Kim Poong asks Chef Woo Do-hee for less precise knife skills

During a 15-minute cooking battle on JTBC's Chef & My Fridge, writer Kim Poong requested that Chef Woo Do-hee cut rice cakes thicker to prioritize texture over her highly precise knife skills while competing against Chef Sam Kim.

An unusual situation unfolded where a chef's precise knife skills became a variable in a culinary competition. On JTBC's Chef & My Fridge, writer Kim Poong utilized the knife skills of Chef Woo Do-hee, known as the "Best Sword of Joseon," to compete against Chef Sam Kim.

"You're cutting too well": Kim Poong's contradictory orders and Chef Woo Do-hee's "over-spec" skills

For this battle, Kim Poong chose Chef Woo Do-hee's knife skills as his secret weapon. Directing the cooking process, Kim requested that Chef Woo slice rice cakes. Chef Woo demonstrated highly precise knife work, cutting garae-tteok (long rice cakes) into cross shapes and slicing them into very thin strips.

However, this led to unique instructions from Kim Poong. As Chef Woo cut the rice cakes excessively thin and uniform, Kim questioned, "Why are you cutting them so thin?" emphasizing that there should be a chewy texture to eat. He repeatedly ordered the rice cakes to be cut "a little thicker than this" for texture, creating a contradictory situation where he demanded a one-star head chef-level skill to be performed "roughly." Kim referred to Chef Woo's proficient knife work as "over-spec" that should not be used in this context.

Truffle meets lamb: Kim Poong's 'Daniel's Rice Cake Rise' vs. Woo Do-hee's 'En-tteok-i-yang'

The culinary strategies of the two contestants diverged sharply. Chef Sam Kim presented fresh truffle as his secret weapon. He prepared 'Daniel's Rice Cake Rise,' a dish where the center of garae-tteok is hollowed out, filled with beef, wrapped in cheese, and grilled. He paired this with a savory egg yolk sauce reminiscent of carbonara and finished it by grating truffle over the top.

In contrast, Kim Poong prepared 'En-tteok-i-yang' using Chef Woo Do-hee's knife skills. It was a fusion-style dish where lamb rib meat was cooked to be used as broth, and finely sliced rice cakes were made to resemble risotto and mixed with rice noodle sauce. During the process, Kim controlled the tempo of the battle by repeatedly encouraging Chef Woo to "mince" the ingredients. To create the risotto-like texture, Kim had the rice cakes finely sliced, aiming to complete a fusion dish combining lamb rib meat and rice cakes.

A 15-minute struggle amidst equipment failure and recipe confusion

As the battle progressed, more variables emerged. Tension rose when a cooking utensil's handle melted and detached during the process. Additionally, Kim Poong appeared to have not fully mastered the recipe. He created several comical moments, such as mentioning pineapple toward the end of the cooking and receiving a joking reprimand from Chef Woo Do-hee that she "can only do knife work." During the process, Kim also noted that the rice cakes were harder than expected.

During the 15-minute time limit, Chef Sam Kim focused on maximizing the aroma of the truffle, while Kim Poong continued the battle by focusing on the texture of the rice cakes with the knife-skill support of Chef Woo Do-hee.

Source: JTBC Entertainment (YouTube)