In ‘Pyeon Restaurant’, Kim Jaejoong and Chef Kwon Seongjun's Italian Rib Rice Bowl won the first victory after the makeover.
On the 11th, the results of the menu competition for the makeover buddy special were revealed in KBS2’s ‘New Menu Launch Pyeon Restaurant’ (hereafter ‘Pyeon Restaurant’). The teams included Kim Jaejoong and ‘Napoli Mafia’ Chef Kwon Seongjun with ‘Center of Mafia’, Nam Bora and ‘Chinese Goddess’ Chef Park Eun-young with ‘Ddaenggriz’, and Intern Chef Hong Ji-yoon and ‘Chinese Master’ Chef Lee Yeon-bok with ‘Lucky Hong Ji-yoon’. After fierce competition, the honor of winning and launching went to the ‘Center of Mafia’ team.
The production team of ‘Pyeon Restaurant’ made sure to raise the stakes for the first menu competition after the makeover. Each team cooked 30 servings of their final menu on-site within a set time and received evaluations from a panel of 30 experts.
The ‘Center of Mafia’ (Kim Jaejoong X Chef Kwon Seongjun) team presented the final menu of ‘Italian Rib Rice Bowl’, which featured braised ribs flavored with tomato puree on top of fried rice with diced radish. It was a fusion menu that perfectly combined Kim Jaejoong's Korean cuisine and Chef Kwon Seongjun's Italian cooking. The two showed tremendous confidence before cooking, bringing smiles. Additionally, Kim Jaejoong's double cooking and their simultaneous fire show performance captivated the audience.
The ‘Ddaenggriz’ (Nam Bora X Chef Park Eun-young) team completed their final menu of ‘Dongpa Chicken Rice Bowl’ by placing a sauce made from Chef Park Eun-young's super kick on top of grilled chicken that Nam Bora cooked to a crispy exterior and juicy interior. Nam Bora operated six pans simultaneously to grill the chicken. Chef Park Eun-young created a sauce with ‘garlic bean sauce’ that instantly brought the taste of ‘Hong Kong’. The teamwork of the two, perfectly dividing the roles of meat and sauce, shone brightly.
The ‘Lucky Hong Ji-yoon’ (Hong Ji-yoon X Chef Lee Yeon-bok) team presented the final menu of ‘Spicy Duck Japchae Rice’ by adding smoked duck to Hong Ji-yoon's idea of japchae and incorporating Chef Lee Yeon-bok's signature chili oil. Hong Ji-yoon, who couldn't even chop vegetables, improved her cooking skills through relentless practice despite a busy schedule. Chef Lee Yeon-bok perfectly seasoned the ‘Spicy Duck Japchae Rice’ and added an addictive smoky flavor, leading to spontaneous admiration of “As expected from a Chinese master.”
The cooking processes of the three teams were filled with surprises and laughter. The chefs' incredible cooking skills captured attention, while all three teams faced crises as they kept an eye on each other, sweating under pressure. The lively performance of MC Boom, who caught these moments, added to the fun. Each team’s determination to win, using their special skills, also brought laughter.
The choice of the 30 expert evaluators was Kim Jaejoong X Chef Kwon Seongjun's ‘Italian Rib Rice Bowl’. The expert panel praised it as “a menu where East and West harmonize well” and said, “It could be a hit.” After the announcement of the winner, Chef Kwon Seongjun expressed, “I was very worried, but I believed in it,” showcasing unwavering confidence and bringing great laughter. The ‘Italian Rib Rice Bowl’ will be launched as a frozen meal by ‘Our Home’, a new partner of ‘Pyeon Restaurant’, and will be available for purchase online right after the victory.
On that day, Nam Bora received her first health check-up with her fiancé. The eldest daughter of 13 siblings, Nam Bora expressed her desire to have at least three, possibly four children, but was shocked to learn that her ovarian age was 37 during the health check-up. Later, she felt relieved after hearing that with enough effort, pregnancy was still possible. Her fiancé encouraged her with kind words, instantly turning ‘Pyeon Restaurant’ into a marriage promotion program.
