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– Korean Temple Food: Culinary Healing for the Soul: What is driving the global interest in temple food?
– Le Cordon Bleu offers both online and offline conferences for three consecutive years.
– BCIHMCT in India and GD Goenka University – Le Cordon Bleu India organized a workshop and food demonstration at the temple.
SEOUL, South Korea, Dec. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The global fascination with Korean temple food, steeped in the wisdom of 1,700 years of Korean Buddhism, continues to captivate enthusiasts around the world. Several world-renowned culinary institutions, including the Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology (BCIHMCT) in India, have offered workshops and demonstrations on temple cuisine. Le Cordon Bleu Paris and its London campus have been educating aspiring chefs through specialist vegetarian culinary courses with a focus on temple food for three years. Interest in monks who perpetuate temple food, such as Buddhist nun Jeong Kwan, hailed as Master of Korean Temple Food by the Jogye Order, Korea’s largest Buddhist sect, is growing rapidly. Jeong Kwan gained recognition for her appearance in the Netflix series ‘Chef’s Table’.
What drives the global interest in temple food and what differentiates it from simple vegetarian cuisine?
The growing interest in temple food aligns closely with the growing vegetarian and vegan population around the world. As more people seek health-conscious and life-friendly dietary options, the shift toward plant-based diets naturally increases interest in temple cuisine.
Temple food embodies harmony and closeness to nature, offering a pure and uncontaminated flavor, free of artificial additives and seasonings of animal origin. The temple cuisine, which uses fresh seasonal vegetables and greens, complemented by mushrooms or beans instead of meat, is aimed at vegetarians. It emerges as a compelling dietary alternative in the current era of climate crisis, contemplating the future of humanity.
Temple food represents wisdom for sustainable living through eco-friendly farming practices, a meat-free and low-carbon diet, efficient use of ingredients in cooking, and the ‘balwoo gongyang’ practice, where a meal ceremony includes rice. , soup, side dishes, and even water in a single container, highlighting the importance of finishing everything, thus minimizing waste.
Distinguishing itself from simple vegetarianism, temple food attracts people concerned not only with physical health but also with mental and spiritual well-being. As a diet of temple practitioners, it symbolizes more than mere sustenance. The temple kitchen respects every stage, from growing ingredients to preparing and consuming meals, honoring the dedication of everyone involved.
Furthermore, temple food transcends the concept of healthy eating for bodily functions; nourishes and heals the mind and spirit. Embracing the vitality of nature within fresh ingredients encourages total acceptance of all forms of life and serves as a means of communication.
The deep interest in temple food among leading culinary schools around the world arises from their contemplative reflection on spiritual elements, which go beyond the act of eating alone.
For example, Le Cordon Bleu has integrated temple food into its vegetarian cooking courses on its Paris and London campuses for three consecutive years since 2020, offering lectures both online and offline.
In March this year, BCIHMCT in India and GD Goenka University – Le Cordon Bleu India organized a temple food workshop and demonstration by Master Jeong Kwan. During the workshop, she emphasized, “Understanding deep contemplation on life is essential to bringing out the flavors inherent in ingredients, making it a practice in itself,” which garnered praise from faculty and student attendees.
If you are interested in experiencing the essence of temple food in Korea, you can attend “Let’s Learn Korean Temple Food”, a weekly one-day class for foreigners every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to 12 p.m. at the Korean Temple Food Center in Insadong, one of Seoul’s most famous tourist spots.
For a more immediate experience, indulge in a plate of meticulously prepared temple food at “Balwoo Gongyang.” Balwoo Gongyang, awarded the Michelin star for three consecutive years, presents seasonal menus with fresh seasonal ingredients. How about we embark on a trip to Korea to nourish body and soul with heartfelt autumn cuisine?
Queries:
Let’s Learn Korean Temple Food, Korean Temple Food Center
– Opening hours: every Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.- Cost: 10,000 KRW- Reservation: edu.koreatemplefood.com – Telephone: 82-2-733-4650
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