Chef Byung Mook-kim of ‘Culinary Class Wars’ serves 4 dishes at Makati pop-up

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The Black Spoon chef and Yakitori King brings two of his signature dishes from Korea and two new pop up-exclusive ones

MANILA, Philippines — South Korea’s “Yakitori King” has come to town, and Chef Byung Mook-kim is bringing both flavor and comfort to Metro Manila from May 17 to June 1, 2025!

Mook-kim participated in Netflix’s reality competition Culinary Class Wars, where he competed as a Black Spoon — a chef from humble beginnings. Now, he is the last chef for Your Local’s “MatNam” collaboration series with Chef Patrick Go in Balmori Suites, Rockwell, Makati City.

Succeeding White Spoon chefs Young Sook-lee and Jihyung Choi, who ran from April 6 to 23, and chef Kisu Bang from April 26 to May 14, Mook-kim completes the last leg, bringing two of his signature dishes from Korea and creating two new Metro Manila-exclusive ones.

CHEF Byung Mook-kim presenting his four dishes. All images by Steph Arnaldo/Rappler

Comfort in simplicity

Best known as the owner-chef of Yakitori Mook in South Korea, a Michelin Bib Gourmand-awarded spot from 2021 to 2023, Mook-kim brings his signature Yakitori to the table.

YAKITORI with squid ink salt.

His claim to fame, for P590, may seem straightforward: grilled chicken skewers with scallions, lightly salted, but simple is enough. Each skewer is juicy, lightly crisped on the outside, and has a subtle smokiness. The skewers come on a bed of squid ink sea salt, which you can coat each chicken piece with for extra umami.

But the surprise standout? A meatless wild card: Potato Cheese Kimchi Pancake (P650). Chef calls it the comfort dish for rainy days, and these pancakes are eaten on “really good days.”

POTATO CHEESE KIMCHI PANCAKE.

It’s like a hybrid between a kimchi jeon and a Spanish patatas tortilla — thick, fluffy, but with crispy edges and shoestring potatoes for texture. As the savory-creamy filling, there’s kimchi puree and mozzarella.

Given that the presentation was unassumingly simple, this was a surprising favorite — and it was elevated by a soy dipping sauce that added just the right hit of acidity and sweetness.

If you need something heartier but still light, go for the Nanban-zuke (P690) — golden, crispy chicken fillet balls drenched in a refreshingly sweet-sour vinaigrette, tossed with fresh onions and crunchy vegetables.

NANBANZUKE.

Inspired by a Southern Japanese recipe, it’s a brighter version of fried chicken that won’t make you feel too guilty. Despite it being coated in the sauce, the crunch still holds.

Chef Kim’s Dweji Galbi Jim (P1,190) is a family-style dish, typically served during Korean feasts and royal occasions. It’s a slow-braised pork rib dish steeped in a sweet soy glaze, with chunks of potato, carrot, okra, and steamed rice. Meaty, with no frills.

DWEJI GALBI-JIM.

Aside from chef Byung Mook-kim’s menu, other event-exclusive Your Local items by chef Patrick Go are also available (don’t skip dessert) at the pop-up.

The last leg of MatNam runs until June 1 at Your Local in Balmori Suites, Makati. Guests can reserve online.

In April, popular White Spoon chef and fan favorite chef Choi Hyun-seok also paid a visit and is serving a few of his signature dishes in Solaire Resort Entertainment City and Solaire North until July 6. – Rappler.com