Guest Chef Demonstration with Venerable Yeogeo 2026

Why It Matters

The demonstration bridges Korean temple culinary heritage with modern plant‑based education, creating new market opportunities for sustainable, culturally authentic cuisine.

Key Takeaways

• Korean temple cuisine excludes animal products and five pungent vegetables.
• Seasonal, fermented ingredients provide nutrition and medicinal benefits.
• Demonstrated dishes include lettuce wraps, tofu, and pickled tofu.
• Chef highlights natural seasonings like rice syrup and plum extract.
• New Cber Thursday courses will teach modern plant‑based techniques.

Summary

The video showcases a guest‑chef demonstration by Venerable Yeogeo, introducing Korean Buddhist temple cuisine as part of the upcoming Cber Thursday short courses for 2026. The session emphasizes plant‑based culinary arts, blending classical Korean techniques with modern instructional methods for aspiring chefs.

Yeogeo explains the core tenets of temple food: strict avoidance of animal products and the five pungent vegetables (garlic, onions, leeks, chives, asafoetida). Ingredients are sourced seasonally, fermented for enhanced flavor and medicinal value, and seasoned minimally with natural agents such as rice syrup, plum extract, and fermented soybean pastes. The chef also stresses mindful preparation, gratitude, and the energetic harmony of earth, water, fire, and wind.

During the demonstration, Yeogeo prepares four dishes—lettuce sam with chili paste, crisp tofu coated in potato starch, pickled tofu with cho berries, and a rice‑ball lettuce wrap. He highlights practical tips like precise rice‑water ratios, using Korean pressure cookers, and layering sesame, soybean, and perilla oils for depth. Notable moments include sourcing Chonguk Jang locally to avoid customs issues and discussing the anti‑cancer properties of shiitake mushrooms.

The presentation signals a growing appetite for authentic, health‑focused plant‑based cuisine in Western markets. By integrating Buddhist dietary philosophy with contemporary culinary training, the Cber Thursday courses aim to equip chefs with sustainable techniques that can differentiate restaurant offerings and meet rising consumer demand for ethical, nutrient‑dense meals.

Original Description

Join Le Cordon Bleu London for a demonstration of Korean Temple Food with Venerable Yeogeo on 27th April 2026.

Ven. Yeogeo is a Korean Buddhist nun and a renowned expert in temple food, currently residing at Geungnaksa Temple in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. She has been officially designated as a Temple Food Artisan by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. Since her ordination, she has devoted herself to the practice of temple food under the guidance of monks and nuns with deep knowledge of Buddhist culinary traditions.

Join Ven. Yeogeo for a demonstration of plant-based dishes that illustrate the care and thought goes into and is characteristic of temple food.