Korean temple cuisine takes center stage in New York with Venerable Jeong Kwan

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korean Food Promotion Institute will host a special Korean food program in New York, a culinary hub, on Dec. 7 and 8 with Venerable Jeonggwan, a master of Buddhist temple cuisine and a monk of the Jogye Order.

The program, themed “Sustainable Korean Food Culture,” will cover Korea’s diverse food culture and the theory behind temple cuisine, and include a demonstration of plant-based Korean dishes made with ingredients such as omija syrup and soy sauce.

On Dec. 7, Venerable Jeonggwan will give a lecture on temple cuisine to about 100 faculty members and students at the Culinary Institute of America’s New York campus. On Dec. 8, in partnership with the Korean Cultural Center New York, she will speak to about 60 food industry professionals, media representatives and local residents at Sempio’s Yondu Culinary Studio.

The Culinary Institute of America is considered one of the world’s three leading culinary schools, alongside Tsuji in Japan and Le Cordon Bleu in France. Korea’s eco-friendly temple cuisine, rooted in fermentation and plant-based cooking, is expected to offer aspiring chefs fresh inspiration.

“The food industry has recently focused on the sustainability of how food is produced and consumed,” said Lim Kyung-sook, president of the Korean Food Promotion Institute. “Through this event, we will work to share the healthy appeal of temple cuisine, a leading example of Korean plant-based cooking, with the world.”