Chozen-ji Kitchen Renovation
After decades of wear and tear, Chozen-ji’s kitchen was becoming painfully outdated and in need of repair. With six longterm live-ins in the fall of 2020, we wanted to update our kitchen—plumbing and electrical, and new appliances and finishings—to support cooking and teaching.
Thank you to the more than 50 generous donors who contributed to our kitchen renovation. Dojo volunteers completed the demolition, wall repair, and painting. Because of support from the Dojo network, we’re now enjoying a significantly upgraded space for meeting, training, cooking, and teaching that we will enjoy for many years to come.
The old dojo kitchen before demolition.
Carpet, island and appliances removed.
Cabinets removed.
Dojo kitchen after completing demolition and new paint.
The new dojo kitchen after renovation.
Features of the new kitchen include:
6-burner gas cooktop for cooking demonstrations and teaching, in addition to day-to-day and sesshin cooking
36" fridge with more capacity to feed six live-ins and three resident priests this Fall
In-wall oven and microwave to free up space for food prep on the island
Relocated, larger island for easier passage when multiple people are cooking and washing dishes
Range hood suspended over the island where the new cooktop will be
New sink, cabinets and counters
Vinyl plank flooring in the cooking area—no more carpet!
Stain resistant carpeting in the eating area
LED lighting to replace the current industrial fluorescents
Built-in bookshelf for cookbooks and the live-in library