Korean Temple Cooking: Lessons on Life and Buddhism, with Recipes

Korean Temple Cooking is a love letter to the poetry of simple, nourishing food. The book chronicles temple life, Buddhism, and living and cooking seasonally and with a spiritual tie to the land through interviews with and recipes from Jeongkwan Snim, dubbed “the Philosopher Chef” by the New York Times.

Jeongkwan Snim was featured on seen on Netflix's The Philosopher's Kitchen and Chef's Table. 

Follow Snim through the seasons at a Korean Buddhist temple and learn to preserve, cook, and savour all that nature has to offer. Recipes are arranged by season, with special extra sections on rice, noodles, tofu, kimchi, seasonings, and more. Essays and interviews give a rare peek into temple life, the history of Buddhism in Korea, its teachings and branches, and even a look at the architecture of the temple and attire worn there.

An expansive and breathtaking chronicle, Korean Temple Cooking is the coffee table book you’ll want to cook out of all year round.

As seen on Netflix's The Philosopher's Kitchen and Chef's Table: Jeongkwan Snim, dubbed "the Philosopher Chef" by the New York Times
Richly photographed look inside temple life: Essays, interviews, and imagery offer an intimate view of Buddhism, temple architecture, and a spiritual relationship with food 
A visual journey through the seasons: Breathtaking photography follows temple life across spring, summer, fall, and winter, capturing the ingredients, dishes, and rituals as they change with nature
 

Dr. Hoo Nam Seelmann is a journalist and author, born and raised in South Korea. She lives in Switzerland.

Jeongkwan Snim is a Buddhist monk at Korea's Baegyangsa temple. She was profiled as part of Netflix's Chef's Table, season 3 episode 1.

Véronique Hoegger is a Swiss photographer who works in the fields of portraits, reportage, interiors, food still life, and fashion.