Students enjoyed a free home style buffet with foods from cultures all around the world at the Culture Cafe: Global Potluck, a campus event hosted by the International Student Organization (ISO).

The Global Potluck was held on Wednesday, April 15, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Cora I. Grove Spiritual Center. The potluck brought together dishes from all over the world and turned the room into a healthy portion of conversation, with second and third trips back to the buffet. Students also got to introduce themselves to others who they may have never otherwise have crossed paths with.

Some dishes were homemade while others were catered by Reisner dining, but the best ones were the ones with handwritten cards that highlighted the cook’s cultural background. Students stopped to read about tamagoyaki, onigiri, nikujaga, salted egg yolk cookies and pani puri before trying them.

One of the busiest tables featured pani puri, where Sabita Manian, the dean of the college of arts and sciences, handed out the Indian street food and encouraged students to eat it in one bite. Filled with potatoes and chickpeas, and paired with chutney and tamarind water, students got a chance to see actual Indian street food in real time.

Global Education graduate assistant Malu Takahashi, who is also a transfer student from Brazil, said the event grew out of an earlier language-centered program before becoming a broader multicultural gathering.

“The goal of this event is to gather the campus community to engage in cultural exchange through food and conversation,” Takahashi said.

Takahashi said the event is also a chance for students to slow down near the end of the semester and spend time together in a relaxed setting. “It’s a great way to end a busy semester by celebrating culture in a relaxing and calm environment.”

As people moved down the line and filled their plates, they compared favorites, asked questions about ingredients and traded stories tied to the foods in front of them. The event’s casual setup made it easy for conversations to begin with one dish and move into broader discussions of home, tradition and culture.

Kim Klein Herbert, who directs the Frederick Douglass Institute (FDI), said that connection is what makes the event meaningful.

When asked why FDI likes to partner with ISO, Herbert said, “because we’re so centered and rooted on culture and learning about people and their heritage, and there’s no better way to do that than through food.”

“It’s all about inclusion,” said Herbert

At a busy point in the semester, the potluck offered students something simple — a place to gather, try something new and learn about one another over free food. 

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