Baegyangsa

The Best New Cookbooks of Fall 2025, According to Eater Editors | Eater

"Korean Temple Cooking acts as a portal into life at Baekyangsa Temple in Jeollanam-do, roughly 150 miles from Seoul, offering an intimate window into Jeongkwan Snim’s philosophy and cooking (she was featured on Chef’s Table) and framing temple food as vegan, seasonal, and deeply contextualized — with chapters on the history of temple food, the meaning of base ingredients (tofu, rice, noodles, namul), a focus on fermentations, photography that transports you into the temple’s wooded grounds, and a glossary; the book made me want to look into a Baekyangsa temple stay." - Bettina Makalintal

Finding a Slower Pace and Delicate Cuisine in Jeollanam-do, South Korea

"I followed its rocky cliffs and glittering river to the main temple of Baekyangsa."

Netflix’s ‘Chef’s Table’: A Guide to Restaurants Featured on the Show | Eater

"Jeong Kwan, the Zen Buddhist nun featured in Season 3 of Chef’s Table, does not cook in a restaurant. But the temple where she lives opens its doors to a limited number of visitors throughout the year. Baegyangsa takes reservations for a temple stay program called “Experience of Original Temple Food and Culture With Monk,” where a meal is part of the itinerary. The cost of this program is 150,000 KRW (approximately $134) per person. Read a full recap of Jeong Kwan’s Chef’s Table episode here." - Greg Morabito

Volume 3, Episode 1: Jeong Kwan "In South Korea, Buddhist nun Jeong Kwan approaches cooking as a spiritual practice. But her meals have left some of the world's best chefs in awe."