J.Y. Park urged Son Jong Won to join Black and White Chefs 2
J.Y. Park said he urged chef Son Jong Won to join Netflix’s cooking competition ‘Black and White Chefs 2’ during the July 26 episode of JTBC’s ‘Please Take Care of My Refrigerator.’ Son holds Michelin stars in both Korean and Western cuisine.
Park said he found Son before the chef became famous, visiting Son’s restaurant when no one knew him and getting his contact information.
J.Y. Park recalled:
“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 also said he pushed Son to appear on the Netflix show.
J.Y. Park said:
“I told him he absolutely had to be on the show. Without me, people might not have known Chef Son Jong Won.”
Son 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 hosts jokingly took credit for Son’s rise. Former footballer Ahn Jung Hwan joked:
“We raised Chef Son. We cheered him on even when he was peeling garlic abroad.”
Cast members Kim Poong and Kim Sung Joo also humorously claimed they nurtured him. Park responded with a grin:
“What you say you raised, I actually did.”
Son instead credited his mother for his success, which drew laughter from the cast.
In the same episode, Park gave a personal health update: his body fat percentage dropped to 9.2% for the first time. He said he plans to avoid carbohydrates for three months to maintain that level.