What is the philosophy and spirit of temple cuisine?

Our KBS special began with this question and the Buddhist practitioners’ answers were simple. Temple cuisine helps us to look after others through food, and is a form of soul-searching practice.

Let’s think about the meaning behind temple cuisine and the comfort that it provides to us living in this modern day and age with Alberto and Venerable Gyeho, a master of Temple Cuisine at Jingwansa, as they prepare temple food together.

Jinkwansa

Ven. Kye-ho & Alberto

Temple bibimbap

Barugongyang (monastic meal) table

Cold bean-soup noodles

Cold bean-soup noodles

Porridge

Rice steamed in lotus leaves

Pine mushroom soup with knife-cut noodles

New Year’s tteokguk (rice-cake soup)

Mugwort soup with hand-pulled dough

Neungi mushroom noodles

“It was just ordinary rice. It wasn’t magnificent or made from a new method of cooking. But, I thought it was beautiful. When I ate the food, I felt the healing properties of food for the first time.”

“I learned about beauty and nature...and about the harmony between human and nature. I realized temple cuisine could help your mind to become calm.”

“It’s humble but not shabby. It’s flashy but not luxurious. That is temple cuisine.”

“There’s nothing excessive and the natural taste of the ingredients are in harmony. I didn’t think the food would taste good because there was hardly any seasoning. But eating ingredients in their most natural form with a humble heart, this is temple cuisine.

*This program has been made through the support of the Culture Corps of Korean Buddhism.