Exploring Global Flavors

The team at the Global Training Initiative spent some time in the teaching kitchen in Carmichael Gym this summer exploring local and global flavors. The state-of-the-art facility that’s managed by NC State Dining provides an excellent environment for the staff to be both chefs as well as patrons.

NC State Dining chefs Erica Glasco and Jon Young provided soul food cooking demonstrations for the two separate international student groups. In May, the chefs prepared a Halal-friendly menu of soul food classics, including fried catfish, mac ‘n cheese, collard greens and sweet potato pie for 12 students from Saudi Arabia who came to NC State as part of the KAUST Gifted Student Program (KGSP).  The demonstration was the culmination of their semester-long course on U.S. American culture. The chefs prepared a similar menu for the 28 Colombian students who spent two weeks at NC State exploring post-graduate options in the U.S.

Prepping for the Culinary World Cup

The GTI staff also showed off their own culinary skills in the teaching kitchen in a team-building cooking competition. The staff split into two teams and had 45 minutes to cook a dish that incorporated a special ingredient: mango. Both teams had the same sets of ingredients and also used whatever was available in the teaching kitchen at that time. 

The end result was delicious and a treat for everyone, including the staff from SKEMA Business School’s Raleigh campus. The GTI cook-off was the first trial run for the student Culinary World Cup competition that will take place this fall. 

Faculty and staff from the Office of Global Engagement and the greater Wolfpack community also participated in a second trial run, helping to refine various aspects of the cooking competition. The Culinary World Cup will take place at the end of October and beginning of November. The final head-to-head competition will also be livestreamed.