“자연의 단맛은 다정한 손길…사찰음식, 환대 담은 맛 복원 가능성”

Maddalena Borsato, a professor at the University of Malta for Italian Studies, spoke at the Korea Buddhist Culture Heritage Foundation's 2026 International Academic Symposium on Monastic Cuisine, held on July 20th. She emphasized that natural sweetness should not be equated with processed sweeteners with added sugars. Monastic dishes, she explained, are meant to embody the values of respect for life and moderation.

Unpasteurized ingredients, like garlic, pepper, scallions, and stir-fried mustard greens, are used to make condiments. All ingredients come from nature, such as mushroom powder, dried cassava, and honey. The 2026 conference marked the second time it was held to commemorate the designation of monastic cuisine as a national intangible cultural heritage.

The conference featured speakers from both Eastern and Western culinary perspectives, including the senior monk Kyohae of the Korean Seon Buddhist Order, Professor Yangseong of the American Culinary School Siayae, Professor Maddalena Borsato from the University of Italian Studies, Professor Yoshimura Shoyo of the Japanese Shinto Cuisine, and Professor Moonsik of Dongbang Culture University.

Prior to the speeches, Kyohae emphasized that monastic cuisine is a practice aimed at fostering life respect and harmonious coexistence, and in the current era of climate crisis, "what we eat" is not enough, "how we eat" must be considered. She expressed hope that monastic cuisine becomes a "bridge" for the sustainable future of our global community.