'Culinary Class Wars' judge Anh Sung-jae vows to help restaurant industry at parliamentary audit

I would be very grateful if you continue to view [the work] favorably," he told the members of the Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee's parliamentary audit.

Chef Anh Sung-jae speaks as a witness during the Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee's parliamentary audit in Jung District, central Seoul, on Friday. [YONHAP]

Anh Sung-jae, chef and judge on "Culinary Class Wars," pledged to aid the restaurant industry, including small business owners, at Seoul Metropolitan Council's chambers in Jung District, central Seoul, on Friday.

"I would be very grateful if you continue to view [the work] favorably," he told the members of the Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee's parliamentary audit. "'Culinary Class Wars' aired on Netflix, and I think it will have an economic impact that will revitalize the restaurant industry."

He was asked to attend the audit as a witness after his three-Michelin-star fine dining establishment, Mosu Seoul, was selected for the government's annual list of restaurant list in the city, 100 Taste of Seoul, for four consecutive times.

"[Evaluating] restaurants can be very subjective, so ranking them and their chefs and giving them scores will be very complicated and difficult," Anh said. "I think it should be as fair as it can be."

Taste of Seoul week this year runs from Nov. 8 to 14. The city government has been creating the list every year since 2000. This year’s list has 21 hansik (Korean food) restaurants, 23 Western restaurants, 10 vegetarian restaurants, 14 Asian restaurants, 11 grill or barbecue restaurants, 10 cafes and dessert venues and 11 bars and pubs.

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]