An impromptu food festival at the Oxford Business College helped its international students mix and get to know each with such success it will become a monthly feast.
Recipes from across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and South America showcased the cooking talents of the mature BA Hons Business Management students.
Diana Munoz, Head of Student Services, decided that one way to bring her charges together was through their tastebuds.
More than 100 students and staff attended the festival during their lunch hours to eat and to get to know each other.
Dishes included rice, curry, barbecued meat and vegetables, kebabs, cakes, desserts and sweets.
So much did the students enjoy it that they persuaded Diana to host one every month at King’s Mead House – one of four locations in the city from where the business college operates.
The college also has campuses in Nottingham, London and Slough and the food festival will be held in those locations too.
Diana said: “It was a spur of the moment thing and it was very successful.
“The students are mature and have other commitments such as work and family so there is not a lot of time for getting to know each other.
“But mixing is really important and the food festival brought everyone together, enjoying dishes that they had never tasted before.
“Some of the students were about to graduate and others had only started their courses in May so it was a real mix and helped the timid ones gain confidence.
“Of course everyone is very proud of their countries and cultures and wanted to show off their favourite dishes.
“Some students are from countries that don’t have much experience of food from other parts of the world so it was a wonderful experience for them.
“In appreciation of the students providing us with such delectable dishes we issued an internal ‘certificate of appreciation’, which they were delighted to receive.”
