'Culinary Class Wars 2' nun chef serves temple cuisine to foreign envoys in Seoul

Seonjae, a Buddhist nun and temple cuisine master who appeared on “Culinary Class Wars 2,” led foreign diplomats through a meditation session and a traditional Korean temple meal in Seoul, using food as a vehicle to promote peace and coexistence.

The Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism hosted more than 30 ambassadors, diplomats and their families from over a dozen countries on Friday at Bongeunsa, a temple in southern Seoul, as part of the “2026 Seon Meditation Summit,” the country’s largest meditation gathering.

Participants took part in Seon meditation and a temple meal prepared by Seonjae, in a program aimed at fostering cultural exchange and highlighting Buddhism’s emphasis on inner stability.

“Conflicts and wars around the world are leaving many people anxious and unsettled,” Ven. Jinwoo, head of the Jogye Order, said. “Seon meditation can help restore balance and peace by allowing the mind to rest and return to its center.”

Among those attending were Italian Ambassador Emilia Gatto, Japanese Ambassador Koichi Mizushima, Latvian Ambassador Janis Berzins, Sri Lankan Ambassador Marimuthu Karuppiah Pathmanathan, Indian Ambassador Amit Kumar, Lao Ambassador Khammanivong Oraboun and Vietnamese Deputy Ambassador Nguyen Thi Thai Binh, according to organizers.

Gatto delivered brief remarks in Korean, describing Buddhism as “an important part of Korea with a deep cultural history,” and praised efforts to preserve its traditions, adding that Italy values cultural diversity.

At the luncheon, Seonjae presented a “ganjang bibimbap” inspired by the Eightfold Path, a core Buddhist teaching, with eight varieties of seasoned vegetables symbolizing its principles. The meal also included seasonal dishes such as lotus root and fruit-based water kimchi, along with a soy-based tea brewed from traditionally aged soy sauce.

Temple cuisine, Seonjae said, emphasizes subtraction rather than abundance, excluding meat, fish, pungent vegetables such as garlic and onions, and processed foods.

“We may speak different languages and have different cultures and tastes,” she said. “But just as diverse ingredients come together in bibimbap, we can experience how all life is connected.”

Organizers said the event aimed to give diplomats firsthand experience of Korean Buddhist practices and encourage them to share its message of calm and coexistence in their home countries.