Taste of Nations 2025

List of 12 items.

• What is Taste of Nations?

  For those of you who have never attended, Taste of Nations is an event not to be missed! It is one of the few events in which the entire school—the boarding students, faculty and staff, day students and families—gather in one place to celebrate our rich diversity together in an informal setting. Essentially, the event is a huge buffet dinner. The food for the event is prepared by boarding students, faculty, staff, parents and day students in kitchens all over campus as well as those in homes in the surrounding area during the day on Saturday. The prepared food is then brought to Harlow Gym at approximately 4:45 p.m.  All cooks have a table (or a portion of a table) set up for their use. Aluminum cooking trays, chafing racks/warming trays and serving utensils are provided for all cooks to make preparation, serving and cleanup a breeze. 

   

  Once all of the food has been set up, the doors open to the Fay community at 5:00 p.m.  Guests hang up their coats, pick up a plate and utensils, and proceed to “shop” each table to sample foods from around the world. In previous years, well over 40 countries have been represented; we hope to have a wonderful variety of foods again this year.

   

  The cooks/servers at each country’s table serve guests a small sample of their dish (so there is plenty to go around). Recipe cards are available on each table so guests can see ingredients.

• What type of food should I make?

  International boarding students often prepare an assortment of dishes representing their native countries, while other students and their families prepare dishes from many other countries. Day families sometimes choose to prepare a dish because they have a connection to a particular country, but many times they choose to prepare a dish because they either like a particular food or want to try a new recipe (for example, you might choose to prepare an Italian dish even though you have no Italian heritage).  The resulting buffet is a diverse and tasty smorgasbord for all guests to enjoy.

• What are some of the foods that have been prepared in the past?

  Each year brings new and exciting dishes to TON. Some of the dishes prepared before include Swedish meatballs, baba ganoush, sushi, Korean barbeque, lasagna, hot dogs, pan-fried dumplings, kielbasa with sauerkraut, coq au vin, macaroni and cheese, spanakopita, and Irish soda bread, to name a few. These are but a few of the many, many foods that have been brought to and shared at Taste of Nations in the past. We need cooks to prepare a variety of foods every year, and we hope you’ll volunteer to bring a dish to share.  

• If I don’t have time to cook, is it all right if I buy something to serve?

  While it’s preferable to have home-cooked food at the event, it is certainly acceptable to bring food that is purchased if you prefer. You are also welcome to bring non-alcoholic beverages or individual packaged snacks from the country you are representing.

• If I make something, will I be stuck serving it at my table all night or will I have time to enjoy the other foods as well?

  All cooks are encouraged to take time to enjoy all of the food at the event! The first 30-45 minutes are a little busy with guests wanting to sample all the wonderful dishes and hear more about them, but after the rush, feel free to grab a plate and sample the foods yourself!

• Who can attend?

  Taste of Nations is open to all Fay and ELC current families, students, faculty and staff. All ages are welcome! This event is not open to the public.

• Is the event accessible?

  Yes. Please refer to the Fay School campus map. The double doors on the lower level of Harlow Gym (on the Root side) will be accessible during the event.

• Is there a dress code?

  There is no dress code. Since Taste of Nations is an informal event, casual attire is welcome (jeans are fine). However, we do encourage guests to come in festive wear that represents your country and/or culture.

• I have small kids. Can they come? Will there be childcare?

  Children of all ages are welcome, but no childcare will be provided. Parents and guardians are responsible for their own children and should supervise them at all times.

• What if my child has a food allergy?

  Since much of the food for this event is prepared in kitchens across the surrounding area, we cannot provide assurance that any of the food served will be allergen-free. If you or someone in your family has a food allergy, it is recommended that you use due diligence at this food-focused event. A recipe listing ingredients will be available on each table.

• Do you need help? How can I help?

   

  Yes, we would appreciate any help you can provide! You can help in one or many ways:

  • Sign up to bring a dish! You can make/bring an appetizer, entree, side dish or dessert, though entrees and side dishes are preferred. Click here to sign up.

  • Help with setup and decorating on Friday afternoon, January 26 or Saturday morning, January 27. We'll be posting a signup list soon.
  

  • Help with cleanup after the event on Saturday night.

• Whom do I contact to get more information?

  Please contact Jill Anthony, Director of Equity and Inclusion, at janthony@fayschool.org with any questions.

  
  We look forward to seeing you at Taste of Nations!