Hit Netflix Cooking Show Spurs Competition to Partner with Star Chefs
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
Netflix’s popular cooking competition Black & White Chefs Season 2 is driving a rush among Korean food and restaurant companies to collaborate with featured star chefs. After the Season 1 boom boosted sales and global interest in K-food, firms are racing to secure partnerships that can quickly capture consumer attention amid high prices and weak domestic demand. Following the early release of episodes, restaurants run by Season 2 chefs topped reservation platform charts and saw major spikes in searches and bookings. Retailers and food brands have already launched chef collaborations—convenience store chains and cafes rolled out co-branded sandwiches and ready-to-eat meals; premium whiskey and limited-edition alcohol tied to celebrity chefs were released; and HMR (home meal replacement) lines now carry chef-developed recipes. Industry players say chef tie-ups now deliver not only buzz but perceived quality, helping consumers recreate restaurant experiences at home and boosting K-food’s visibility overseas. (Black & White Chefs: a Netflix Korean cooking competition where established “white spoon” chefs face off against underdog “black spoon” chefs.)
