By Satyne Doner, Arts & Culture Editor
On the evening of Nov. 16, students walking down by the Student Activities Building Loggia were presented with something truly extraordinary: a buffet line wrapped around the clock tower, full of excited and hungry students. The building was lined with tray after tray of delicious and aromatic food, each one unique to a specific culture and just waiting to be devoured.
The International Food Festival was put together by Saint Leo University’s Intercultural Student Association and hosted an assortment of food from groups like the Indian Association for Students and the Asian-American Pacific Islander Association.
Students, faculty, and community members were invited to take their tastebuds on a trip through the many cultures here at Saint Leo. The food was completely free all evening, there was music playing, and participants were able to stop at each food station to learn more about the culture and background.
For Audrey Ang, president of the Asian American Pacific Islander Association and a junior studying bio-medical health science, the International Food Festival was a chance to highlight her heritage and share it with others.
“I prepared Filipino Beef Lumpia a few days before the actual event and the process for that was actually therapeutic in a way, especially since I grew up making them with my mother,” said Ang. Lumpia are fried spring rolls, typically found in Filipino cuisine, filled with beef and vegetables, and covered in a thin pastry skin. Typically, they are fried until they reach a golden hue, and this type of food was available for Saint Leo community members to try by the dozen.
Ang, as well as the other groups showcasing their food at the International Food Festival, spent long hours preparing their dishes for the Saint Leo community to try.
“The prep for the International Food Festival was long, but definitely worth it,” said Ang. “I believe this event did a fair job at showcasing Asian, African, and Indian cultures, among others.”
Overall, the Intercultural Student Association wanted to create a night of shared cultures and heightened cultural literacy among the Saint Leo community.
“ISA (Intercultural Student Association) is bringing the taste of culture back to the Saint Leo community,” boasted a caption on their official Instagram on Nov. 12. Their official Instagram can be found at @isa_saintleo.
Additionally, for Audrey Ang, she felt similarly about the goals of the event. She also was optimistic for the future.
“I hope students were able to appreciate the food from different cultures as food and language is a way to bring people together,” said Ang. “I hope something like this will happen again. I love introducing people to my culture and would love to prepare food for everyone again.”
