Area coordinator Eugene Thomas loves to share his baking and cooking skills with people, often offering to bake for his resident assistant staff to show his appreciation. On Feb. 14, Thomas was able to not only share his cooked food but also the methods and techniques that go behind the scenes in an event that was nicknamed “Cooking for Culture.” This event is sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Belonging and is a part of a series of events celebrating February as Black History Month (BHM).

The event was held in the Bowers Center for Sports, Fitness and Well-being’s Demonstration Kitchen and was scheduled to go for three hours. Attendees were able to see the step-by-step process of Thomas making the food, as the cameras in the kitchen allowed them to get a close look at what Thomas was doing. The attendees were engaged and full of questions.

“What is the most important part of making this dish, Chef?” Thomas would get asked often, and his answer would always stay the same. “Seasoning. Do not forget to season your food, and do not be afraid to try new seasoning and mix them together,” Thomas would be heard saying after each step.

Jalen Belgrave, a senior legal studies major, was one of the attendees who were particularly interested in how to cook the different dishes. “As a senior, I feel like I need to leave college knowing how to cook some basic necessities at least,” Belgrave said. “I have heard one too many stories about my friends having to eat mac and cheese everyday after leaving college. I do not think I could live like that.”

The event was not just about learning how to cook, as Thomas announced that the first dish, a pasta salad, was ready for everyone to eat. The excitement was clear as the bowl of pasta salad moved from one table to the other. One could hear, “This is really good, Chef!” every few seconds, and Thomas proclaimed that the best was yet to come.

The event was open to the public, and there was diverse representation from Etown’s community. There were students, faculty and staff. Gabrielle Reed, Deputy Title IX Coordinator and FYS professor, was impressed by the food being offered. She would often ask questions and wanted to know whether Thomas uses the wall test to tell if his pasta is ready.

“That is what they teach you in culinary school,” Thomas said. “I will not be doing that today though because then I would have to clean it up, but if you want to make sure that your pasta is ready, throw it on a wall and see if it sticks.”

Junior international business major Emely Guevara was especially excited for the chickpeas curry with rice. “Gene [Thomas] knew what he was doing,” Guevara said. “He wanted to leave the best for last, and I am definitely not leaving anytime soon. Not until I have tried the rice curry.”

Director of the Center of Community and Civic Engagement Javita Thompson and Associate Director of Diversity, Equity and Belonging Darcey Mills were also in attendance and seemed engaged with Thomas’s enthusiastic teaching. They also helped with the event, passing around the food and giving everyone cutlery, making sure that Thomas only had to worry about showing everyone how to cook.

With only a few days of BHM left, Belgrave, who is also the president of the NAACP Etown chapter, urged everyone to participate in the remaining events of this month. “People should celebrate Black excellence every day of the year, but this is the only month where you can show up to events on campus and learn more about Black food, history and culture.”

To learn more about Etown’s BHM events, visit the Etown DEB and Etown NAACP Instagram pages. You can also view a non-exhaustive list here: https://news.etown.edu/index.php/2021/02/01/elizabethtown-college-celebrates-black-history-month/