he confessed, “To be honest, I didn’t want to go to college. I wanted to jump right into cooking, but growing up with Korean parents, I always heard that I needed to graduate. So, I attended NYU. While my primary passion is cooking, I also have a love for reading and writing.”
After graduating from NYU, Edward began his culinary career washing dishes in a restaurant. He reflected, “The life of a Korean American is quite unique. When my family immigrated to the U.S., we were really poor, so everyone worked hard. Sometimes, that life felt challenging, but I embraced all the difficulties and aimed to create beautiful dishes from those experiences.”
Edward also reflected on his invitation to be the chef for the state dinner at the White House in 2023. He said, “That moment was significant for me, but it was an even bigger moment for my mother. She proudly shared it with everyone. In fact, I believe that moment was more for her than for me, considering how many sacrifices she made to raise us. I was so happy to be able to give her such an experience.”
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