Culinary Class Wars Restaurants
in Seoul – Where to Eat
Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars put Seoul’s
chef scene on the global map.
Since the show aired, the restaurants run by
its chefs have become some of the
hardest tables to book in the city.
I’ve visited four of them.
This is a practical guide — not a ranked list
covering what each place is actually like,
who it’s best suited for, and how to get in.
All reservations can be made through the
Catch Table app, which supports English.
Some spots also take bookings via Naver.
1. Negi Sukiyaki — Chef Jang Ho-jun
(Season 1 White Spoon)
The most accessible entry point into the Negi universe
📍 B1F, Andaz Seoul Gangnam, Apgujeong
🚇 Apgujeong Station, Line 3, Exit 3
🕐 Lunch 11:30–15:00 / Dinner 17:30–22:00
💰 Lunch course from approx. 50,000–70,000 KRW per person
Chef Jang Ho-jun brings 18 years of Japanese cuisine experience,
having worked at hotel restaurants including
the Grand Hyatt, Ritz-Carlton, and Walker Hill.
His restaurant group Negi runs everything
from casual bar to high-end omakase.
If you’ve been looking up Negi Live after seeing
Jennie mention it as her favorite Korean restaurant
you already know the problem.
Steep prices, hard to book.
Negi Sukiyaki at the Andaz Hotel is the same chef,
same kitchen philosophy, at a fraction of the commitment.
The menu is focused: sukiyaki or shabu-shabu course
Read my full review of Negi Sukiyaki 👉
https://koreaandbeyond.com/negi-sukiyaki-seoul-andaz/
2. Myeon Seoul — Chef Kim Do-yun
(Season1,2 White Spoon)
Michelin-selected noodles,
no pretension, surprisingly affordable
Chef Kim Do-yun is the owner of YUN Seoul,
a Michelin one-star restaurant in Apgujeong.
On Culinary Class Wars he became known for cooking
with headphones on and eyes closed
a way of managing his panic disorder,
and his quiet, grounded presence made him
one of the most-watched chefs on the show.
Myeon Seoul is his second restaurant,
handmade noodles — made exclusively
from whole wheat, dried pollack,
without chemical additives
This is not a trendy noodle shop.
It’s a chef who has thought about noodles
longer than most people think about anything,
making them available at lunch-counter prices.
The perilla oil noodles and bracken noodles are the ones to order.
Dumplings are worth adding.
Dishes are served in traditional Korean brassware.
Read my full review of Myeon Seoul👉
https://koreaandbeyond.com/myeon-seoul-apgujeong-noodle/
3. Izakaya Kaden — Chef Jeong Ho-yeong
(Season 2 White Spoon)
The izakaya that runs on precision and good sake
📍 2F, 173 Yeonhui-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
🚇 Yeonhui-dong Jachigu Center (Stop ID: 13-156)
Buses passing by: 110A, 110B, 153, 7612, 7739.
🕐 Tue–Sat 11:30–22:00 (closed Sun & Mon)
(Full review coming soon)
Chef Jeong Ho-yeong is a longtime cast member
on Chef & My Fridge and the owner of the Kaden
which includes Izakaya Kaden, shabu Kaden
He studied at Tsuji College in Japan,
where he learned Japanese cooking techniques
including stewing and udon noodle-making.
The name “Kaden” comes from the name of
his training room at the cooking school
Chef Jung Ho-young’s Izakaya Caden is renowned for
using his culinary expertise to prepare fresh ingredients
sourced directly from Jeju,
which are hard to find elsewhere in Seoul
4. Yojeong Yeouido — Chef Jo Seo-hyung,
(Season 1 Black Spoon)
Seasonal Korean cuisine from the chef
whose October reservations sold out in 8 seconds
📍 Yeouido, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul
💰 Mid-to-high range course dining
(Full review coming soon)
Chef Jo Seo-hyung, known on the show as
“Genius Restaurateur” (장사천재 조사장),
appeared on Culinary Class Wars as a Black Spoon She was among the most talked-about contestants of Season 1, and after the show aired, her restaurant reservations sold out in 8 seconds when October slots opened.
Chef Jo Seo-hyeong’s Euljiro ‘Boseok’ is famously known
as a spot that even Shinsegae Chairman Chung Yong-jin
reserves a table for.
Following the success of Boseok,
her latest venture in Yeouido, ‘Yojeong,’
is a Korean gastropub that perfectly captures
her unique identity and soulful, handmade flavors
How to Book, Practical Notes
for All Four Restaurants
A few things that apply across the board:
Catch Table App: You can book your stay at
Myeon Seoul, Yojeong, and Negi Sukiyaki.
As Korea’s most popular restaurant reservation platform,
it supports English and—most importantly—
allows you to sign up without a Korean phone number.
Please note that Chef Jung Ho-young’s restaurants
are exceptions; they only accept reservations
by phone or on-site waiting.
Timing matters more than flexibility.
For Myeon Seoul and Negi Sukiyaki,
lunch slots on weekdays are the easiest to book.
For Yojeong, slots open on specific dates and disappear fast
— check the Catch Table page and set an alert.
Walk-ins are rare but possible
Negi Sukiyaki and Myeon Seoul during off-peak hours.
For Izakaya Kaden and Yojeong,
booking ahead is the only realistic option.
More Reviews on the Way
I’ve eaten at all four of these.
Full individual reviews for Myeon Seoul, Izakaya Kaden,
and Yojeong are being written
and will be added here as links when they go live.
If you have specific questions about any of them
before the reviews are up,
leave a comment below — I check regularly.