On December 17, a production presentation was held at JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul. Those present included Chef Jung Ho-young, Hudeokjuk, Monk Seonjae, Chef Son Jong-won, Yoon Ju-mo the Brewer, French Papa, the Chinese Witch, and Baby Beast. The group discussed the series and their experiences filming it.
Following the press event, online communities speculated that the eight attendees must have at least survived up to Round 2—since early-eliminated contestants typically do not appear at press conferences, while simultaneously revealing the final eight publicly would be unlikely. Some viewers even criticized Netflix’s official social media posts, saying, “Why is the official channel spoiling the competition?”
However, these assumptions proved incorrect. Monk Seonjae, Baby Beast, Chef Jung Ho-young, and French Papa were all revealed to have been eliminated in Round 2.
Episode 4, released on December 23 at 5 p.m., opened with the evaluations of Monk Seonjae and Gomtang in New York. Monk Seonjae showcased Seungso Pine Nut Noodles, highlighting the natural flavors of temple cuisine. Meanwhile, Gomtang in New York abandoned meat—its usual specialty—and presented a vegetarian japchae without the five pungent vegetables. The result was a 2–0 victory for Gomtang in New York.
Judge Baek Jong-won commented, “Both dishes were clean and calming, but they had limitations in delivering diverse flavors. Still, they were excellent.”
Chef Ahn Sung-jae added that while Monk Seonjae’s noodles were refined, the japchae tasted “purely natural, showing exceptional care.”
A mentor-versus-student match then followed between Chef Kim Hee-eun and Baby Beast. Baby Beast, who had trained under Chef Kim for nearly a decade, presented Joseon Japchae using spring vegetables, adding shiitake mushrooms and green garlic. Chef Kim Hee-eun took the opposite approach, slow-cooking beef shank, smoking it lightly with thyme, shredding it, and mixing it with rice in an intuitive, comforting style.
The result was a 1–1 tie—Ahn Sung-jae chose Baby Beast’s dish, while Baek Jong-won selected Chef Kim’s. Baek remarked that some aspects of Baby Beast’s dish were polarizing, while Ahn praised its novelty and creativity.
The final decision went to Chef Kim Hee-eun. Ahn said, “If I had to eat again, I would choose Chef Kim’s dish,” while Baek noted that Baby Beast’s strong spring greens overshadowed balance. Still, Ahn added, “It’s wonderful to see a young chef who genuinely loves seasonal greens.”
Before moving to Round 3, judges granted a “survival pass” to two previously eliminated chefs: Jung Ho-young and Monk Seonjae. Chef Jung faced Seoul Mom with a monkfish dish and battled through two tied voting rounds but ultimately lost in the final decision, confirming his Round 2 elimination. Monk Seonjae, however, earned advancement after both judges agreed on his selection.
Although theories ran wild after the press conference, the results firmly proved that Netflix had not spoiled the show’s outcomes—leaving viewers both surprised and relieved.
Sources: Daum