International Food Festival returns to EMU, reflects rich diversity on campus

They came, they saw, they con-Kurd. 

Aram Hanson, an instructor in EMU’s Intensive English Program (IEP), along with two of his IEP students, Dastan and Shalaw, conquered the competition at the 11th annual International Food Festival on Friday with their crowd-favorite Kurdish dishes.

Competing in the event for his first time, Hanson and his students prepared dolma (vegetables stuffed with rice and meat), biryani (a rice and meat dish), chicken tikka (kebabs), kuba (a type of dumpling), baklava and a variety of salads.  

“It seems that many people here liked our food, and that feels great,” he said after being announced as a winner. He added that two of his family members recently opened a restaurant called Kabob Corner on South Main Street in Harrisonburg, and that if people enjoyed his Kurdish food, they would love the dishes served at the restaurant.

For placing first in the individuals and small groups category, the trio of Kurdish cooks received $200 in winnings. A second-place prize of $125 was awarded to Mohammad Khatiri and Ayam Ali, the cheesecake-baking duo behind @CakeMe_AM, and a $100 third-place prize was given to EMU staff member Amina Anwar for her Pakistani biryani.

Since winning last year’s competition, Khatiri and Ali have been busy selling their cheesecakes through their Instagram page and said they plan to launch a website soon. Khatiri said he was glad to be back at the festival for another year. “We enjoy the whole vibe and like trying different types of food from different countries,” he said. 

The winners of the student clubs category received a trophy and bragging rights. They are:

• First place: Asian-Pacific Islander Student Alliance (APISA)
• Second place:  Black Student Alliance (BSA)
• Third place: Latinx Student Alliance (LSA)

A total of 14 teams participated in the competition. Those sampling the dishes could vote on their favorite cuisines through a QR code at each table. 

Hosted by the International Students Organization (ISO) and the International Food Festival Committee, the festival is one of the most anticipated events of the year, drawing hundreds of students, faculty, staff and other EMU community members to celebrate the rich flavors and traditions from around the world. Micah Shristi, director of international student services, said that more than 275 people participated in this year’s festival. He said that students represent 55 countries at EMU.

“A diversity of cultures, languages, and belief systems make our EMU community stronger,” he said. “Nothing demonstrates this more deliciously than the International Food Festival.”

The turnout at the event included many students from other schools who were on campus for the Intercollegiate Peace Fellowship conference held over the weekend. One of those students, Abby Chappell Deckert of Bethel College in Newton, Kansas, said she enjoyed the Pakistani biryani. “I think it’s great,” she said while in line for cheesecake. “It’s really interesting to try food from other countries, and I think it’s a great alternative to the usual everyday ‘caf’ food that people get.” She said that Bethel has a very diverse student body, but does not have a similar food festival of its own.

While EMU juniors Maria Longenecker and Leah Beachy may have disagreed on which cuisine earned their vote (Longenecker favored the Ethiopian dishes while her friend preferred the Kurdish ones), they said they both considered the festival among their favorite events of the year. “That Kurdish food was bussin, and you can quote me on that,” said Beachy, using a slang term for “delicious.”

In between bites, Harrisonburg Vice Mayor Dany Fleming and his wife, Carol, campus visit coordinator for the admissions office, took in the upbeat music and positive energy at the Student Union. “I love the diversity that EMU brings and has brought historically to Harrisonburg,” the vice mayor said. “Part of the reason we are such an international city is specifically and directly because of EMU and the work they do around the world.”

Friday’s event, held at the Orie O. Miller Hall of Nations inside University Commons, also included an announcement from ISO student leaders about seven new flags added to the hall: Belarus, Dominican Republic, Malawi, Mongolia, Puerto Rico, Sudan, and Uruguay. 

“These flags are more than fabric,” said EMU senior and ISO co-President Fiker Yigzaw. “They are a testament to the stories, journeys, and contributions of our international students, past and present. Let’s continue to learn from one another, share in the joy of cultural exchange, and embrace the vibrant global spirit that unites us all.”

Take a look at more photos from the 2025 International Food Festival in our Flickr gallery below: