But student leader says meal merely enforces stereotypes
Planning a menu for thousands of hungry college students doesn’t sound easy, especially when considering their varying palettes.
In celebration of the end of the semester and the various holidays, Housing and Dining Services hosts an annual Holiday Buffet being served on Dec. 13.
The Holiday Buffet is designed to go alongside an educational piece on the religions represented and to “celebrate the end of the semester,” said Kerry Paterson, executive chef with Housing and Dining Services.
On this year’s menu, eight different religions are recognized with food items meant to represent the celebrations, but also to be pleasing to the students.
“If the students can’t recognize the food, they tend to steer away from it,” Paterson said, so the food chosen is “popular with the students.”
Some students, however, question how culturally sensitive the menu items chosen for Kwanzaa are, which include, fried chicken, cornbread, pecan pie and gingerbread cake with fresh cream frosting.
The menu is “stereotypical,” said Richard Mu
