 |
|
Jazz Fenton and Chef Mobley of Festive Palate catering were among more than 20 vendors offering irresistable specialty foods.
|
On Thursday, May 4, Low Library Rotunda was filled with the aroma of ethnic cuisines and blooming flowers as more than 20 restaurants, catering services, florists and gift package services from Harlem, Washington Heights and the South Bronx presented their wares. The Taste of New York event drew hundreds of Columbia staff who organize events for various Columbia departments. For a review of Taste of New York participants click here.
"This event gave us just a glimpse at the quality and variety of little-known catering services that are available to the Columbia community," said Executive Vice President for Administration Emily Lloyd, whose office co-hosted the event. "We hope that departments schools and students will assist Columbia in our efforts to support businesses from our surrounding communities by choosing some of these terrific options to cater for them in the future."
Catering services known to the Columbia community from Camille's and Sylvia's, Harlem's queen of soul food, and Make My Cake, whose head baker was trained at the Culinary Institute of America, turned out to offer samples of their very best. Meanwhile restaurants and caterers new to the Columbia community such as West 22, once a hang-out for Malcolm X, dazzled guests with the exotic flavors of the Caribbean, Latin America, soul food of the South and eye-catching presentations of hors d'oeuvres that provided flavor for the eye and the palate.
All owners of restaurants and catering services were there with a smile and personal stories of success. The mother-daughter catering team from the Vintage Vamps, took their business to new heights in 1995 by attending a 6-week entrepreneurship class offered by the Columbia's Business School's Community Collaboration Program and producing a business plan that helped theirs to become the first business to receive funding from the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Corporation. The Food Factory and the Urban Horizons Food Company mix culinary skill with community action, by offering vocational training programs that are funded with the revenue from their exceptional catering services.
Taste of New York showcased a profound resource that exists just beyond the campus borders. Not only options for Columbia staff, many of the cuisines featured would appeal to Columbia's diverse student body, who are active in events organization. "We are lucky to have such a diverse and talented group of local professionals in our midst that are capable of providing such culinary quality and affordable prices for Columbia's events," said Larry Dais, assistant vice president for Public Affairs and director of Community Affairs.
The Taste of New York event hosted by the Offices of Community Affairs and the Executive Vice President for Administration was organized to further encourage links between the university and businesses from surrounding communities, an important initiative for Columbia. By linking local business providing services with departments with specific needs, Columbia hopes to further encourage economic growth within surrounding communities, including Harlem, Washington Heights and the South Bronx.
CATERING
GIFT OPTIONS
FLORISTS
|
