These Sri Lankan chefs served a spicy goodness.

Indian samosas, Mexican empanadas, Turkish falafels, kiwi pavlovas. Visitors were spoilt for choice at EIT’s annual Taste of Cultures event on Wednesday. Hundreds of people took the opportunity to get a taste of fresh street food from all over the world.

There were 21 stalls, 14 ran by EIT’s diploma in culinary art students, six stalls from local restaurants and a food truck that sold Brazilian street food. All the meals were between two and four dollars.

21 stalls were serving street food from all over the world at EIT’s Taste of Cultures Day.

Glenn Fulcher, Head of School of Tourism and Hospitality, was wowed by the overwhelming response. “What an awesome audience,” Glenn said, “It’s a great chance for our cookery students to prepare for large numbers in a commercial environment, then set up and serve to hundreds of customers under real industry pressure.”

Fittingly the event coincided with the International Day of Happiness with this year’s theme “Happier Together”, focusing of what we have in common, rather than what divides us. Being so, the Taste of Cultures event was an opportunity for everyone to embrace and acknowledge the diversity of the campus and to celebrate the richness of many nationalities and religions that are represented at EIT.

Every stall had put a sign up with the word “Hello” in the respective language.

The event started with a short vigil to remember the victims of Christchurch’s mosque shootings. “Above all things, hold firmly to love,” is the message that was spread. EIT’s School of Tourism and Hospitality will gift 500 dollars of the proceeds of the food sold at their stalls to the victims of the mosque attacks.