Penn Cooks is one of my favorite recurring assignments—not just because of the delicious food, but because of the learning experiences and community building these meals provide.
Living on campus can be a difficult adjustment for students who are used to regular home-cooked meals with family. Penn Dining brings a little comfort to students studying far from home through a variety of events featuring locally- and nationally-renowned chefs, providing unique dishes, cultural education, and camaraderie all at once.
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.
I’ve photographed Penn Cooks events for a few years now, and it’s always heartwarming to capture students’ hunger for both the delicious meals and the learning experiences.
Chef Liz Alpern offers another ladle of soup—the ultimate cold-weather comfort food—to Penn students.
Pastry chef Paola Velez shares her tips and tricks with the Penn Dining community.
Chefs from all kinds of career and cultural backgrounds share their unique experiences and expertise with students and staff alike, in addition to special meals prepared in collaboration with Penn Dining staff. Attendees enjoy both the mouthwatering eats and the opportunity to chat with rising stars in the culinary industry.
Penn Dining staff pose in front of a display celebrating fellow women and femmes in the culinary industry.
The chefs of Penn Cooks bring both tasty meals and lively discussion to students and staff alike.
And, of course, there’s always room for dessert.