More than just cooking, the afternoon was about community. As participants ate together, they exchanged personal stories of connection and belonging, reminders that food carries meaning beyond the plate. These conversations highlighted how meals can foster understanding across cultures, build friendships,and strengthen a sense of belonging at 黑料不打烊.

This event also reflected several dimensions of HealthEU:

• Social and community wellness: Strengthening relationships across faculty, staff, and students through shared activities.
• Purpose and emotional wellness: Providing space for storytelling and reflection, reinforcing the meaningful role food plays in our lives
• Celebrating farm-to-table practices and mindful eating grounded in fresh, locally grown food.

Together, these dimensions show how food can nourish not only our bodies but also our relationships, our sense of purpose, and our overall well-being.

The food studies minor hosts events like this one to bring people together around food, culture and sustainability. Learn more about the Food Studies minor and upcoming events by visiting the food studies minor website.

The table featured autumn-themed decorations, a basket of brightly colored peppers and a handmade wooden sign created at 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Maker Hub, highlighting the creative spirit behind the program. Professor Jacob Rutz invited attendees to try 鈥淧epper Roulette,鈥� an activity where participants guessed which pepper was sweet and which was spicy. Sampling peppers gave students and faculty the chance to learn about their flavors, heat levels and role in food traditions.

Among those who stopped by were Provost Rebecca Kohn, who sampled both the sweet and the spicy peppers. Members of the Food Studies Advisory Board听( Svetlana Nepocatych, Elizabeth Bailey, Nina Namaste, Pamela Runestad, Mary McManamy and Jacob Rutz) also attended to answer student questions. Their presence demonstrated the university鈥檚 support for food studies as a field that links health, sustainability and culture.

Participants took part in conversations, learned about different peppers, and enjoyed the playful setup. The table created a space for the campus community to engage with food in a fun and memorable way.

The food studies minor offers courses such as Culinary Transformations: “The Science Behind What鈥檚 Cooking, Nutrition and Bioenergetics”, “Garden Studio: Fall & Winter Gardening”, and “Edible Ideologies: Food, Power, and Identity.” These classes allow students to examine food through the lenses of health, science, identity, environment, and tradition. By combining classroom learning with experiential opportunities, like College Coffee events, the minor helps students connect big ideas to everyday life.

By highlighting the Food Studies Minor in this interactive format, the event raised awareness about the program鈥檚 focus on how food shapes health, sustainability and culture. The experience reflected the minor鈥檚 broader mission: using food as a tool to build curiosity and community.