For over four years, Woodgrove’s International Food Night event has served as a hub between students and the world around them. Once a year, the cafeteria is filled with food, music, dancing, and games from all over the world. Students and faculty are encouraged to bring a dish that represents their culture, as well as trying others.
Hosted by the Global Ambassadors and Minority Student Union clubs, International Food Night is a mixture of both food and activities. With almost 300 people in one cafeteria, Global Ambassadors president Lily Eddy had to figure out how to best utilize the space. “We decided to expand to the aux gym and have the activities hosted in there. All the food will be in the cafeteria and sectioned off by continent. All of our student-led activities will be in the gym, including dancing, music, and henna [tattoos].”
To make the serving process easier for guests, dishes are grouped by continent. One of the most popular continents, South America, always has numerous different styles of empanadas, with past years including Peruvian, Salvadorian, and Ecuadorian versions. This year, senior Mckenzie Sullivan, who represented Bolivia, helped to fill this demand. “This year, I chose to bring empanadas, which is a family recipe and one of my favorite foods from Bolivia. Since I had to make so many at one time, my mom helped me roll out my dough and form the empanadas.”
The event depends on students bringing in a dish to share, and for many of them, including Sullivan, it’s the best part of the event. “My favorite part of International food night was being able to try other people’s foods and talk about where their food originated. My favorite dish was called Pão De Queijo, which are essentially cheesy bread balls from Brazil.”
Asian food has also proved to be continuously popular through the years, with junior Salma Jawad helping to contribute to the wide array of dishes from across the continent. “I brought shorwa from Afghanistan. It’s a spicy soup made of chickpeas, potatoes, vinegar, spices, and sauce. I made two types of sauces: one was made with tomatoes and red chilis, the other was made with cilantro and green peppers. My mom did most of the cooking, but I supported her from the sidelines.”
According to Global Ambassadors sponsor Mr. Matthew Talboo, the success of International Food Night can partially be attributed to just that- food. “When we talk about what gets other cultures together, it’s by eating each others cuisine.”
Talboo says the thing he loves the most about International Food Night is seeing it all come together in the first place. “I was so excited to watch it all come together and having another packed cafeteria. It’s great to watch kids have fun and enjoy themselves in a multicultural setting. As a teacher, you want to see that people are learning something.”
Jawad, who photographed many aspects of the event, explained her inspiration behind her photos. “I took a lot of pictures, mostly of my friends, because I knew someone had to document this amazing event. It’s like showing everybody, ‘Hey, look at this fun night we have at our school. We have so much good food and so many cool people and activities.’ I know next year is going to be even bigger and better as more people know about International Food Night and participate in it. “
For Woodgrove families and students, International Food Night is more than just another school event; it’s a time where cultures can band together and enjoy the wonderful and diverse community.
