Guest Chef Event with Venerable Beop Song

Le Cordon Bleu London are delighted to announce they will be joined on 10^th August by Korean Buddhist nun and chef, Venerable Beop Song, for a special culinary demonstration of Korean temple food. The demonstration is open for all to attend, but please note that registration is required.

A renowned chef and cookbook author, Beop Song became a Buddhist nun under the tutelage of Venerable Seongkwan in 1996. She has refined her practice of temple cooking with the guidance of master monks and nuns who have a deep foundational knowledge of the cuisine.

Venerable Beop Song seeks to make the mindful cooking and eating methods of temple food accessible to people through sharing and teaching at various institutions and touring all over the world.

Students currently studying the Diploma in Plant-Based Culinary Arts will also enjoy an exclusive demonstration with Beop Song on 9^th August. Students at Le Cordon Bleu London have been introduced to Korean temple food with live streamed demonstrations from Venerable Beop Song since 2020, and this is the first time she has attended the institute in person. The Cultural Corps of Korean Buddhism, the Korean Cultural Centre UK and Le Cordon Bleu have arranged to include South Korean temple food as a regular feature of the diploma, with at least one class scheduled every term.

Temple food is distinguished by its focus on health, ecology, seasonality and zero waste. Put simply, the idea is to prepare food to benefit health with a minimalist approach to achieve excellent flavours. Dishes are created using ancient techniques and traditions, with care and attention to detail on how the food is prepared and consumed. The practice emphasises respect for locally grown ingredients, no more than 10 miles away from the temple, and the importance of quality ingredients and balanced flavours. Appreciation of seasonal produce is also central, relying on nature to provide nutrition from plants to benefit health at any time of year.

The theme for this event is Korean Temple Summer Kimchi and Seasonal Delicacies, join Venerable Beop Song for a demonstration of plant-based dishes that illustrate the care and thought that goes into and is characteristic of temple food.