BYUH club members and attendees say enjoying food from home and around the world makes Food Fest iconic
The Flag Circle at BYU-Hawaii was transformed into a food paradise on Nov. 4 as students, faculty and local community members gathered for Food Fest 2023. This annual club fundraising event united people from diverse backgrounds by celebrating international flavors.
Food Fest 2023 felt like home, said sophomore Shota Omija, a psychology and intercultural peacebuilding major from Japan. “I love being here because I have the chance to taste food from home again and cultural food from different countries,” he said. He said his favorite dish was the Mongolian baby pork rib and gave a special shout-out to the Canoe Club’s orange otai.
Willie Irava, Fiji Club's vice president of activities and sophomore from Fiji majoring in business management, explained the mild spiciness of Fijian Chicken Curry Rice distinguished itself from a traditional curry due to its lighter flavor and noticeably less creamy sauce with tomato chutney as a side. Irava expressed his excitement for the cultural exploration and culinary adventure Food Fest provides saying, “It is a good experience to explore different cultures and try new things.”
Elaine Omae, a Papua New Guinea attendee, said her favorite food was the Tahitian Club's crepes. “As a dessert and sweets lover,” she said, “the crepes were satisfying and tasty.” She expressed she enjoyed spending time with her friends at the event and suggested more back-up food stocks and preparation to avoid food shortages and long wait times.
Avalon Liao, a junior majoring in graphic design from China, helped sell China Club's "Sweet Moment" dessert. The refreshing treat was made with ice-cold milk, honey, marshmallows, sweet beans and green jelly. Liao explained the dessert took inspiration from a traditional Chinese summer treat but was given a contemporary twist to cater to the preferences of the younger generation. “We added a panda-shaped marshmallow to make the dessert look interesting,” Liao said.
The Malaysia Club served Pisang Goreng, which is a banana fritter appetizer popular in Southeast Asia. Eliza Nacar, a sophomore majoring in social work from the Philippines, said Pisang Goreng has become one of her favorite foods since she started assisting the Malaysia Club with Food Fest. She said, “I really enjoyed the sweet condensed milk and the salty cheese because they boost the flavor of the crispy banana.”
The Hip Hop Club performances were Audrey Pryde’s favorite part of Food Fest, she said. A senior from Idaho majoring in biology, Pryde said she enjoyed the Food Fest as it was her last before graduating. “It has been really fun to see the atmosphere light up with community members and their friends and families who came together and had a great time,” she said. She hopes Venmo or credit cards will be an option in the future to buy tickets, as a way of encouraging more students to attend.