There are new celebrities on the Hallyu side of Netflix—and they happen to wield kitchen equipment!
The Korean reality series Culinary Class Wars has turned chefs into celebrities, including standout contestant Napoli Matfia. Known offscreen by his real name Kwon Seong Joon, the talented chef has captivated judges with his impressive array of Neapolitan-inspired creations, showcasing skills honed since the start of his culinary career in the European country.
Curious to know more about this reigning Black Spoon cook? Ahead, get to know the Italian cuisine chef with these fast facts.
Who Is Napoli Matfia? Facts About Chef Kwon Seong Joon of “Culinary Class Wars”
1. His Black Spoon nickname is actually a play on words.
Black Spoons were the up-and-coming chefs in Culinary Class Wars, and like all Black Spoons, the culinary artist goes by a nickname to hide his real identity. In the series, Kwon Seong Joon is referred to as “Napoli Matfia,” an homage to his penchant for Italian cuisine. Non-Korean speakers might not be privy to know that “Matfia” isn’t a typo–the word is a combined play on “mafia” and “mat,” with the latter meaning “taste” in Korean!
2. He worked for various Michelin-starred restaurants in Italy.
Napoli Matfia earned his moniker due to his time in Italy, where he even gained fluency in the language. After studying at the Italian culinary school ALMA, the chef spent his earlier years as a professional working for Michelin-starred restaurants across the European country. This includes the three-Michelin-starred Le Calandra in Northern Italy and the two-Michelin-starred restaurant Dani Maison, located on the island of Ischia in the Gulf of Naples.
The influence of the cuisine is palpable in the dishes he makes even in South Korea, with his signature selection infused with Italian and Neapolitan flavors as seen in each of his entries in the reality series.
3. He owns an Italian pasta bar in Seoul.
After his time in Italy, Kwon Seong Joon set up shop in his home country of South Korea with his pasta bar, Via Toledo. Found in the Yongsan district of Seoul, the restaurant’s menu boasts his series-famous pasta dishes, while offering an open kitchen layout where guests can interact with its chefs.
Following Seong Joon’s appearance in the reality show, Via Toledo was met with a surge in demand. Aside from Italian football icons flocking to the pasta bar, some scalpers have even resorted to selling their reservations online for a whopping 700,000 Korean won–that’s approximately P30,000!
4. His famous tiramisu from “Culinary Class Wars” were sold at convenience stores.
In an episode of Culinary Class Wars, select contestants were tasked to concoct dishes using ingredients sourced from a convenience store. While the mission prompted many of the chefs to churn out instant noodle dishes, Seong Joon went on a different route by creating a chestnut tiramisu.
The dessert soon became sought-after, prompting South Korea’s CU convenience store chain to sell the dish itself. In October, the chain announced that it was selling the chestnut tiramisu across 18,000 stores after all 150,000 cups sold out in nine days during an app-exclusive pre-sale, according to Korea JoongAng Daily.
5. You can follow him on Instagram.
Seong Joon’s new fans can get up-to-date with his life as a chef through his Instagram page @napolimatfia. For updates on his pasta bar, head to Via Toledo’s official page @viatoledo_official.
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