The Korean Cultural Centre UK, led by Director Seunghye Sun, successfully hosted Korean Temple Food Week from October 28 to November 3, 2025, in London. This comprehensive cultural event was organized in collaboration with the Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism, directed by Venerable Ilhwa, and Le Cordon Bleu London, marking a significant celebration of Korean temple cuisine's growing influence in the global culinary landscape.

The week-long festival served as a platform for cultural exchange, with Director Seunghye Sun and Venerable Ilhwa engaging directly with international audiences. They shared valuable insights about Korea's recent hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit while discussing the profound cultural and philosophical significance of temple food, particularly in light of its potential nomination for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status.

Director Seunghye Sun emphasized the deeper meaning behind temple cuisine, explaining that "Temple Food is centered on a philosophy of harmony and coexistence with nature. Cooking as a form of meditation means appreciating all living beings through each bowl of food and awakening a sense of reverence for life itself." She further noted that "this week has demonstrated that the Korean taste is more than just culinary – it is an art of the heart. By embracing seasonal ingredients and viewing food as a gift of life, temple cuisine has long expressed the warmth and spiritual essence of Korean culture."

The comprehensive program featured five distinct components designed to showcase different aspects of Korean temple food culture. These included specialized lectures by renowned Buddhist monastics, hands-on workshops for culinary students, an exclusive pop-up restaurant experience, meditative food sessions, and targeted workshops for media professionals and influencers.

The event series began on October 28 with a special lecture delivered by Venerable Yeogeo, the Abbess of Geungnaksa Temple in Yongin. This presentation attracted more than 80 participants from both the culinary industry and general public. The demonstration featured practical cooking techniques for mushroom rice with seasonal vegetables, lotus root and cabbage salad, and traditional acorn pancakes, all prepared using ingredients readily available in the United Kingdom. The enthusiastic audience engaged actively, asking detailed questions about specific ingredients, aspects of monastic life, and the underlying philosophy of temple food preparation.

On October 29, Le Cordon Bleu's vegetarian cuisine students participated in an intensive hands-on workshop. These aspiring chefs learned to prepare traditional Korean dishes including songpyeon (traditional rice cakes), mung bean pancakes, and lotus root salad, alongside sujeonggwa (a traditional cinnamon punch). This practical session significantly deepened participants' understanding of authentic temple cooking techniques and the principles of seasonal Korean cuisine.

The highlight of the week occurred on October 31, when Venerable Jeong Kwan, Abbess of Cheonjinnam Hermitage at Baegyangsa Temple in Jeollanam Province, presented the first-ever full-course temple dining experience in the United Kingdom. The pop-up restaurant at CORD by Le Cordon Bleu served both lunch and dinner, featuring an elaborate multi-course menu that showcased the sophistication of Buddhist cuisine.

The carefully crafted menu began with appetizers of lotus root, potato, and seaweed crisps, followed by a starter course of black sesame porridge accompanied by refreshing water kimchi. The substantial main course featured millet rice, nourishing root vegetable soup, steamed three-year aged kimchi, soy sauce marinated mushrooms, dried persimmon with gochujang, stir-fried greens and courgettes, spinach and oyster mushrooms, mung bean pancakes, jocheong glazed shiitake mushrooms, and steamed courgette tofu. The meal concluded with a dessert course featuring fermented tea from Cheonjinnam Hermitage, traditional Korean sweets, delicate pine flower cookies, dried figs, and homemade kumquat preserves.

What set this dining experience apart was Venerable Jeong Kwan's approach to each course presentation. Before serving each dish, she introduced guests to the philosophical foundations of Buddhist cuisine and guided them through brief meditation sessions, effectively transforming the meal into a holistic experience of mindfulness and gratitude that extended far beyond simple food consumption.

The overwhelming public interest was demonstrated on November 1, when the Temple Food Meditation session at the Korean Cultural Centre UK filled all 80 available spots within just three days of the announcement. Participants joined Venerable Jeong Kwan in an immersive meditative food experience that provided deeper insights into Korean Buddhist culture and spiritual practices.

The week concluded on November 3 with a specialized Media and Influencer Workshop held at Le Cordon Bleu London. Venerable Jeong Kwan conducted a hands-on cooking session for journalists and social media influencers, focusing on some of her signature dishes including jocheong glazed shiitake mushrooms and dried persimmon with gochujang. Participants then had the opportunity to recreate these recipes under her direct guidance, ensuring authentic technique transfer.

This successful collaboration builds upon a long-standing partnership between the three institutions, which began with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in 2020. Since 2021, this partnership has consistently worked to introduce Korean temple cuisine to UK audiences through various lectures and comprehensive culinary programs. The 2025 Korean Temple Food Week was strategically incorporated into Le Cordon Bleu's 130th anniversary celebrations, further strengthening the culinary and cultural exchange between Korea and the United Kingdom.

Looking ahead, the Korean Cultural Centre UK, the Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism, and Le Cordon Bleu London have committed to continuing their collaborative efforts. Their shared goal is to promote Korean temple cuisine, broader Korean gastronomy, and Korea's rich cultural heritage across the United Kingdom and internationally, ensuring that this ancient culinary tradition continues to find new audiences and appreciation in the global culinary community.