The acclaimed chef reveals how Korean temple cuisine inspired his new book, Mindful Cooking, and shares his favorite restaurants, markets, and cultural experiences in Korea.
During one of Eric Ripert‘s many visits to South Korea, a nun he was dining with at a temple took a bite of their meal and immediately noticed something was wrong. The food had an unusual bitterness, leading her to suspect that the person who prepared it was having a rough day. When she spoke to the cook later, her intuition proved correct. The experience reminded Ripert of the apple tarts his grandmother and mother made for him after school. Their baking might not have been technically perfect, but it carried a special something that no store-bought pastry could replicate.
For Ripert, both of these experiences showed him that cooking goes beyond the quality of the ingredients or the skill of the cook—what we bring emotionally to the kitchen can inexplicably find its way onto the plate, too. And it’s one of the many lessons that would help shape his latest book—Mindful Cooking—which is inspired by Korean temple cuisine and the belief that cooking should be done with intention.
“I was inspired to write Mindful Cooking because I have seen the struggle in the process of cooking in professional kitchens and the kitchens of many of my friends,” Ripert told Travel + Leisure. “A lot of people miss the point that cooking should be a positive and pleasurable experience, and something that should be relaxing and disconnecting from the craziness of our days.”
When Ripert first started visiting monasteries and temples, he approached temple cuisine through the instincts of a chef, focusing on presentation and flavor. But over time, he began to understand that the food was only part of the experience.
“I was very focused on the aesthetic of the food and how good the food was—I was thinking like a Westerner,” Ripert said. “I never thought about the practice, about gratitude for having ingredients in front of you, being mindful, and being present in a kitchen. What is your intention when you cook? Are you trying to show off all your great qualities as a cook? Are you trying to impress? Or are you cooking to make people happy and make them strong?”
For Ripert, that distinction is essential. Cooking to impress can create pressure, turning a meal into a performance. Cooking to nourish someone, though, shifts the focus from the cook to the person sitting at the table. “If your intention is to impress your guest with your great talent and to show off, that’s the wrong intention, and you’re probably going to develop some stress and pressure yourself,” he said.
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Ripert eventually translated these lessons into a secular book for professional chefs and home cooks alike. Organized around seven guiding principles, the book pairs philosophy with practical recipes, encouraging readers to see cooking as an opportunity to reconnect with food, others, and themselves instead of an obligation. “I created this book to help you in your kitchen, if you are [a] professional chef or if you cook at home, to have a more powerful and meaningful experience.”
That outlook also shapes how Ripert approaches travel. “When I travel, I really like to enjoy my experiences fully,” he told T+L. “That means I really need to be in the present and not think about other things.”
In Korea, he found inspiration in temple meals, but also in the country’s markets, tea houses, restaurants, and broader dining traditions. Below are some of Ripert’s standout recommendations when visiting South Korea.
Eric Ripert’s Korea Favorites
Where to eat and drink: Head to Mr. Ahn’s Craft Makgeolli for Korean rice wine (makgeolli); Piyangok for cold buckwheat noodles (naengmyeon) and pressed beef slices; and Byeokje Galbi for Korean barbecue. Try Hwahaedang for crab with roe and hotpot rice, or book Mingles for fine dining.
What to experience: Sample a variety of banchan, try your hand at making kimchi, and sip makgeolli.
What to bring home: Korean jang (fermented soybean-based sauces and pastes) and dried persimmons.
Where to explore: Browse the cafés and dessert shops of Seoul’s Seongsu neighborhood, and visit Noryangjin Fisheries Market and Jungang Market. Be sure to also make time for Namsan Mountain, nestled in the heart of the capital, or, if you’re going further afield, Tongdosa Temple, located north of Busan.
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Dining and Cooking