STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — In West Brighton on Sunday, the third annual Multicultural Food Festival served up an edible segue into a world of flavors. Guests gathered to savor delectable dishes prepared by chefs from across the borough. Organized by the Staten Island Hate Crimes Task Force, the event was a celebration of the borough’s rich diversity and a showcase of unity through cuisine.
Spinach burek, a flaky pastry made from intense dough work, hails from Alba Market in Dongan Hills. The Albanian store features a restaurant and offers its own pastry program, meat department with cheeses and a grocery component. (Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)
District Attorney Michael McMahon hosted the free event, held at Sacred Heart School. He hoped to present Staten Island’s rich cultural tapestry, promote diversity and combat intolerance all as a comprehensive showcase. Organized in partnership with about a dozen restaurants and caterers, the festival indeed highlighted the borough’s diverse cultures, cuisines and customs.
From left to right, Patty Wilson, cousin Angella Wilson and chef/caterer Lorna Wilson serve up Jamaican fare. Radhakrishna Mohan samples the deliciousness. (Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)
“This tremendous event serves to recognize the myriad of immigrant communities and ethnic identities that make our borough what it is, and pay homage to the vibrant cultural mosaic of Staten Island,” according to event organizers. The festival, they emphasize, is an ongoing effort to ensure that “hate and intolerance never finds home on Staten Island” by celebrating differences and honoring heritage.
At 1 p.m., the crowd trickled into Sacred Heart’s gym, where DA McMahon welcomed attendees. Pre-meal prayers were offered by Rabbi Mendy Mirocznik, president of the Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island, Bishop Victor Brown from Mt. Sinai United Christian Church, plus Fr. Rhey Garcia, Sacred Heart’s pastor and known “foodie.”
The family-friendly event featured foods from around the world — courtesy of the borough’s chefs — served by volunteers from the Staten Island Hate Crimes Task Force. Here young Kristina enjoys enchiladas and nachos from Yopaqui Taqueria in Port Richmond. (Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)
Imam Tahir Kukaj also prayed with attendees. Kukaj is a chaplain with the NYPD and a familiar face in the Albanian community. He spoke about how various cultures have been united by recent celebrations in the borough. Between weekend-long Eid gatherings for Muslims and Pentecost Sunday for Christians, they could commune in the joy offered by the festival’s common denominator — food.
Community Board 1 member Loretta Cauldwell and globetrotting gourmand Murray Berman savor noshes from Sally’s Southern and other borough eateries. (Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)
Breaking bread
As guests began to enjoy their meals, the entertainment portion of the event kicked off. Emcee Ryan Crimmins of the DA’s Office introduced the colorfully clad lineup for what became a string of impressive demonstrations by youth.
Irish step dancing drew a rapt crowd of spectators who clapped along with the music. (Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)
Dancers came from Staten Island Musical Steppers with “Yaliguna” and “Fishwomen’s Dawning,” the Hua Xia Chinese School with “Little Town Dance” and Irish Step Dancing from Mrs. Rosemary’s Dance Studio. Daya Dance Group offered spirited sets with a “Bollywood Mix” theme performed by girls gracefully twirling and tumbling in magenta gowns.
The Tamil School’s girls performed.(Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)
Tamil School of Ilankai Tamil Sangam followed up with a choreographed show featuring all boys. Ladies Lasya continued with the “Lasya Dance” and tai chi by the adult brigade of the Zhang Yuan Chinese Martial Arts studio.
Tamil School’s boys line up for their moment in front of an audience of hundreds. (Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)
The crowd clapped and cheered with Latino dance from Ballet Folkloric Guadalupano and a hip-hop medley courtesy of the Shaolin Queens Empire. Athletes from Zhang Yuan Chinese Martial Arts gave one of the finales with a Kung Fu demo by the organization’s youngest member.
The Hua Zia Chinese School repertoire of dancers used fans in their performance. (Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)
McMahon personally served guests from the Zara restaurant station with rice, kebabs and fresh burek rounds.
Murray Burman said he’d just returned from Turkey and Zara’s version of the bread was better than he sampled abroad.
Shaheen Masood and Maribel Frida Espinosa-Hernandez took a break from serving food to the festival crowd. (Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)
Shaheen Masood proudly ladled Pakistani food from Al Humzah on Richmond Road, a long-standing market and eatery located near the Islamic Masjid (mosque) of Staten Island. Masood is a member of the Asian American Labor and Community Organization, one of the event’s sponsors.
Rabbi Mendy Mirocznik of Staten Island Council of Jewish Organizations (COJO), center, delivered one of the event’s prayers before the meal.(Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)
Vincent D’Antuono and his crew from Pastosa of West Brighton served Italian food with hot and chilled pastas including plum cheese ravioli. Doone’s Kitchen caterer Lorna Wilson presented jerk chicken with a smile. And
McMahon said, “A celebration of Staten Island’s rich diversity and myriad cultures, customs, and cuisines make our unique borough so special. As Staten Island’s chief law enforcement officer, I am committed to ensuring that hate has no home in our borough and events like these are critical to promoting tolerance, inclusivity and community.”
He further added, “Sunday’s food festival was all about promoting ‘Love not Hate’ and nothing says love like food!”
The DA offered praise for participants, “I commend the dozens upon dozens of participating businesses and organizations who graciously donated delicious dishes from around the world, the countless spectacular local performers who dazzled us, Sacred Heart for its warm hospitality and partnership, and the thousands of Staten Islanders who joined us to celebrate our borough’s rich cultural mosaic.”
Restaurants and caterers included: Alba Restaurant of Dongan Hills; Andrew’s Diner of Great Kills; Batangas Best mobile coffee brewers; Burrito Bar of West Brighton; Denino’s Pizzeria from Port Richmond; Dumpling Town from New Dorp; Jimmy Max of Westerleigh; Jody’s Club Forest and Moretti’s Bakery, both of West Brighton; New China Buffet of New Dorp; Noodlefan of Castleton Corners; O’Neill’s Irish Pub from Port Richmond; Pastosa Ravioli of West Brighton; Polish-American-European Deli M.E. Inc. of Bulls Head; Sally’s Southern from West Brighton; The Point Tavern of West Brighton; Caterer Veronica Daniels; Yolpaqui Taqueria of Port Richmond; Zara Cafe & Grill of Greenridge, Dongan Hills and Graniteville.
Participating restaurants and community groups include the following:
- Asian American Labor & Community Organization
- Community Agency for Senior Citizens
- Community Emergency Response Team
- Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island
- Ghanaian Association of Staten Island
- Health Essential Association
- Jamaica & Caribbean Organization of Staten Island
- Jewish Community Center of Staten Island
- Pakistani Civic Association of Staten Island
- Philippine Independence Committee of Staten Island
- Senegalese Association of Staten Island
- Staten Island Center for Independent Living
- Staten Island Hindu Temple
Lorna Wilson’s jerk chicken (Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)
“What makes us different makes us stronger,” said DA McMahon. “I cannot wait to bring back this incredibly popular and meaningful event next year.”
The Staten Island Hate Crimes Task Force food festival will continue the tradition next year.
This platter of food represents samples from around the room including eats typical of Senegal, Pakistan, China, Italy and Albania. (Advance/SILive.com | Pamela Silvestri)
发表回复