Students Sample Cuisine from Around the World at Café 1201’s International Night

November 16, 2012

Staff members wearing sombreros and berets, along with a large sampling of international cuisine, greeted ODU students, staff and faculty as Monarch Dining sponsored International Night at Café 1201 in Webb Center during Wednesday's dinnertime period.

Executive chef Robert Patton created an international menu, serving sometimes-picky eaters foreign delicacies like pho, Cuban pork, bratwurst and sauerkraut, and Vietnamese lettuce wraps.

Diners were also entertained by member of the ODU Ya Gamila belly dancing organization. Alvin Taylor and Jennifer Bennison from the Mambo Room, a Ghent business, taught and performed the Bachata, a dance from the Dominican Republic.

"Celebrating International Education Week with an International Night at Café 1201 is a great way to expose students to food they either have not tasted before or food they don't eat on a regular basis. But it also wasn't just about the food," said Ronya Edwards, marketing manager with Monarch Dining.

The event was a partnership with ODU's Office of Intercultural Relations, and featured an international fair, which showcased informational displays about countries and cultures. Each of the dining stations was decorated with the flags and colors of the featured countries, including Spain, Morocco, France and other foreign nations, supplied by OIR.

The event was held in conjunction with Old Dominion's International Education Week, an event designed to connect the diverse, vibrant ODU campus to the many worldwide cultures that have a thriving presence, both on the campus and in the community.