Sera Jey Community Kitchen is one of the main department of the monastery, catering meals to sanga community everyday all round the year.

Introduction -
The common Kitchen of the first 197 native monks at Sera Jey Monastery was the beginning of this Community Kitchen. The small income generated from field cultivation was the only source of livelihood, in the initial phase. With the initiation of new novice monks into the Monastery, the limited revenue from the field cultivation was inadequate to meet the kitchen expenses and for the maintenance of the Monastery.

Thus new and novice monks had to bear charges for their meals. The monthly food charges was very little, as the food then served was poor and frugal. No doubt many of the monks suffered from malnourished related illness and tuberculosis.

But then the year 1997 brought about a turning point for the Community Kitchen, following the grace and good will of Venerable Lama Zopa Rinpoche's commitment to fund the Food Program of Sera Jey Monastery by his esteemed FPMT organization (Foundation For Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition).

Sera Jey Food Fund program by FPMT-
The new Sera Jey Community Kitchen first commenced from 7 August 1997, for the first time, all three meals of the day - Morning Tea & Bread, Mid Day Meal and Evening Meal was served to the sanga community, numbering over 3500 monks, totally free of cost.

Another organization - SJSC (Sera Jey Support Committee), a non profit charitable corporation established on September 3, 1999 in the State of New York, USA, founded by a dedicated and kind American couple - Mrs. Devon Holmes and Mr. Andrew Holmes at New York, USA under the chairmanship of former Sera Jey abbot - Khensur Geshe Lobsang Donyo, has contributed random financial assistance to the Morning Tea and Bread program for some years 2000 - 2005.

However following the demise of the main founder - Mrs. Devon Holmes in the year 2004, the organization was under the care of Mis. Lauren Cottrell. The organization was dissolved in the year 2006.

The entire Mid Day Meal and Evening Meal and 90 days of a year's Morning Tea and Bread were funded by FPMT. By January 2006, FPMT was able to extend the 90 day of a year's Morning Tea & Bread program to full year program. From this date, FPMT commenced the entire funding of the Morning Tea & Bread, Mid Day and Evening Meal throughout the year. It was a gracious accomplishment to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s cherished wish and dedication to support a realistic food program for the sanga community of Sera Jey.

The Community Kitchen is well developed and equipped to meet its service requirement. The monastery and its sanga community acknowledge with profound gratitude and respect to the immense grace and benefaction of venerable Lama Zopa Rinpoche and his esteemed FPMT for commitment to the Food Fund of Sera Jey.

Meal Menu-

  • Breakfast - Tea and Bhale (Tibetan Bread) 6 am
  • Mid Day Meal - Bhale (Tibetan Bread) and Dhal + 1 Banana - 11.30 am
  • Evening Meal - Rice and Vegetable stew (or) noodles (or)