If you know anything about food, the culinary arts, or who the greatest chefs in the world are, then you are probably familiar with chef Eric Ripert. If not, that’s totally okay. Eric Ripert is an esteemed French chef, television personality, and author whose flagship restaurant is Le Bernardin in New York. You know, one of only just twelve restaurants in the United States that have a Michelin rating, and a three-star rating at that. So yeah, he makes some pretty great food. But you probably didn’t know that he does a lot to help Tibetan Buddhist monks or is a practicing Vajrayana Buddhist at that.
Awhile back, Eric Ripert was in the Charles de Gaulle airport and was in desperate need of some reading material for a flight that he was about to take. Believe it or not, he had his eyes set out on a Playboy magazine. However a different book got in his way, one detailing the life of Buddhists and their beliefs. Interested, he opted for the Buddhist book, and has since converted himself. He even says that he attempts to incorporate Buddhist philosophies within the kitchen. Well it seems that it was though this experience, that he wanted to give something back to the community.
As many of us know, Tibet, is an extremely peaceful nation has had many quarrels with China and political qualms over the years. Over the recent years many ancient Buddhist texts were either lost or destroyed due to the Chinese involvement. Eric would eventually learn of the Tibetan Aid Project, an organization that helps the people of Tibet. He became involved with the group, and has hosted the “Taste & Tribute New York” benefit dinner and auction in his restaurant, Le Bernardin. He’s done this event for a few years now, and the proceeds raised have gone to help distribute Buddhist texts to libraries and schools found throughout the entire Himalayan region in one of the largest free book donations/distributions in the world.
So not only is Chef Eric Ripert one of the best chefs currently in the world, he’s also a practicing Buddhist and a philanthropist who has made the world a better place, both in the kitchen and in Tibet.
Photo by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Image
