Korean Temple Cooking | Hoo Nam Seelmann &Véronique Hoegger

Step inside Korea's Baekyangsa Temple for an extraordinary journey through Buddhist temple cuisine, guided by Jeongkwan Snim—the "Philosopher Chef" featured in Netflix's Chef's Table whose cooking has inspired chefs worldwide including René Redzepi of Noma. This expansive 448-page chronicle celebrates the poetry of simple, nourishing food rooted in spiritual practice.

Through intimate interviews and seasonal recipes, journalist Hoo Nam Seelmann documents how Jeongkwan Snim approaches cooking as spiritual practice—food becomes meditation, connects body and soul, and bridges the world outside with the world within. Following Snim through all four seasons at the temple, readers discover how to preserve, cook, and savour everything nature offers while maintaining harmony with Buddhist principles.

Recipes are organized by season with dedicated sections on temple staples: rice, noodles, tofu, kimchi, fermented seasonings, and preservation techniques perfected over 1,500 years. Véronique Hoegger's stunning photography captures not just the food but temple life itself—the architecture, the daily rituals, the contemplative atmosphere where cooking transcends mere sustenance.

Essays provide rare insight into Korean Buddhism's history and teachings, the role food plays in temple life, and how seasonal cooking reflects Buddhist philosophy of interconnection with nature. This is both coffee table inspiration and practical guide—beautiful enough to display, useful enough to cook from throughout the year.