These College Students Claim Their Cafeteria Food Is Racist

Kate Storey
Some Oberlin students say the dining hall food disrespects their cultures.

A group of Oberlin students say their school's dining hall efforts to serve traditional Asian cuisine have become downright offensive. A Banh Mi Vietnamese sandwich, which should be made with grilled pork, pickled veggies and a baguette, was made with pulled pork, coleslaw and ciabatta bread, according a report last month in their campus newspaper, the Oberlin Review. And General Tso's Chicken, which should be topped with ginger-garlic soy sauce, was doused in a sauce "so weird that I didn't even try," one student complained.

But these students say getting the dishes wrong is about more than just offending their tastebuds - it's dispectful of their cultures.

"When you're cooking a country's dish for other people, including ones who have never tried the original dish before, you're also representing the meaning of the dish as well as its culture," said Tomoyo Joshi, a student from Japan, who complained about the sushi's undercooked rice and not-so-fresh fish. "So if people not from that heritage take food, modify it and serve it as 'authentic,' it is appropriative."

Another student suggested that Bon Appetit, the school's dining service, consult with the proper student organizations before making their menus.

"I wish they could do something like a collaboration with the cultural student [organizations] before starting new stuff like this [sushi bar]," said Mai Miyagaki, a student from Japan. "Overall, I think we - including myself - can always learn more about how to admit that we don't know everything about every culture in the world and have a 'We're still trying to learn more' kind of attitude."

And, in fact, the students' demands have already made a difference. After the article was published, representatives from the South Asian, Vietnamese and Chinese student associations met with members of Campus Dining Services to voice their concerns. According to a follow-up article in the Oberlin Review, the school has agreed to be more sensitive when naming their dishes that have strayed too far from the original inspiration.

"Maybe what we should do is describe the dish for what it is as opposed to characterizing it with a specific name," Michile Gross, the school's director of business operations and dining services, told the paper.

Sounds like students can then expect more "pork sandwiches" and "chicken in sauce."