We are proud to present “World on a Plate,” a temporary exhibition created to celebrate International Education Week (IEW2024). This exhibition features undergraduate and graduate students’ work illustrating and animating dishes from various countries. As we celebrate food as a cultural connector, this exhibition invites visitors to enjoy a visual feast that may evoke memories and foster new connections with different cultures.

This project has been in the making for at least 4 weeks. Students illustrated their favorite dishes from their respective countries and regions, while sharing memories of why those dishes are meaningful to them. In this temporary exhibition we invite you to seat at our global table and discover some of their memories.

Join us on Monday, November 18, at the ATC lobby of the Bass School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology anytime from 10 am to 4 pm. More information available in the Comet calendar.

See below a few pictures of the participants preparing to animate their creations:

In the exhibition you will see the works from:

  • German dish created by Caroline Rodgers
  • British dish created by Connor Goodrich
  • Indian dish created by Anisha Chaudhary
  • Iranian dish created by Mozhdeh Khamsehnezhad
  • Iranian dish created by Mahsa Abri
  • Vietnamese dish created by Diamond Nguyen
  • Brazilian dish created by Roberta Maschiarelli
  • Tex Mex dish created by Margaret Ridley
  • Trinidadian dish created by Alissa Clarke-Gaar
  • Thai dish created by Chloe Serimontrikul
  • Mexican dish created by Alissa Clarke-Gaar for Luke Hernandez
  • Louisiana dish created by Dillon Weaver

Here we share some of the dishes, set on our international table with the memories written by the participants:

Pani Puri – INDIA

“My mom, sisters, and I used to go to Taj Grocers in Richardson. In the back of this shabby Indian market, there was the BEST stand for pani puri and chaat. The cook working the counter would use their thumb to crack open the puri shell, drop in chana and aloo, and then submerge it into the spicy and sweet pani mixture. Then they would hand it to you in a Styrofoam bowl and you had to quickly eat it in one bite! It was a burst of flavors like mint, pepper, chili, cilantro, ginger and green and red chutney. Any water that spilled from the crunchy shell could be sipped and savored after about 6-8 puris. Taj Grocers eventually shut down, and although we prepare this street food at home now, it is never quite the same as the pani puri from the shabby Indian market.“
~Anisha Chaudhary

Bún Bò Huế (spicy beef noodles) – VIETNAM

“My mom is a great home cook, as many Asian moms are. She often prepares special Vietnamese dishes for the family on special occasions. On my birthday every year, she would ask me what I preferred to eat, and my answer was always Bún Bò Huế (spicy beef noodles). Bún Bò Huế has become my go-to order, especially since I moved away from home. I could eat it all day, every day.

I guess it wasn’t a big deal until I got rashes all over my body. The doctor said it was a kind of eczema, and I had to go on a strict diet without any beef and spicy foods to prevent it from flaring up again. This is the reason why I slowly turned vegetarian and can no longer enjoy my Bún Bò Huế as I used to. But the dish always has a special place in my heart, carrying my dearest memories.

The richness of the fragrant beef broth with lemongrass, a tender bite of the beef, a hefty amount of green herbs, and a squeeze of lime to cut through the fattiness are such an experience. A spoonful of Bún Bò Huế is a symphony of flavors that dances in your mouth and makes you miss it forever.“

~Diamond Nguyen

Tex-Mex cheese enchiladas – TEXAS

“Tex-Mex cheese enchiladas are made of corn tortillas, cheese, and meat sauce served up with refried beans, and rice with peas and carrots. This dish has been my go-to order since I was a kid, and makes me think of time with family. When relatives would come to South Texas to stay at my Grandma’s house, she would sometimes take one of her cooking trays and drop it off at a nearby restaurant to be filled with enchiladas for everyone. That would mean a big family meal and time for visiting, and of course being asked afterwards – “who’s ready for dessert?”! This dish reminds me of those I love, both those who are here and those who have passed. I hope we all hold on to these memories to stay close to each other.”

~Margaret Ridley

Mexican Plate – MEXICO

“This dish is presented in honor of my friend, Luke. It is a Mexican plate filled with tacos and concha bread.

Conchas are a traditional Mexican sweet bread roll with a crunchy sugar topping.

I had a great time drawing this food and learning about traditional Mexican cuisine!”

~Alissa Clarke-Gaar

Trinidadian Plate – TRINIDAD

“My grandmother was Trinidadian. She would come visit us during the summers and cook a ton of food. One of my favorite dishes was curry chicken. She never used a recipe, and when she did write a recipe for us to replicate, she didn’t include any measurements! I often look at her notes now and try to make curry chicken with my own spin on it. Luckily, fried plantain has been a lot easier to make!”

~Alissa Clarke-Gaar

Curry Recipe

Heat pot
Cover bottom with oil
Add curry (a lot)
Add 2 cloves of garlic
Simmer
Add potatoes
Add sugar (*and other vegetables for your own spin*)
Add chicken
Make curry paste then add
Simmer till done!

Rice and beans – BRAZIL

“Sunday is for macaroni, but Monday is for rice and beans,” my Italian grandmother always said. This simple tradition has been passed down through the family. The meal of rice and beans always brings me a sense of grounding, reminding me of the beginning of the week.”

~Roberta Masciarelli