Star Chef Eric Ripert Visits Jangseong-gun... Temple Food Experience

World-renowned star chef Eric Ripert visited Jangseong-gun, Jeollanam-do from the 19th to the 21st.

According to Jangseong-gun on the 24th, Eric Ripert explored local tourist attractions in Jangseong and experienced dishes made with ingredients from Jangseongsan.

A gourmet talk concert with young chefs held at the Jangseong Chukryeongsan Cypress Forest. On the right is County Governor Kim Han-jong, and in the center is Eric Lippert.
[Photo by Jangseong County]

Eric Ripert, a chef at a Michelin Guide 3-star restaurant in New York, USA, has an interest in Eastern cultures, especially Buddhist culture. Since becoming captivated by temple cuisine in 2012, he has consistently advocated for obtaining ingredients from pristine nature as "the future humanity should pursue."

During this visit to Jangseong, Eric Ripert visited Cheonjinam at Baekyangsa Temple to observe the temple cuisine offering preparation process by Monk Jeonggwan.

It is said that he was deeply impressed by the philosophy of temple cuisine, which regards the cooking process as part of spiritual practice.

At the following experience event, the county introduced Eric Ripert to representative local specialties such as sprout ginseng, traditional oil sauce, and cypress products.

The Action Group, an activity group of the Jangseong-gun Rural New Vitality Plus Project that organized the event, plans to develop programs targeting foreign tourists based on this experience.

Additionally, Eric Ripert participated in forest meditation at Chukryeongsan, a gourmet talk concert with young chefs, calligraphy experience at UNESCO World Heritage site Pilamsuwon, and traditional liquor tasting, learning about the diverse charms of Jangseong.

Especially at the last stop, the Jangseong Local Food Advanced Direct Store, he highly praised it, saying, "In the United States, it is rare to find places where fresh and safe food can be purchased affordably."

Kim Han-jong, the county governor, said, "The county is making multifaceted efforts to enhance its appeal as a gourmet city, including promoting the ‘K-Temple Cuisine Tourism Attraction Project’ where visitors can directly experience temple cuisine," adding, "We expect Eric Ripert’s visit to be a valuable opportunity to introduce the taste and charm of Jangseong to the world."

Jangseong = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Jo Hangyu baekok@asiae.co.kr