5 Dishes from Netflix’s Culinary Class Wars You Can Actually Try in Singapore

Ever since Culinary Class Wars became a global hit, viewers have been captivated by the artistry behind authentic Italian cuisine. While the show delivered dramatic challenges and modern culinary competition, many of the dishes that stood out most were rooted in traditional Italian cooking, recipes shaped by generations of regional techniques, fresh ingredients, and simplicity done exceptionally well.

For viewers curious about what these dishes are truly meant to taste like beyond the pressure of a Netflix kitchen, Baci Baci offers a chance to experience these Italian classics in their authentic form. From silky risottos and seafood pasta to comforting tiramisu, the restaurant’s menu reflects the same timeless flavours celebrated throughout the series.

Here are five dishes from Culinary Class Wars that you can try at Baci Baci.

1. Risotto — The Northern Italian Comfort Dish That Defined Napoli Matfia’s Cooking

Winner Kwon Sung-jun, known on the show as Napoli Matfia, built much of his culinary identity around Italian comfort food elevated through technique and precision. Throughout the competition, he showcased rich pasta dishes and carefully executed risottos, including a high-pressure challenge where he prepared risotto for 100 diners, as part of the team of black spoon chefs. 

Risotto originated in Northern Italy, particularly Milan and the Lombardy region, where short-grain rice varieties like Arborio and Carnaroli are slowly cooked with stock until they release starch and develop their signature creamy texture. Unlike regular rice dishes, risotto requires constant stirring and gradual absorption of liquid — a process that creates depth, silkiness, and balance.

At Baci Baci, diners can experience two very different expressions of risotto:

Risotto al Nero di Seppia e Frutti di Mare — SGD 34

This squid ink risotto combines seafood stock, tender mixed seafood, and squid ink to create a dish that is rich, briny, and deeply savoury. Squid ink risotto is especially popular in Venetian and coastal Italian cuisine, where seafood flavours take centre stage. The dish has a natural oceanic sweetness balanced by the creamy texture of the rice.

Mushroom Risotto — SGD 29

Earthy mushrooms, cream, parmesan, and parsley come together in a comforting risotto that highlights the dish’s Northern Italian roots. The slow cooking process allows the starch from the rice to create a velvety consistency without overwhelming the delicate mushroom flavour.

Watching Napoli Matfia carefully build flavour and texture on Culinary Class Wars gave viewers a glimpse into why risotto is considered one of the true tests of Italian cooking technique.

2. Spaghetti alle Vongole — The Elegant Coastal Pasta That Sparked Conversation

One of the most memorable Italian dishes on the show came from chef Choi Hyun-seok’s interpretation of pasta vongole, which was also the dish that led to his elimination. He recounted making numerous different variations over the years in an attempt to perfect it, and famously forgot to add garlic during the competition. 

Although deceptively simple, the dish demonstrated the precision required in authentic Italian seafood pasta — balancing the sweetness of clams with olive oil, garlic, pasta water, and white wine without overpowering the ingredients.

Spaghetti alle vongole originated in Naples, a coastal city where fresh shellfish and pasta became a staple combination. Traditionally, the dish relies on the natural flavour of fresh clams to create the sauce itself, with starch from the pasta water helping emulsify the olive oil into a glossy coating rather than a heavy sauce.

Spaghetti alle Vongole — SGD 32

features spaghetti tossed with fresh clams, cherry tomatoes, and white wine. The flavour profile is light yet deeply savoury — garlicky, aromatic, slightly briny, and lifted by the acidity of white wine and tomatoes. Because the dish uses very few ingredients, timing and ingredient quality become everything, which is precisely why it became such a talking point on Culinary Class Wars.

3. Aglio Olio Peperoncino — A Humble Dish That Reveals True Technique

In one of the earlier rounds of the competition, Hidden Genius impressed viewers with an elevated aglio e olio that focused heavily on pasta texture and preparation. His method involved partially cooking the linguine before allowing it to rest in oil, intensifying flavour while maintaining ideal texture before finishing the pasta with garlic, chilli, olive oil, and parmesan.

Aglio olio originated in Naples as a simple, affordable pasta traditionally made with pantry staples: garlic, olive oil, chilli flakes, and spaghetti. Despite its simplicity, it remains one of the hardest dishes to perfect because there is nowhere to hide mistakes. Garlic must be fragrant without burning, the oil must emulsify properly, and the pasta texture has to be exact.

At Baci Baci, the restaurant honours the traditional version through:

Spaghetti Aglio Olio Peperoncino — SGD 28

Spaghetti tossed with garlic, chilli, and extra virgin olive oil.

The flavour is clean, aromatic, lightly spicy, and intensely comforting. Good aglio olio should taste silky rather than greasy, with the olive oil coating each strand of pasta evenly.

It’s a reminder that some of the most respected Italian dishes are built not on complexity, but on restraint and technical precision.

4. Branzino Al Forno — Southern Italian Seafood at Its Purest

Chef Fabrizio Ferrari brought attention to Southern Italian seafood traditions during the series, including preparations of seabass that focused on preserving the fish’s natural flavour through minimal intervention.

One standout technique involved salt-crusting fish — an old Mediterranean cooking method where fish is encased in salt before baking. This seals in moisture and gently seasons the fish while keeping the flesh delicate and tender.

At Baci Baci, guests can experience a similar appreciation for seafood through:

Branzino Al Forno — SGD 69

A baked seabass dish inspired by traditional Italian coastal cuisine.

Branzino, also known as European seabass, is prized throughout Italy for its clean, delicate flavour and flaky texture. Oven roasting allows the fish to remain moist while enhancing its natural sweetness. Typically paired with herbs, olive oil, lemon, or Mediterranean aromatics, the dish reflects the philosophy seen throughout Culinary Class Wars: great ingredients prepared with restraint.

5. Tiramisu — Italy’s Most Beloved Dessert

Among the desserts featured on the series, Napoli Matfia’s chestnut tiramisu became especially popular online for his innovative reinterpretation of the classic Italian dessert using only convenience store ingredients.

Traditional tiramisu is believed to have originated in the Veneto region of Italy during the 1960s. Its name roughly translates to “pick me up,” referencing the energising combination of espresso and cocoa. Authentic tiramisu layers coffee-soaked ladyfingers with mascarpone cream, cocoa powder, and occasionally liqueur, creating a dessert that is simultaneously airy, creamy, bitter, and sweet.

At Baci Baci, guests can enjoy:

Homemade Tiramisu — SGD 18

or celebrate special occasions with:

Tiramisu Cake (Regular) — SGD 65 (With Alcohol) — SGD 75

A 7-inch homemade tiramisu cake available via pre-order.

The dessert delivers rich mascarpone cream, delicate coffee bitterness, and soft sponge layers that melt together beautifully — the kind of comforting Italian dessert that continues to resonate with viewers long after watching Culinary Class Wars.

Experience the Authentic Italian Dishes Seen on Culinary Class Wars at Baci Baci

While Culinary Class Wars introduced audiences to the drama and artistry behind Italian cuisine, the dishes themselves are timeless classics that have long been celebrated across Italy.

At Baci Baci, diners can experience these iconic flavours beyond the competition setting, from silky risotto and seafood pasta to rustic aglio olio and indulgent tiramisu, prepared the way authentic Italian cuisine was always meant to be enjoyed: simple, comforting, and absolutely delicious.

Visit Us Today!

📍 Baci Baci Ristorante Italiano

27 Lichfield Road, Singapore 556847

☎️ Reservations: 9820 7969 / https://book.bistrochat.com/bacibaci

Come for the flavours, stay for the comfort — because nothing warms the soul like true Italian cuisine made with love.

Opening Hours

Tuesday : CLOSED

Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday:12pm - 2pm / 6pm - 10 pm

Wednesday: 6pm - 10 pm

Sunday: 12pm - 2:30pm / 5:30pm - 9:30 pm 

Reservations: Online / WhatsApp