3 Culinary Class Wars chefs are bringing their dishes to Singapore’s Gu:um from April

In the very first Black Spoons challenge on the megahit Netflix reality competition series Culinary Class Wars, one of the dishes that gained the most attention from the other chefs was a vegetarian sashimi by “Celebrities’ Chef” Lim Hee-won of Seoul restaurant Buto in Hannam-dong.

“I’d pay to try that dish right now,” fellow contestant and chef Seonkyoung Longest had sighed, vocalising the audience’s collective thoughts.

And, after judge Ahn Sung-jae sampled the “sashimi” made entirely of vegetables and promoted Lim to the next round, another contestant, Chef Edward Lee, had quipped: “Now, I want to taste it.”

Well, we, all the way here in Singapore, will have the chance to do just that at Korean steakhouse Gu:um by chef Louis Han, who also owns one-Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant Nae:um and, incidentally, also worked at Mosu as Ahn’s sous chef.

Han and Lim, who are longtime friends, will collaborate to present a special menu at Gu:um on Apr 12. The one-day-only event, which takes place over lunch and dinner, is part of a series of celebrations for the restaurant’s first birthday.

The two friends first met in 2017 at an industry event and found they had “matching personalities”, Korea-born Han told CNA Lifestyle. “Chef Hee-won is very easy-going and creative. I enjoyed talking to him like I would with a big brother about work and personal life.”

Han even collaborated with Lim at Buto in Seoul in 2019. And, “for Gu:um’s very first collaboration, I wanted to do it with a close friend and a creative chef who knows how to have fun and enjoy the process,” he said. “Chef Hee-won has a lot of experience he can share with the team – not to mention, his cooking is really creative and delicious.”

He added that he initially wasn’t sure whether Lim would have the time to come to Singapore, since “even before his Culinary Class Wars appearance, Chef Hee-won was already very popular, with many projects in his hands”, so, “I was very touched when he said he would make it happen no matter what”.

Other Culinary Class Wars chefs, also friends of Han’s, will also be making time to come over and collaborate over the next few months. Confirmed names include Kim Tae-sung of Pono Buono (“Hidden Genius”), who impressed the judges with his signature aglio olio; and chef Song Ha Seul Ram of Mamalee Market ("Banchan Chef” or “Side Dish Magnate”).

The Apr 12 event with Lim is themed “Doljanchi” after the traditional Korean way of celebrating a baby’s first birthday. The menu features eight courses, four of which will be signature dishes Lim serves at Buto, such as mala bibimmyeon with abalone and cured herring roe; and eggplant menbosha, a crispy, fried, minced shrimp sandwich coloured with squid ink to resemble the volcanic rocks of Jeju.

Gu:um’s signature meat platter will be part of the meal, along with dishes that are a collaborative effort between the two chefs, such as a take on seaweed soup traditionally enjoyed by Koreans on their birthdays, elevated with hwangtae or pollack dried during the winter months.

Needless to say, Lim will serve the vegetarian sashimi for which he’s now known to viewers around the world. “I will be preparing this temple cuisine-inspired dish for diners who have enjoyed watching Culinary Class Wars,” he said, adding that it’s a challenging dish to make “as it takes a long time to prepare and I have to work with various types of vegetables within that one plate”.

Having studied under Zen Buddhist nun Jeong Kwan of Chef’s Table fame, Lim has a respect for and understanding of vegetables that fuels his creativity at Buto, where he puts out playful, “witty” dishes. The vegetarian sashimi in particular, he said, was inspired by the fact that “a basic meal in Korea is made up of a variety of vegetables”.

His celebrity regulars at Buto – the origin of his nickname on the show – such as Lee Hyo-ri and Um Jung-hwa come to the restaurant when they want to be surprised. Um, for instance, who “is like the Madonna of Korea”, “comes to visit Buto often and leaves the menu up to me, tasting style, so, rather than a specific dish, I always prepare a variety of different dishes to keep it interesting”, he said.

But, rather than focusing on his famous clientele, “any guest who comes to my restaurant deserves to be celebrated”, he asserted. “I am appreciative of the support, and the attention people give to my restaurant and food.”

And, “if I think about it now, I would like to be called 'Artist Chef' instead of 'Celebrities’ Chef'," he mused. “I have a lot of interest in the arts – interiors, painting, photography, fashion – so, it would be nice to combine that with my passion for cooking. I believe cooking itself is also a form of art, on a plate.”

What tea can he spill regarding the experience of being on Culinary Class Wars? Not a lot, since he signed a non-disclosure agreement, he laughed.

But, “I can share one thing. If you watch the very first scene, you will see me, right? But, actually, I was the third person to enter the competition area. The first entrant was Napoli Matfia, who ended up winning the show. The crew edited it in that way in case of any viewer misunderstanding about favouritism, when it was simply a coincidence.”

Han praised Lim’s performance on the show as “fun to watch” thanks to “his easy-going personality”. He “is true to himself on the show,” he said, adding, “The dish he showcased was just one of many delicious dishes he's created over the time I've known him.”

He’s a fan of the show because “many of my contemporaries got to showcase their skillset to the world”, he said, but, if he himself were to compete, “I really am not sure how I will perform. I've done some filming for CNA Lifestyle and, as you know, I freeze up with the camera on. I really admire the chefs on the show!”

Doljanchi at Gu:um takes place on Apr 12 at 29 Keong Saik Road. To book, visit https://www.guum.sg and reserve for Apr 12.