A cooking competition reality show titled “Godly Cuisine with One Meal” featuring 16 industry master chefs and 84 aspiring chefs, with judges including celebrities such as Nicholas Tse, founder of the Chinese cuisine brand “Xin Rong Ji,” Zhang Yong, and guest appearances by popular stars like Carina Lau, Charlene Choi, Du Haitao, Janice Man, and Ding Zhen, has stirred controversy since its debut on Chinese video platform Tencent on July 17th.
Many viewers have pointed out striking similarities between “Godly Cuisine with One Meal” and the South Korean variety show “Black and White Chef: War of the Cooking Classes” on Netflix. From the number of contestant chefs, team formations, progression process, to filming style, the Chinese show appears to mirror the Netflix production almost entirely. Both shows feature numerous rookie chefs challenging a few renowned chefs, with contestants using nicknames and costumes divided into black and white colors. Even details like the perspective of the renowned chefs overseeing the competition, stage design, and camera work closely resemble each other, leading many to accuse “Godly Cuisine with One Meal” of blatant imitation of “Black and White Chef.”
Criticism from Chinese netizens flooded social media platforms, with comments highlighting the lack of originality in the show’s format and execution. Viewers expressed disapproval, stating, “This is shamelessly copied,” “The cinematography, competition system, and music are identical,” “It’s hypocritical to belittle Korean variety shows while copying them,” “How can they shamelessly imitate like this,” and “This is outright plagiarism.”
Addressing the accusations of plagiarism and speculation that “Godly Cuisine with One Meal” was produced after purchasing the rights to “Black and White Chef,” a report from South Korean media outlet “OSEN” shared a response from Netflix, stating, “We have never sold the rights to ‘Black and White Chef’ to China.” The streaming giant is said to be internally discussing potential responses to the situation.
Meanwhile, the authentic original South Korean show “Black and White Chef,” which gained immense popularity in Asia after its debut at the end of last year, is set to premiere its second season in the latter half of 2025. The show continues to draw anticipation and excitement among fans eagerly waiting for its return.