Chef Sam Kim Reveals Special Connection with Italian 'National Chef' Carlo Cracco

Chef Sam Kim has demonstrated his deep-rooted trust within the global culinary community as he concluded his 'Undercover Project,' during which he lived as a junior staff member at a local Italian restaurant while keeping his professional career strictly hidden. In particular, the scene where he revealed his true identity with the support of star chef Carlo Cracco—a leading figure in the Italian gastronomy scene—was evaluated as a symbolic moment showcasing the global chef network formed across borders and the rising status of Korean culinary culture.

In the tvN variety program 'Undercover Chef' aired on the 23rd, the process of Sam Kim finishing his undercover employment life under the name 'Hee-tae' at a restaurant in Parma, Italy, was revealed.

Throughout the experience, Sam Kim strictly concealed his name and illustrious career, working as a junior kitchen staff member to breathe the same air as local chefs in the same environment. In doing so, he personally practiced the program's intent to be judged solely on skill and attitude, stripping away the halo of being a star chef. In Italy, where culinary culture is deeply rooted, he fully integrated as a member of the kitchen, performing everything from menial chores to basic cooking processes.

Ahead of his final mission, Sam Kim sought an unexpected supporter to reveal his true identity. That protagonist was chef Carlo Cracco, a representative of the Italian culinary world. Leading Michelin-starred restaurants and building high recognition as a media personality, he is a figure who possesses both public popularity and authority, to the extent that he is called a 'national chef' in Italy.

Sam Kim introduced his special friendship with Cracco, stating, "He is a legend chef that anyone in Italy knows," naturally revealing the relationship of trust the two have built over a long time on the international culinary stage. This also served as a point demonstrating that Korean chefs are no longer staying only on the domestic stage but are establishing themselves as core members of the global culinary network.

Responding readily to Sam Kim's request, Cracco directly called the restaurant owner. During the call connected via speakerphone, he mentioned the new employee 'Hee-tae' and then meaningfully brought up the name "Kim," leaving the restaurant owner visibly flustered by the unexpected remark.

The owner, puzzled, remarked, "I have never called him by any name other than Hee-tae," and after the call ended, he told the staff, "Carlo Cracco said the person working with us now is the chef who represents Italian cuisine from Korea." In an instant, the kitchen was swept into an atmosphere of overlapping surprise and silence, as everyone reacted with disbelief when the true identity of the person they had regarded as just an ordinary new employee was revealed.

Upon learning the truth, the staff burst into laughter, saying, "He said he was a farmer, so I wondered why things didn't add up," and "It turns out we were teaching cooking to a world-class chef." In particular, colleague Simone made the scene erupt in laughter by using a translator to jokingly say, "Tonight, we will have our revenge." The camaraderie and playful relationship built under the setting of undercover employment added extra fun to the program until the very end.

This broadcast left a meaningful impression not just as a variety show device for revealing identities, but also by highlighting the value of chef networks and international trust formed within the global culinary industry. Today, gastronomy is expanding beyond simple cooking techniques into a global cultural industry that shares cultural exchange, regional identity, and creativity. The sight of top-tier chefs from various countries collaborating across borders and recognizing each other's capabilities is read as a symbolic scene that gauges the international status of the Korean food service industry.

However, the final challenge left some regret. Although Sam Kim presented a risotto he developed with his own unique interpretation during the final mission, it was evaluated as being different from the traditional Italian cooking philosophy pursued by the local restaurant, failing to have the new menu adopted. Nevertheless, rather than a competition to find the 'right answer,' the program left a deep lingering impression by capturing respect for local culture, craftsmanship, and the value of mutual respect shared by global culinary professionals.