The warm smell of curry chicken filled the Demo Kitchen at the Bowers Center on Monday, Feb. 16, at 5 p.m. as students gathered for a Black History Month event centered on culture through food.
The anticipated event “Cooking for the Culture” featured Jamaican curry chicken, rosemary chicken, rice and pasta salad. Students came with friends, grabbed plates and stayed to talk, turning the space into a relaxed place to unwind and share a moment with others.
The event was hosted by Gene Thomas, assistant director of the Learning Zone, who said cooking is one of the ways he builds community on campus. This was the fifth time he has led the event.
“I love cooking. It’s something I feel is really important to the community that I want to share,” Thomas said. “Jamaican curry chicken is part of my heritage, so I wanted to bring that. I also mix in American dishes because that’s part of who I am too.”
That blend of flavors reflected Thomas’ own background and offered students a taste of culture in an approachable way. The kitchen was filled with conversation as students compared plates, talked about family meals, asked about the recipes and spoke about classes they had that day.
Sophomore Evan Kenny, a political science major, said he was surprised by how much he enjoyed the pasta salad. “Normally I’m not a big fan because there’s usually too much sauce or mayonnaise, but this was really good,” Kenny said. “It had a nice balance.”
Asia Lewis, a residence hall director, arrived shortly after the event began and said the food lived up to Thomas’ reputation. “I got here at 5:18 and the food was gone,” Lewis said. “That’s just a testament to how Gene throws down for the culture.”
For many students, the night was less about the menu and more about the atmosphere. Senior Aya Zourgani, a graphic design and computer science major, said the event gave her a chance to reconnect with friends. “I really enjoyed coming together and eating with friends,” Zourgani said.
Hosting the gathering during Black History Month added meaning to the evening. Food plays a strong role in how culture is shared, remembered and passed down, especially within Black communities. Thomas said he wanted the event to be welcoming to anyone, whether they came for the food, the conversation or both.
By the end of the night, some students went back for seconds while others lingered to talk or thank Thomas before heading out. The Demo Kitchen slowly quieted, but the sense of connection and a full stomach carried beyond the room.
“Cooking for the Culture” offered a simple reminder that community can start with something as small as sharing a meal, and sometimes that’s exactly what students need in the middle of a busy semester.
