Happy Black History Month! Toni Morrison Hall Replaces Cheese Pizza With “African-Inspired Red Sauce Cheesy Flatbread” for Month of February

To celebrate the contributions of Black Americans for Black History Month, Cornell Dining has released an all-new menu to Toni Morrison Dining Hall this February. Among the new dishes is 

an “African-inspired Red Sauce Cheesy Flatbread” that will replace the dining hall’s signature cheese pizza for the remainder of the month.

“We wanted to make sure that we represented the diversity of what I have just now learned is known as ‘the African Diaspora,’” said Greg Bullis, Director of Cornell University Dining. “Through bringing dishes from places like Nigeria, Ghana, and uh, the other ones, to our campus, we hope to grow an appreciation for the flavors of Africa.”

The menu, which was created by “a diverse group of people of all races and nationalities,” includes inventive dishes such as “West African Noodles and Butter,” “East African Salad with Spiced East African Dressing,” and “North African Mineral Water.” Students from all cultures, such as Sebastiano Romano ‘25, are taking full advantage of the dining hall’s mosaic of African flavors.

“I used to think that African food was very foreign to me and that I wouldn’t enjoy its flavors,” said Romano, an international student from Italy, “but the African-Inspired Red Sauce Cheesy Flatbread is amazing!”

The positive reception of this year’s menu has inspired Cornell Dining to continue its initiative in the coming years. According to Director Bullis, a green bean casserole inspired by the Horn of Ethiopia and a meatloaf with “influences from the Swahili language” are currently being developed for the 2025 menu.

The Cornell Dining team will continue its inclusion efforts for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, with Indian-inspired Tomato Parmesan Naan and Japanese-inspired Noodles with Japanese-sounding sauce, which they believe is sure to be a hit with students from all across the Western Hemisphere.   

Dining Hall Introduces Tasteless, Under-Spiced Version of Treasured Ethnic Cuisine

WEST CAMPUS—Last Thursday, the cooks at Hans Bethe House tried their best and offered up a flavorless take on a dish with deep cultural roots.

The dining hall staff was confident that, after about fifteen minutes of looking up empanada recipes, they could accurately deliver a cultural staple that has been perfected over generations all over the world.

“We really want students from every culture to feel at home here at Cornell,” said Dining Manager Tim Johnson. “So we thought, ‘why not give them a truly bland, uninspired taste of a cherished family tradition that makes them wish they could just go home?’”

“I really felt like I was transported to the rugged plains of one of those Spanish-speaking countries,” said Kimberly Hatch ’19, referring to the American cheese-filled pockets.

The cooks, emboldened by their recent success, are excited for next Tuesday’s treasured homage to authentic Chinese cooking with their Teriyaki Chicken Wings.