International students work with chef to create global meal at WWU

Six of Western Washignton Unviersity’s international students worked with Chef Patrick Durgan to create authentic dishes from their home countries at the Global Gourmets dinner on Thursday, March 6.

Organized by the Center for International Studies, International Student and Scholar Services and University Catering, the evening featured a six-course tasting menu with dishes from Finland, Bhutan, Korea, Japan, Mongolia and Saudi Arabia. The six students presented their culture and foods to an audience of university administrators, faculty and students.

This celebration of Western’s international students also included performances by a Western student jazz quintet and Swil Kanim, a well-known Lummi Nation violinist and storyteller. According to Vicki Hamblin, executive director of CIS, this collaboration around the foods of various countries served to highlight the diverse perspectives and experiences that international students bring to Western.