On Sunday, 25 September Darden celebrated its 34th annual Global Food Festival. Organized by the Global Business and Culture Club (GBCC) and sponsored by OSA, CGI, ODEI and DAF, the Global Food Festival has evolved to be one of the most anticipated student events at Darden. This year’s event was no exception as we had one of our largest turnouts in years. Over 600 students and faculty attended. This year, a whopping 32 teams of Darden students signed up to prepare and share food from their country or region of origin. About 27 nationalities were represented.
Some of the foods featured this year included Baleadas (Honduras), Cachapas (Venezuela), Feijoada and Brigadeiro (Brazil), Biryani (Iraq), Turkey Suya (Nigeria) and Sinigang na Baboy, Lumpia, and Ube ice cream (Philippines), among many others. Check out the slide deck below to catch a glimpse of a few of the dishes.
Photo Credit: Sree Kalyan Peruri (Class of 2023)
Photo Credit: Sree Kalyan Peruri (Class of 2023)
Photo Credit: Sree Kalyan Peruri (Class of 2023)
Photo Credit: Anuoluwapo Odusanya (Class of 2024)
Photo Credit: Anuoluwapo Odusanya (Class of 2024)
Photo Credit: Anuoluwapo Odusanya (Class of 2024)
While all cuisines were delicious and carefully prepared, some dishes stood out among the crowd. “Undercover” faculty judges attended the event to rank their top choices for best food, best presentation, and best performance. The winners were:
Best Food:
1st Place- Bangladesh ($100 prize)
2nd Place- Nigeria ($75 prize)
3rd Place- Brazil ($50 prize)
Best Presentation (attire/decoration):
1st Place- Spain ($50 prize)
Best Performance:
1st Place- Bollywood Dance India ($50 prize)
The Global Food Festival included several song, dance, and talent performances by Darden students, including Bollywood dancing (India), Chinese folk dance (China), salsa dancing (South America), and song performances (Latin America and US). The slide deck below highlights additional moments captured from the festivities.
Photo Credit: Anuoluwapo Odusanya (Class of 2024)
Photo Credit: Anuoluwapo Odusanya (Class of 2024)
Photo Credit: Anuoluwapo Odusanya (Class of 2024)
Photo Credit: Anuoluwapo Odusanya (Class of 2024)
Photo Credit: Anuoluwapo Odusanya (Class of 2024)
Photo Credit: Sree Kalyan Peruri (Class of 2023)
Photo Credit: Sree Kalyan Peruri (Class of 2023)
Photo Credit: Sree Kalyan Peruri (Class of 2023)
It was a night to remember for all who attended. This well established Darden tradition continues to live on as we continue to celebrate the different cultural heritages that makes Darden so uniquely special. The Global Business and Culture Club (GBCC) shared their appreciation for Darden’s annual Global Food Festival event:
We had been excited about the planning of “Global Food Festival” since the time the GBCC board was elected. Looking back, so much has transpired in these past few months to put together this spectacular celebration of diversity! With over 40% of current Darden classes being international, the festival, this time, was inspiring and gratifying as we saw a participation of domestic and international students like never before! Thanks to everyone who helped GBCC in making this event a success – our success is only because of YOU!
