Soulful plates: a guide to temple cuisine in Asia
If you’ve been watching Culinary Class Wars Season 2 the past few weeks, then you might have oohed and aahed at Venerable Sunjae and her tasty creations. Black Spoons and fans alike were surprised when a Korean Buddhist nun rose from the platform as one of the revered White Spoons. Venerable Sunjae is widely regarded as one of the foremost masters of Korean temple cuisine, having spent decades preserving and teaching monastic food traditions rooted in seasonal cooking, fermentation and mindfulness. Her appearance on the hit reality cooking show introduced a global audience to temple cuisine not as an ascetic curiosity, but as a sophisticated, deeply intellectual food philosophy grounded in sustainability and restraint.
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Temple dining isn’t just another plant-based trend. Rather, it’s a centuries-old culinary philosophy rooted in sacred practice, spiritual reflection and profound respect for nature. Buddhist cuisine, in its traditional forms across East Asia, arose out of monastic life where food was not merely sustenance but part of a meditative daily rhythm, each ingredient treated with reverence and every bite taken with awareness. This mindful approach—flourishing in Korean sachal eumsik, Japanese shōjin ryōri and other regional devotional traditions—has quietly been moving into the mainstream as diners seek greater connection between wellness, sustainability and flavour.
In Korea, this rise has been turbo-charged by figures like Venerable Sunjae of Culinary Class Wars and Venerable Jeong Kwan, who has taught the likes of Eric Ripert (Le Bernardin), Mingoo Kang (Mingles) and René Redzepi (Noma). Their mastery of temple cuisine isn’t just about technique but about anchoring food in ethical living and deep seasonal appreciation. Today, global culinary institutions even integrate Buddhist cooking into curricula, recognising its value beyond religion as a model for sustainable, mindful eating.
If you’re curious about this culinary style, here’s a primer on what you need to know, including where you can enjoy these simply sophisticated masterpieces.
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What is temple cuisine?
At its core, temple cuisine derives from Buddhist precepts of non-harm, moderation and mindful consumption. Strict monastic meals avoid meat, fish and the famous “five pungent vegetables” (garlic, onion, leeks, chives and scallions), which are believed to stimulate the senses too much for meditative calm. In Korea, this is known as balwoo gongyang, where dining becomes a practice of discipline and gratitude; in Japan, it’s shōjin ryōri, a reflection of Zen calm expressed through seasonal vegetables, tofu and wild greens; and similar principles inform other Buddhist traditions across China and Southeast Asia.
Unlike ordinary vegetarian fare, temple cuisine is seasonal and intentional: cooks often forage or grow their own produce, make their own fermented pastes and maximise flavour without animal products, creating balanced, elegant and deeply rooted tastes.
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Where to eat authentic temple cuisine
For the seasoned traveller and culinary explorer, temple dining offers not just new flavours, but new perspectives: an elegant convergence of history, philosophy and culinary technique. Here are a few places to start this journey.
Shigetsu (Tenryū-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan)
At the heart of Kyoto’s Unesco-listed Tenryū-ji complex, Shigetsu serves shōjin ryōri as both culinary art and spiritual discipline. Set within formal temple gardens, the menu changes with the seasons and emphasises harmony of colour, texture and natural taste—from sesame tofu and seasonal pickles to delicate broths and vegetable preparations. Traditionally prepared without meat, fish or strong aromatics, every dish here reflects the Zen belief that food should nourish body and mind, often enjoyed while seated on tatami mats overlooking moss gardens and contemplative scenery. The ambience (hushed, respectful, intentional) makes the meal feel less like dining and more like a ritual in presence and gratitude. Shigetsu has also earned a Bib Gourmand distinction, further cementing its place as an essential cultural experience in Kyoto.
Balwoo Gongyang (Seoul, South Korea)
Operated by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, Balwoo Gongyang is the world’s first Michelin-recognised temple cuisine restaurant, bringing Korean monastic food to curated multi-course menus. Its offerings range from simpler lunch sets to elaborate seasonal feasts that showcase local vegetables, mountain herbs and fermented staples—all prepared within the strictures of sachal eumsik (no animal products, no pungent herbs). Here, eating is framed as a mindful practice: dishes are explained with reverence, and savouring them becomes part of understanding Korean Buddhist values of simplicity and harmony. Balwoo Gongyang also collaborates with cultural centres to offer workshops and introductions to the balwoo gongyang ritual itself, making it a gateway for international visitors to understand temple cuisine’s philosophy. Its refined presentations and thoughtful pacing make the meal as much about contemplation as it is about nourishment.
Longhua Temple Canteen (Shanghai, China)
Simple, authentic Buddhist vegetarian fare in one of Shanghai’s oldest temple precincts.
At Longhua’s sprawling Buddhist complex—one of China’s most historic temple sites—the temple canteen offers visitors a humble but authentic Buddhist vegetarian meal in a setting of sacred halls and ancient courtyard paths. The fare here tends toward simplicity: clean broths, seasonal vegetables, tofu dishes and rice, prepared in accordance with vegetarian monastic tradition. While not refined like a purpose-built restaurant, its charm lies in authenticity and local ritual: devotees and visitors share space, food and quiet conversation in a way that feels grounded and communal rather than performative. For culturally attuned travellers interested in historical context as much as flavour, this canteen provides insight into how temple food feeds community and ritual life across generations.
Jingwan Temple Experience (Seoul, Korea)
At picturesque Jingwan Temple (Jingwansa), nestled near Bukhansan National Park, visitors can participate in a temple stay that includes actual monastic meals rooted in Korean Buddhist tradition. Far from polished restaurant plating, the food here emerges from daily monastic routines: wild greens and herbs foraged from nearby slopes, fermented ingredients prepared by the monks and dishes designed to sustain contemplation and meditation. Seasonal offerings like chrysanthemum pancakes and lotus-leaf rice are common, and the practices surrounding the meal—from washing hands to silent reflection—transform eating into an embodied mindful practice. Combined with mountain views and the rhythm of a traditional temple, this experience deepens cultural appreciation beyond the plate.
Where to find temple-inspired fine dining
Temple cuisine has spread beyond sacred precincts. These establishments practise temple culinary customs without being monastic.
King’s Joy (Beijing, China)
Opposite the historic Lama Temple in a tucked-away hutong courtyard, King’s Joy has become one of China’s most celebrated vegetarian fine-dining experiences, earning the attention of critics and diners alike with its elegant tasting menus built from seasonal produce. Founded by a chef rooted in Buddhist culinary thought (though not strictly monastic) the restaurant presents vegetable-forward dishes with depth, texture and artistry that challenge preconceptions about plant-based cuisine. Courses might play with Sichuan twists on humble ingredients, inventive textural contrasts and an atmosphere that marries courtyard history with modern sophistication. Paired with impeccable service (and even live harp performances at times), King’s Joy invites diners to see vegetarian food as couture gastronomy, not mere diet food. While not bound to the temple’s strict ingredient rules, it honours the spirit of mindful eating and seasonal reverence in a grand setting.
Yu Shan Ge (Taipei and Chengdu)
Originally founded in Taipei as a “pride of Taiwan”, Yu Shan Ge has spent decades elevating Buddhist vegetarianism into a high-art form. While it has recently expanded to a stunning riverside location in Chengdu’s Tiexiangsi District, its heart remains in the kaiseki-inspired discipline of its original master.
The experience is a sensory journey: every course is paired with intricate floral arrangements, and the signature mushroom steak (made from lion's mane mushrooms massaged and marinated for 24 hours) is a masterclass in texture. While it is a secular fine-dining establishment—meaning it occasionally incorporates alliums for flavour depth and offers an elegant wine list—the aesthetic remains deeply Zen. It is the perfect destination for those who want the “visual swimlane” of temple colours (green, red, yellow, white and black) served with the sophistication of an award-winning tasting menu.
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