Serving Up Some Comfort

Pastry chef and social justice activist Paola Velez serves both smiles and sweet treats to the Penn Dining community.

The first few semesters away from home can be difficult for college students who miss home-cooked meals and family gatherings. Penn Cooks and other similar events have been bringing culinary exploration and cultural education to Penn’s dining halls for a few years now, but these experiences also bring comfort for those who may not be going home for the holidays.

Chef Liz Alpern offers another ladle of soup—the ultimate cold-weather comfort food—to Penn students.

No freshman blues here! These heaping plates bring both sustenance and camaraderie to the Penn community.

These events mix interviews and panel discussions with a delicious meal cooked on-site by the featured chefs, in partnership with Penn Dining staff. The chefs featured in Penn Cooks come from a variety of cultural and career backgrounds, and they celebrate the opportunity to share their experiences and expertise with the Penn community.

Clara Park (left), executive chef of Penn’s Quaker Kitchen, interviews chef Klancy Miller, author of the recently-released cooking anthology, For the Culture: Phenomenal Black Women and Femmes in Food.

From left: Clara Park, Klancy Miller, Sarah Thompson, and Tonii Hicks chat about their journeys as chefs.

Whether it’s highlighting women chefs across the African diaspora or bringing Queer Soup Night to LGBTQ+ students and allies, these meals and conversations build community for students of all identities. I’m no stranger to the Penn campus, but these are some of my favorite events to photograph for the university. Sure, the food is delicious, but the stories and discussions shared are meaningful, eye-opening, and equally enjoyable.

Penn Dining staff pose in front of a display celebrating fellow women and femmes in the culinary industry.

These fun experiences are enjoyed by students and dining staff alike.

And, of course, there’s always room for dessert.