Temple Cuisine Seeks Solutions for the Future of Food... Experts from Four Countries Gather in Seoul

International Academic Symposium on August 20

Discussion on Sustainability and Perspectives on Eastern and Western Cuisine

Temple Cuisine Demonstrations by Venerable Jeonggwan and Venerable Gyeho

Familiarization Tour to Baekyangsa and Jingwansa Temples Also Planned

An international academic event will be held to explore the value of Korean temple cuisine as a sustainable food of the future.

International Symposium on Temple Cuisine Poster. Korea Buddhist Culture Promotion Project

The Korean Buddhist Culture Business Group announced on July 31 that it will host the "2026 International Academic Symposium on Temple Cuisine" on August 20 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Traditional Culture and Arts Performance Hall of the Korean Buddhist History and Culture Memorial Center in Jongno-gu, Seoul.

This symposium, now in its second year following last year’s inaugural event, has been organized to commemorate the first anniversary of temple cuisine’s registration as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. Under the theme "Future Changes in Food and Temple Cuisine," the symposium will discuss shifting perspectives on gastronomy, commonalities between Eastern and Western food cultures, and the significance of temple cuisine as an alternative diet.

Venerable Gyeho, the abbot of Jingwansa Temple and a master of temple cuisine certified by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, will deliver the keynote speech. The event will also feature presentations and a panel discussion by experts in food and Buddhist culture from four countries: the United States, Italy, Japan, and Korea.

Professor Yang Jongjip of the Asian Cuisine Department at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in the United States will present insights on global gastronomy and timeless wisdom for the future. Dr. Maddalena Borsato from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy will explore the relationship between sweetness, embodied knowledge, and hospitality.

Venerable Yoshimura Shoyo, head monk of the Soto Zen temple Bomunsa in Japan, will discuss Buddhist philosophy and contemporary sustainability embodied in ascetic dishes. Professor Gong Mansik from Dongbang Culture Graduate University will introduce the pine needle meals practiced by Buddhist monks during the Joseon Dynasty.

Jerome Greben, Vice President at the globally renowned culinary education institution CIA, will also be in attendance. Vice President Greben is scheduled to experience daily life at Korean temples and temple cuisine culture as a follow-up to the business agreement signed between the Culture Business Group and CIA in February and to discuss ways to expand cooperation between the two institutions.

A temple cuisine familiarization tour will also be offered for international guests and speakers. On August 17–18, a templestay at Baekyangsa Temple in Jangseong, Jeonnam, will take place, featuring a temple cuisine demonstration by Venerable Jeonggwan. On August 19, Venerable Gyeho will lead a demonstration at Jingwansa Temple in Seoul. Participants will also visit Hyangjeoksegye, the specialized temple cuisine training center, and the Korean Temple Cuisine Culture Experience Center.

Online registration for the symposium opens on August 3, with attendance limited to the first 300 applicants.

Venerable Ilhwa, head of the Culture Business Group, stated, “We will not only preserve and pass on temple cuisine but also promote the values of respect for life and harmonious coexistence.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.