This week, Campus Dining brought five new international meals to the different dining venues on campus through a collaboration with the Cal Poly International Center.
The recipes came from international students who were invited to share meaningful recipes from their home countries that Campus Dining could authentically and respectfully replicate.
Vista Grande new menu items for the week include misir wat, an Ethiopian red lentil stew, a Japanese beef rice bowl called gyudon, and arroz doce cremoso, a Brazilian rice pudding. 1901 Kitchen has Vietnamese curry and Korean BBQ ribs, Cal Poly Campus Dining Marketing Director Melanie Bélanger said in an email to Mustang News.
Available from Nov. 17 to Nov. 21, participating venues include 1901 Kitchen, as well as Balance, Noodles and Brunch at Vista Grande.
The new meals were introduced to celebrate International Education Week.
“We love food,” Jill Victorino, administrative analyst for the International Center, said. “Also, this collaboration is part of International Education Week to celebrate the benefits of international education and cultural exchange.”
Environmental earth and social sciences freshman Beatriz Luna Freire Guida Reis likes that Cal Poly Campus Dining is trying to be more diverse in their food options.
“I would eat the rice pudding that sounds so good,” Luna Freire Guida Reis said.
Materials engineering freshman Jackson Babbitt said it’s important to have variety in your food, from different cultures, especially eating at the same places.
“I think we lack a little in Asian food and not to be blunt, especially the Korean meals, are not very accurate, I guess, or it’s kind of an Americanized version of it,” Babbitt said. “But I think there are some good options.”
Bélanger said that Campus Dining and the International Center have been collaborating for over five years to bring international flavors to campus.
“This collaboration helps international students feel seen and connected through familiar foods, while introducing the broader campus community to new cultural flavors and culinary traditions,” Bélanger said.
Graphic communications freshman Yahvi Chauhan thinks that this is a good step into expanding into different cuisines, which she thinks Cal Poly lacks.
“I think it’s good. I think we definitely need more variety and international cuisine so I’m glad we are doing this.” Chauhan said. “I hope that they integrate this into actual permanent dishes that they have year round.”
Business administration freshman Lawson Potter is really excited about these new meals.
“I think they are going to bring a lot of great food to us and I’m just excited to try something new and whatnot,” Potter said. “I think it’s great for our school and community and I think it’s great to bring new international foods into our kitchen.”
Campus Dining will consider if any dishes should be brought back as limited time offers based on their popularity, according to Bélanger.
“The dishes showcase a wide range of countries and culinary traditions, authentic flavors from around the world [and], foods that express the identities, heritage, and lived experiences of Cal Poly’s international student community,” Bélanger said.
This story was updated to include comment from the International Center.