- TASTES OF THE WORLD: VALPO’S DINING SERVICES BRINGS STREET FOOD TO THE TABLE
Valparaiso University student Ariun Zorigt samples some street food at Founder's Table in Harre Union. For Ariun Zorigt, eating at Valpo’s Founder’s Table dining hall is like a trip around the world without the cost of airfare.
“It’s perfect,” says Zorigt, a senior majoring in management and finance. “It’s so convenient that I can sample foods from countries across the globe and regions of America without actually having to go there.”
Zorigt herself is a native of Mongolia.
“This is really important, because a lot of my American friends are hesitant to eat foods that are out of their comfort zone,” says Zorigt, who plans to work in the business world after graduation. “As students, having knowledge and experience with foods from other countries will help us bring a cultural perspective to dinner meetings and other food-centered interactions that we’ll encounter throughout our careers.”
The worldly dishes come from Valpo’s executive chef John Reid, who is cooking up ‘street foods,’ which allow students and the community to take a culinary trip around the world.
“Street food is a return to food that most humans eat daily somewhere in the world, and it’s food that is simplified and not overprocessed,” says Reid. “It is also a comfort food for people in the country from where it originates, or it might be a food staple that has been massaged into the local pantries and repertoire of eateries.”
He and Valpo’s Dining Services staff view themselves as “culinary educators,” presenting different cuisines for Valpo’s students to explore throughout the academic year.
Reid plans to create Mediterranean, Asian, Latin American and American street foods, as well as selections from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Japan, India, Spain, Peru and Brazil.
For Zorigt, it is a part of her education that she finds simply delectable.
“I love food,” she says. “My dad always said it is very important to be able to comfortably eat foods from different cultures as a sign of respect and to truly be a part of any culture you may encounter.”