Honam University Department of Culinary Arts and Food Service Wins Gold Medals Across the Board at "Challenge Cup Competition"

C&S Club Students Win Grand Prize and Excellence Award at the Korea Challenge Cup International Cooking Competition

Students from the Department of Culinary Arts and Food Service at Honam University’s C&S club achieved excellent results at the 2025 Korea Challenge Cup International Cooking Competition. Photo by Honam University

Honam University announced on May 12 that students from the C&S club (supervising professor Kim Sungsoo) in the Department of Culinary Arts and Food Service achieved excellent results at the 2025 Korea Challenge Cup International Cooking Competition.

At the competition held at Suwon Convention Center from May 9 to 10, 42 students from the Department of Culinary Arts and Food Service participated, including one exhibition team (9 students) and ten live competition teams (33 students). They won the Grand Prize (Minister of Employment and Labor Award) and the Excellence Award (Association President Award), and all participants in the live competition received gold medals.

The Korea Challenge Cup International Cooking Competition is an event certified by the globally renowned World Master Chef Society. It is hosted by the Korea Food Culinary Culture Association and supported by various government ministries, including the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, and the Ministry of Education.

In the group exhibition competition, Kim Garam and Jung Chaeyoung (4th year), Cha Eunmin, Kim Kangsan, Kim Minjun, and Lee Hyunmin (3rd year), and Kim Byungchang, Kim Paul, and Kim Sooyoung (2nd year) received the Minister of Employment and Labor Award. In the live competition, Lee Woohyun and Yoo Jion (1st year) won the Excellence Award (Association President Award). In addition, all 33 participants in the live competition, including Lee Mina (2nd year), received gold medals.

Yoo Jion, a participant in the competition, said, "The process of preparing for the competition was challenging, but thanks to the guidance of professors and seniors, we achieved good results. It was rewarding to gain valuable experience in my first year at university and to receive such a significant award."

Since its establishment in 1998, the Department of Culinary Arts and Food Service has demonstrated the excellence of its educational program through an impressive record over the past 27 years, including six Presidential Talent Awards, victories at the world's top three culinary competitions, gold medals at national skills competitions, awards at various international events, and the Presidential Award.