Culinary Class Wars viewers each have a chef-contestant they call their favorite, but meme lovers have their own special someone: the now-beloved "Black Spoon," Cooking Maniac.
Known by his real name Yoon Nam No outside of the show, the contestant on the hit Netflix cooking series may have been introduced as a scary “gangster-like” figure, but his frenzied ways in the kitchen have endeared several viewers, including the likes of BTS’ J-Hope.
For those who count themselves fans, they’re in luck. Get to know Culinary Class Wars’ resident Cooking Maniac below with the essentials on the internet-famous chef.
Who Is Cooking Maniac? Facts About Yoon Nam No from “Culinary Class Wars”
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“Culinary Class Wars” isn’t the first cooking show he’s joined.
Long before he stepped foot on the stage of Culinary Class Wars, “Cooking Maniac” had already been accustomed to competing on screen. In 2016, Yoon Nam No was a contestant on MasterChef Korea season 4. While he received rave reviews and earned a top-five ranking during the preliminaries, the chef was eliminated during boot camp before he could make it to the finals.
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He started cooking because of his cancer-stricken mother.
In an interview on CBS Korea’s Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show, Yoon Nam No disclosed the heartfelt reason why he started his cooking career in the first place. The chef grew up with his father, a truck driver, and his mother who ran a small shop offering naengmyeon or Korean cold noodles in chilled broth. When Nam No's mom became ill with cancer, the future chef learned how to cook in middle school to keep the restaurant afloat.
During a segment on Culinary Class Wars, Nam No revealed that he joined the series because of her. “My mother loves watching me on screen, and since she struggles to walk, she watches my videos all day. I know she’ll be really happy.”
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He once applied to Choi Hyun Seok’s restaurant.
It’s a small, small world when it comes to South Korea’s culinary scene! If Judge Ahn Sung Jae and Choi Hyun Seok have been friends (and rivals?) before Culinary Class Wars even came about, Cooking Maniac also has a past connection to the famous White Spoon!
In an episode of the variety show Point of Omniscient Interfere, Choi Hyun Seok shared that Yoon Nam No previously applied to his restaurant. However, the younger chef wasn’t able to pursue the job because of school restrictions. According to Hyun Seok, he recognized Cooking Maniac’s name and was amused that they did end up working together–somehow!
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He is reportedly the youngest food division recruit in one of South Korea’s top hotels.
After he took the reins of his mother’s restaurant, Yoon Nam No earned four cooking certificates in middle school and another in high school. Reports say that he is the youngest recruit in the food division of Shilla Hotel, one of South Korea’s top luxury hotels. Helmed by Samsung heiress Lee Boo Jin, the Shilla Hotel has held the weddings of high-profile celebrities like Song Joong Ki and Song Hye Kyo.
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He owns a restaurant called Deepin.
Beyond his family’s beloved restaurant, Yoon Nam No also served his culinary skills in Bennelong, a premier restaurant found in the Sydney Opera House. Now, he steers his own ship at his restaurant in Seoul called Deepin, a natural wine bar and restaurant that offers a selection of organic and biodynamic wines.
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