“Everyone really enjoyed sampling the cuisine,” said Paul McMillan, executive chef & assistant general manager, Metz & Associates, Ltd. at Misericordia University. “The faculty gave us great feedback on the items that were served, and the Diversity Institute was so happy with the outcome that they would like us to plan more tastings in the future focusing on different cuisines from around the world.”

Black History Month was also celebrated at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, where the Metz staff prepared a menu featuring strip steaks, Cajun catfish, sweet potato pie, black bean soup and fresh fruit cobblers. The Metz team at UPB often hosts cultural festivals featuring various ethnic foods, and most recently featured Caribbean cuisine, which proved very popular with the over 400 people taking part in the event.

The Metz team at Misericordia also enjoys providing these ethnic tastings and meals for students to learn and help celebrate different cultures. In January, a special Kwanza dinner was held, which featured Moroccan chicken stew, southern vegetable stew and fried plantain chips. “Every culture has a story to tell, and it’s great that that we can be part of educating students about these various heritages in a small way,” McMillan said. “Ethnic cuisine is not only rich in flavor, but it is rich in the history of so many wonderful cultures.”

Metz & Associates, Ltd., a premier food service company for the Northeast United States, provides dining and environmental management to clients such as hospitals, assisted living & long-term care facilities, school districts and independent schools, colleges and universities and corporate offices. For more information on Metz & Associates, Ltd., visit our website at www.metzltd.com or call 570-675-8100.