The Monthly Special: Battle of the Dining Halls

An Epic Food Showdown: Battle of the Boroughs
On February 28, five dining halls - Faculty House, John Jay, JJ's Place, Chef Mike's Sub Shop, and Ferris Booth Commons - each prepared a traditional and vegan dish and a beverage inspired by a different New York City borough. It was a culinary celebration of New York City. The dishes were then scored by a panel of judges, including students from the Columbia Culinary Society and celebrity Chef Robert Irvine, as well as voted on by student guests. The competition was fierce, and each dining hall was fighting to win Judges' Choice and People's Choice!
Relive the Event
#FacHouseRocks
Representing the Bronx, Faculty House prepared a bibimbap that blended this traditional Korean dish with flavors from the Caribbean heritage of Faculty House Executive Chef Leo Michel. The bibimbap, which included oxtail, shrimp, and jerk chicken, was served with a hibiscus fruit punch.
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Slide 1: Lily and the Faculty House team preparing for students.
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Slide 2: Did you get to sample the Caribbean bibimbap... yum!
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Slide 3: The plated version for the judges ? We may need to petition to serve all things in a kabocha squash bowl.
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Slide 4: Fermin, Lily, Laudy, Angie and Wendy can't wait for students to arrive!
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Slide 5: Fac House is ready to rock!
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Slide 6: Eric says that the Faculty House beverage, hibiscus punch, was absolutely thumbs up-worthy.

Lily and the Faculty House team preparing for students.

Did you get to sample the Caribbean bibimbap... yum!

The plated version for the judges ? We may need to petition to serve all things in a kabocha squash bowl.

Fermin, Lily, Laudy, Angie and Wendy can't wait for students to arrive!

Fac House is ready to rock!

Eric says that the Faculty House beverage, hibiscus punch, was absolutely thumbs up-worthy.
"I loved the energy that all the dining hall staff brought to the event."
#TeamJohnJay
The 7 train is basically the artery of Queens, so it's no surprise that John Jay named their dish "The 7 Train Special." A fusion of Asian and Hispanic cuisine, "The 7 Train Special" was a Korean-style beef birria taco served on a scallion pancake.
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Slide 1: The 7 Train Special: a Korean-style beef birria taco *chef's kiss*
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Slide 2: Gleinys and Lamar serving with a smile!
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Slide 3: We love the John Jay hibiscus & green tea bubble tea as much as Hector and Juan Carlos ?
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Slide 4: Plated to perfection for the judges.
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Slide 5: Stand clear of the closing doors: the 7 train is headed to the next station!

The 7 Train Special: a Korean-style beef birria taco *chef's kiss*

Gleinys and Lamar serving with a smile!

We love the John Jay hibiscus & green tea bubble tea as much as Hector and Juan Carlos ?

Plated to perfection for the judges.

Stand clear of the closing doors: the 7 train is headed to the next station!
#JJsFam
What could be more Brooklyn than food from a bodega? The JJ's team transformed their station into JJ's bodega and served butter chicken empanadas and passion fruit and ginger beer refreshers.
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Slide 1: The cat is giving serious bodega vibes.
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Slide 2: Thank you for the empanada, George!
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Slide 3: You could say the passion fruit and ginger beer refresher was... refreshing (ba dum tss)
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Slide 4: Jasmine and the JJ's team have their fingers crossed for victory!
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Slide 5: JJ's Bodega, ready to serve up some hot and fresh empanadas.
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Slide 6: "JJ's has got your vote, right?" - Charlie

The cat is giving serious bodega vibes.

Thank you for the empanada, George!

You could say the passion fruit and ginger beer refresher was... refreshing (ba dum tss)

Jasmine and the JJ's team have their fingers crossed for victory!

JJ's Bodega, ready to serve up some hot and fresh empanadas.

"JJ's has got your vote, right?" - Charlie
#BigSubsBigDill (AKA Chef Mike's Sub Shop)
What do you get when you combine Staten Island with Chef Mike's Sub Shop? A buff chick sub with fresh mozzarella, served with a nitro cold brew coffee and ice cream on the side.
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Slide 1: When the food is *so* good, even the staff can't wait to eat it!
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Slide 2: Mini subs, maximum spice and flavor.
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Slide 3: The maestro himself, pulling fresh mozz for the event.
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Slide 4: #BigSubsBigDill ready to slay at the event!

When the food is *so* good, even the staff can't wait to eat it!

Mini subs, maximum spice and flavor.

The maestro himself, pulling fresh mozz for the event.

#BigSubsBigDill ready to slay at the event!
#FerrisForever
Representing Manhattan is no easy task - it's the mostly densely populated borough and home to so many different cultures. The Ferris team decided to bring the delicacies of Chinatown to Columbia, serving a beef bao bun and a mango and coconut cream beverage.
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Slide 1: Thank you, Niurka! The mango and coconut cream beverage was almost as sweet as you.
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Slide 2: Ferris brought Chinatown uptown with a beef bao bun.
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Slide 3: This team is HYPED.
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Slide 4: Welcome to Chinatown!

Thank you, Niurka! The mango and coconut cream beverage was almost as sweet as you.

Ferris brought Chinatown uptown with a beef bao bun.

This team is HYPED.

Welcome to Chinatown!
An Expert Panel: Student Judges and Chef Robert Irvine
The Judges' Choice award was determined by a panel of six student judges from the Columbia Culinary Society and celebrity Chef Robert Irvine.
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Slide 1: Presenting... our panel of judges!
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Slide 2: Reet, breaking down feedback on JJ's empanadas.
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Slide 3: A behind-the-scenes look of the judges' table.

Presenting... our panel of judges!

Reet, breaking down feedback on JJ's empanadas.

A behind-the-scenes look of the judges' table.
"I had literally so much fun"
^^^Feedback from one of our student attendees! The food, the ambiance, the excitement from the staff.... this was an event to remember (and to tell your friends about).
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Slide 1: *So* ready for that first bite.
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Slide 2: When you really are #FerrisForever.
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Slide 3: Cheers to the yummy food at this event!
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Slide 4: Smiling because you can't wait to eat ~all~ the foods.

*So* ready for that first bite.

When you really are #FerrisForever.

Cheers to the yummy food at this event!

Smiling because you can't wait to eat ~all~ the foods.
"Was honestly one of my favorite Columbia events all year"
But First, Let Me Take a Selfie
The food was incredible, but the opportunity to take a selfie with Chef Mike or Chef Irvine? Priceless.
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Slide 1: Say, "this is the best event ever!"
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Slide 2: Did you meet Chef Mike?! Pics or it didn't happen.
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Slide 3: Meeting a celeb is pretty sweet, ngl.
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Slide 4: A selfie with Chef Mike with Roar-ee photobombing the back ground? You should frame this, honestly.

Say, "this is the best event ever!"

Did you meet Chef Mike?! Pics or it didn't happen.

Meeting a celeb is pretty sweet, ngl.

A selfie with Chef Mike with Roar-ee photobombing the back ground? You should frame this, honestly.
"It truly was an AMAZING event!"
You get a t-shirt! You get a t-shirt! Everybody gets a t-shirt!
We know what you really want... a t-shirt to rep your fav dining hall! PLUS, amazing raffle prizes like a mozzarella making class with Chef Mike!
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Slide 1: Roar-ee wanted a shirt too, but didn't want to play favorites!
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Slide 2: Fingers crossed for the raffle!
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Slide 3: When your crew is split: #FerrisForever or #BigSubsBigDill ?
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Slide 4: Five lucky winners received a signed copy of Irvine's latest book, Overcoming Impossible.

Roar-ee wanted a shirt too, but didn't want to play favorites!

Fingers crossed for the raffle!

When your crew is split: #FerrisForever or #BigSubsBigDill ?

Five lucky winners received a signed copy of Irvine's latest book, Overcoming Impossible.
And The Winner Is....
Yeah, we really made you scroll this far to find out who won. That's because it's not about who won! All of our passionate, creative, talented staff won. Every student who sampled the incredible food won. We all won!
But we know, we know, you must be curious. This 2023 winners are....
- Judges' Choice: Faculty House
- People's Choice: Ferris Booth Commons
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Slide 1: The judges tallying points to determine the winner. Did we mention that being a judge requires math?
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Slide 2: And the winner of the Judges' Choice is....
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Slide 3: ....Faculty House!!!!
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Slide 4: And congrats to Ferris for securing the People's Choice!

The judges tallying points to determine the winner. Did we mention that being a judge requires math?

And the winner of the Judges' Choice is....

....Faculty House!!!!

And congrats to Ferris for securing the People's Choice!
"Amazing. Totally exceeded expectations."