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BY VIVIANA SMITH, SENIOR STAFF REPORTER

Filling the corridors in Hanover hall with deliciously enticing aromas, the GMU Culinary Club hosted its first general body meeting on Friday, Feb. 7, inviting students to make Mexican-inspired “walking tacos” and mangonadas. 

The meeting, the first of eight planned for the semester, allowed prospective club members to try their hand at cooking their own meals. The Culinary Club’s board members provided ingredients, cooking utensils and assistance while attendees brought their favorite chip bags, empty stomachs and their insatiable interest in cuisine. 

Kicking off the meeting, Mason junior and Culinary Club President Jeanne Snyder-Pham welcomed more than 30 attendees with excitement. After explaining the history and cultural significance of the two dishes and supplying the tables with their ingredients, the meeting turned into a scene from “The Bear” – except without the yelling or an appearance from Jeremy Allen White. 

Rather, the Culinary Club buzzed around the kitchenette, assisting tables with the cooking process, preparing the meat for tacos and sharing culinary knowledge. Tables were filled with individuals working together to create pico de gallo for their first dish. Through the laughter and sounds of chopping, each table prepared their own unique “walking taco” and then chowed down on the products of their own creation. 

The “walking tacos” were washed down with sweet-and-savory mangonadas, a smoothie-like treat with Mexican origins. The blender drowned out some of the chatter as people approached the station to get their share, topping their cups with tajin, chamoy sauce and tamarindo straws—a spicy yet irresistible combination. Smiles weren’t hard to spot as people enjoyed their mangonadas with one another.

Viviana Smith/Fourth Estate

Snyder-Pham explains that the most important part of their club is connecting the community through food. “One of our mission statements here at culinary club is to promote unity at George Mason University,” she said. “We believe that food brings people together.”

Mason senior and Culinary Club Vice President Justine Arenas supported this, adding that the first meeting was meant to bring Mason students together in a tight-knit community built on a shared passion for cuisine. “Through food, [students] have friends here and people they can connect with,” she said. 

Arenas continued, sharing how people choose to sit at tables with others rather than sitting alone in hopes of socializing. “Already we see the effects of what we’re trying to achieve.”

Viviana Smith/Fourth Estate

Besides connecting members within the club, Snyder-Pham and Arenas shared that they team up with other Mason student organizations in hopes of sharing different cultural dishes with their members. From GMU Indian Student Association to Mason’s Collective Organizations of South Asia, the Culinary Club partners with various cultural clubs on campus to foster inter-organizational relationships and expand its members’ cultural experiences. 

Snyder-Pham shared that even if a club doesn’t represent a particular culture, they still pursue collaborations to simply enjoy community with one another and share new perspectives. “As students here, we believe strongly in a strong student body, so we feel motivated in connecting other people through food with different departments and everything,” she said. 

Some students agreed that the event was a great experience, with one table expressing that they had a lot of fun, even though not everyone knew each other. 

Mason sophomore Haily Kim was surprised by the hands-on experience. She shared that the cultural exchange she received was much more of a positive gain than the free food. “I’m Korean, so there’s not really a chance of me making Mexican food or Mexican-inspired food,” she said. “I feel like doing that today really opened my eyes of seeing what Mexican culture is like and what their flavor profiles are like.”

Kim added that she would use the recipe again, especially if her family was unsure what to eat one night—furthering the spread of one culture to another. 

Snyder-Pham and Arenas shared that the club is open to all skill levels and that the only real requirement is enjoying food. “We will take anyone because we believe strongly in learning to make food, learning to love food,” Snyder-pham said with a smile. 

For those interested in joining the GMU Culinary Club, connect with them on Mason360 or Instagram.