{"id":58251,"date":"2025-02-24T16:48:13","date_gmt":"2025-02-24T21:48:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=58251"},"modified":"2025-02-24T18:01:29","modified_gmt":"2025-02-24T23:01:29","slug":"international-food-festival-returns-to-emu-reflects-rich-diversity-on-campus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2025\/international-food-festival-returns-to-emu-reflects-rich-diversity-on-campus\/","title":{"rendered":"International Food Festival returns to EMU, reflects rich diversity on campus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

They came, they saw, they con-Kurd. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aram Hanson<\/strong>, an instructor in EMU\u2019s Intensive English Program (IEP<\/a>), 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

\u201cIt seems that many people here liked our food, and that feels great,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Aram Hanson, right, an instructor with the Intensive English Program, watches as EMU junior Leah Beachy samples some Kurdish food. <\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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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<\/strong> and Ayam Ali<\/strong>, the cheesecake-baking duo behind @CakeMe_AM<\/a>, and a $100 third-place prize was given to EMU staff member Amina Anwar<\/strong> for her Pakistani biryani.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mohammad Khatiri and Ayam Ali serve cheesecake at the International Food Festival.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Since winning last year\u2019s 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. \u201cWe enjoy the whole vibe and like trying different types of food from different countries,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A variety of colorful Kurdish foods available to try at the festival.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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The winners of the student clubs category received a trophy and bragging rights. They are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n