As part of the U.S. Department of State celebration of International Education Week, the Office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISS), together with the Brooklyn College Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences and the Brooklyn College Health and Nutrition Science Club hosted an Open Kitchen luncheon on November 15 in Roosevelt Hall to celebrate diversity in global cuisine.

Students and faculty sampled cuisine from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, China, Russia, Jamaica, and France, among others. “Events like this can help broaden cultural awareness among our campus population,” said Director of International Student and Scholar Services Keisha Wilson. “This is our first world cuisine event but students enjoyed themselves, so hopefully we’ll do more.”

Participants were encouraged to choose a dish that took less than an hour to prepare and bring their ingredients to the Food Science Laboratory to cook. As the Health and Nutrition Club adviser, Adjunct Lecturer Margrethe Horlyck-Romanovsky M.P.H., a doctoral candidate on public health at the CUNY Graduate Center/School of Public Health and Health Policy, oversaw preparations.

A key part of the Division of Enrollment Management, the ISS assists international students and scholars with visa and immigration processes and compliance, provides referrals to both on- and off-campus resources, and serves as an advocate for international students.