Lee Chan-won won with his dogani yukgaejang in 'New Menu Launch Restaurant,' achieving 8 wins.
The results of the soup menu competition featuring MZ Grandma Lee Chan-won, global star Nam Yoon-soo, and Michelin guide Gi Eun-se were revealed on the KBS2 program 'New Menu Launch Restaurant' (hereafter 'Restaurant'), which aired on the 2nd. The three chefs, showcasing exceptional skills, faced unprecedented tension in the studio during their live cooking battle, with the honor of winning and launching secured by Lee Chan-won's dogani yukgaejang. Lee Chan-won once again proved he is a genius with menu launches.
On that day, the studio of 'Restaurant' was equipped with three chef spaces. Lee Chan-won, Nam Yoon-soo, and Gi Eun-se each prepared their final menu of 'soup dishes' themselves. Since this was the first time they competed in a live cooking format, the chefs' tension soared. As a result, the chefs playfully tried to outdo each other. In particular, Lee Chan-won, who is always relaxed, appeared flustered and nervous, which brought laughter.
Lee Chan-won's final menu was dogani yukgaejang. He created a deep flavor for the soup by simmering the dogani for over five hours and using dutae oil. He then used dutae oil again to complete a spicy sauce and finished the dogani yukgaejang with sautéed bean sprouts. Lee Chan-won's impressive knife skills in preparing dogani yukgaejang gave the feeling of a grandson in a traditional soup restaurant, leading to hearty laughter.
Nam Yoon-soo presented a clean and refreshing hangover cream pasta named 'Kkeuk Pasta,' flavored with his special homemade mushroom pesto and clam broth. He stole the spotlight by showcasing a fire performance on the spot. Gi Eun-se created Italian gwopchang jeongol, merging the fiery flavors of Korean gwopchang jeongol with Italian cuisine. Gi Eun-se made homemade butter on-site, solidifying her presence as a chef.
The victory went to Lee Chan-won's dogani yukgaejang. Chef Park Jun-woo, who appeared as a menu evaluator that day, praised it, saying, "It's so delicious that I don't know what to say," while Chef Jung Ho-young confirmed the best flavor with a storm of eating. With this, Lee Chan-won, who achieved 8 wins, expressed, "Today's victory feels more valuable and special. I feel overwhelmed, just like when I received a major award at any other ceremony."
Meanwhile, during the broadcast, Nam Yoon-soo and Gi Eun-se shared their honest feelings. Nam Yoon-soo, who donated a kidney to his father six months ago, expressed affection for the first time, saying, "I love you." He noted, "I feel that I need to take better care of my parents and spend my remaining life with them."
Gi Eun-se shared with her respected senior Jeon In-hwa, "When I got divorced, my mom said everything would be fine," and added, "I lived my entire 20s with a dream of becoming an actor but had no recognized works. I thought about quitting and married, not knowing I would work again like this. Coming back, I feel a strong desire for work now." Jeon In-hwa, who understands that feeling well, praised Gi Eun-se's growth and transformation in her recent projects.
Delicious food, star chefs' ultimate recipes, unexpected charms of stars that cannot be seen elsewhere, and their honest stories can all be heard on KBS2's 'New Menu Launch Restaurant,' which airs every Friday at 8:30 p.m.
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