When top chefs ‘failed’ as the youngest on the line, ratings soared···Viewers related to the ‘real’ thing - 경향신문

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tvN ‘Undercover Chef’ PD Hong Jin-joo.·writer Yoon A-reum

Chefs Sam Kim, Jung Ji-seon, and Kwon Sung-jun, who appeared on tvN <Undercover Chef>. Courtesy of tvN

What should a new variety show be like? tvN <Undercover Chef>, which ended to strong popularity on the 23rd of last month, shows that a ‘story filled with genuine human feeling’ still resonates more than a never-before-seen, innovative format.

Italian chefs Sam Kim and Kwon Sung-jun, and Chinese-cuisine chef Jung Ji-seon work for five days at restaurants in Italy (Parma, Naples) and China (Chengdu), the cuisines’ homelands. However, they are introduced to the restaurant families not as chefs but as a former farmer, boxer, and baseball player who want to learn cooking. The three, now the youngest on the line, are given a mission: ‘Without arousing suspicion that they are chefs, earn recognition for their skills and get their own dish onto the restaurant’s menu.’

The elements that make up <Undercover Chef> are certainly familiar. In the wake of the success of Netflix’s <Culinary Class Wars> (2024), it can look like it is riding the wave of chef-centered variety shows, and it also feels like a program that continues tvN’s lineage of overseas location cooking shows such as <Youn’s Kitchen> and <Will It Sell Locally?>.

On tvN <Undercover Chef>, chefs Sam Kim, Jung Ji-seon, and Kwon Sung-jun go undercover as the ‘youngest’ in foreign restaurant kitchens. Courtesy of tvN

That hunch is both right and wrong. In earlier shows where celebrities ran restaurants or food trucks, a major focus was on their trial-and-error with a first-time food business. For the three chefs, that ‘restaurant work is grueling’ is a given. Familiar with the inner workings of a kitchen, they additionally ponder how to earn acceptance as juniors among the staff and how local palates differ from those in Korea.

A program that follows people already acknowledged as top-tier as they diligently adapt in unfamiliar places steadily gained buzz during its run. Episode 10, the finale, recorded a 6.2% rating, about triple the first broadcast.

PD Hong Jin-joo and writer Yoon A-reum, who planned <Undercover Chef>, met with the Kyunghyang Shinmun on the 4th at the CJ ENM Center in Mapo-gu, Seoul, saying, “We wanted to make a program that both the cast and viewers could become deeply immersed in,” and adding, “We are surprised and grateful for the passionate response.”

PD Hong Jin-joo (left) and writer Yoon A-reum of tvN <Undercover Chef> are interviewed by the Kyunghyang Shinmun on the 4th at the CJ ENM Center in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Han Su-bin, reporter

The two, who worked together on <Europe Outside the Tent> in Spain and in Southern France, were given a mission late last year to “create a new program.” For PD Hong, in year 11, this was the first time planning a new show. As they refined the concept through wide-ranging interviews with people in the restaurant industry, the hardest part, they say, was recruiting restaurants.

“We took our first scouting trip in January, and after that we went abroad countless times. In March, we pounded the pavement so much that we were in Korea for only five days,” PD Hong said. They added that finding restaurants in China, where Google search is not seamless, was even more challenging.

As much as the restaurant staff’s character, the production team prioritized whether “the food is delicious.” Writer Yoon said, “For the chefs to feel motivated, the taste had to be convincing,” adding, “We read books and asked locals, and later we just walked in. In one part of Italy, we went to nearly every trattoria (small restaurant) there.” In particular, the restaurant in Parma where Sam Kim worked was so popular that even locals had to book three months in advance.

Chef Sam Kim, who went undercover as ‘Hee-tae,’ a farmer, on tvN <Undercover Chef>. Courtesy of tvN

The three chefs start with prepping ingredients and gradually earn recognition until, on the final day, they cook a main dish. Because the promotions proceeded step by step, some viewers even wondered whether there might be a degree of scripting.

However, PD Hong said, “During filming, the production team hardly intervened.” The guideline given in advance was simply along the lines of “When you are satisfied, it would be good to give them the next task.” Writer Yoon explained, “All three places are real restaurants serving customers, so we must not be a nuisance,” adding, “These are people seriously considering whether they could run a business in Korea, so for their sake too, we asked for cool-headed evaluations.”

PD Hong Jin-joo of tvN <Undercover Chef> is interviewed by the Kyunghyang Shinmun on the 4th at the CJ ENM Center in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Han Su-bin, reporter

Writer Yoon A-reum of tvN <Undercover Chef> is interviewed by the Kyunghyang Shinmun on the 4th at the CJ ENM Center in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Han Su-bin, reporter

The production team said they were struck by the three chefs’ diligence. Sam Kim practiced Italian phrases to say to his restaurant “seniors,” memorizing them every morning. Even when business ran past midnight, Kwon Sung-jun worked silently. When kitchen staff accustomed to Sichuan food did not prefer the Korean-style Chinese dishes Jung Ji-seon made, he showed the tenacity to keep trying until he earned their recognition. Even though woks larger and heavier than those in Korea did not feel natural in his hands, his persistence in mastering the technique became a hot topic among viewers. Jung Ji-seon even ranked first in non-drama cast buzz.

Chef Jung Ji-seon, who went undercover as ‘Sunny,’ a former boxer, on <Undercover Chef>, takes a photo with the owner of a restaurant in Chengdu, China. Courtesy of tvN

As family-like restaurant members such as ‘Tang Wei of the prep station,’ ‘the bespectacled senior,’ and ‘Owner Gianca’ also became popular, a spin-off of <Undercover Chef> was confirmed right after the finale and is slated to air within the year. This time, the “seniors” from Parma, Naples, and Chengdu will visit Korea. PD Hong hinted, “All three parties responded positively. However, because they have day jobs, scheduling is still being coordinated.”

Asked why <Undercover Chef> gained popularity, PD Hong pointed to the fact that “chefs were not portrayed as invincible beings.” “There were many moments of failure. The introverted Chef Sam Kim wrestled with relationships, Chef Jung Ji-seon struggled to meet local tastes, and Chef Kwon Sung-jun even burned dishes. Perhaps that is why it felt more real. I also newly learned that viewers do not want only perfect narratives and that even within material that seems predictable, there is something fresh.”