J.Y. Park urged chef Son Jong Won to join ‘Black and White Chefs 2’
J.Y. Park said he urged chef Son Jong Won to join Netflix cooking competition ‘Black and White Chefs 2’ on the July 26 episode of JTBC’s ‘Please Take Care of My Refrigerator.’
Park recalled finding Son before the chef became well known. He visited Son’s restaurant when few people knew him, was impressed enough to take his contact details, and later pushed him to appear on TV.
Park explained:
“I usually don’t prefer fine dining, but this chef was special. He was the only chef whose number I kept. This was before ‘Black and White Chefs 1’ had aired.”
Park said he pushed Son to compete on the Netflix show.
“I told him he absolutely had to be on the show. Without me, people might not have known Chef Son Jong Won.”
Son Jong Won gained wider recognition after appearing on ‘Please Take Care of My Refrigerator’ and went on to reach the top 7 on ‘Black and White Chefs 2.’ His profile rose further when he led state dinners for President Lee Jae Myung and French President Emmanuel Macron and their spouses.
The show’s cast playfully claimed they helped Son’s rise. Former footballer Ahn Jung Hwan joked:
“We raised Chef Son. We cheered him on even when he was peeling garlic abroad.”
Kim Poong and Kim Sung Joo also jokingly claimed credit. Park responded with a grin:
“What you say you raised, I actually did.”
Son credited his mother for his success, which prompted laughter from the cast.
In the same episode, J.Y. Park revealed a personal health update: his body fat percentage dropped to 9.2% for the first time. He said he will avoid carbohydrates for three months to maintain that level.