Employee Spotlight: WUrld Fusion at Wash U’s Secret Ingredients

Written by Guest on May 18, 2012in Staff - 3 Comments

By Jill Duncan, Marketing Director, Washington University in St. Louis

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Special clay vessels from India that Sona used for dessert

Diners at the Indian Station in the Bear’s Den at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, often marvel at the quality, variety, and authenticity of the meals served there. While those qualities may be standard at Bon Appétit, Wash U does have some secret ingredients: two special cooks who work there: Sona Kukal, born in Kolkata in east India, and Zach Khan, born in Karachi, Pakistan.

“Celebrate Shadi,” a Chefs’ Table featuring a 10-course meal by Sona and Zach, highlighted the special Southeast Asian foods typically enjoyed at an Indian wedding celebration.

The guests — both students and members of the media — arrived to find the room decorated in pink in the traditional Indian manner. As they served each course, Sona and Zach explained its significance in the celebration, offering attendees a rare peek into Indian culture. Sona went all out, going so far as to order special clay vessels from India for the final dessert course of phirni — a thick rice pudding with real sheets of silver leaf. Following dessert, platters of candied Indian spices were presented as digestive aids in authentic Indian fashion. Students loved having the opportunity to talk to the cooks about their backgrounds and learn more about their special passion for the food they cook.

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