No matter where we call home, no matter what language we speak, all of humanity loves to eat good food.

 

Of course, “good” is defined by each culture. One land might adore skull-blasting spicy dishes, while its neighbor enjoys a more lightly seasoned diet. Learning to appreciate the different foods of foreign lands can be fun, and learning how to cook that food can be exciting.

 

For the seventh academic year, the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences has celebrated other regions of the globe in its Passport to the World program. Through seminars and classes, events and lectures, the College of Arts and Sciences has introduced the UK campus to South Africa, China, Russia, Mexico, the Middle East and Europe. This year, South Asia is the center of attention in a series of events and activities called the "Year of South Asia: Its People, Societies, Sciences, Arts and Life."

 

One of the most consistently inhabited regions on Earth with a heritage stretching back thousands of years, South Asia is made up of eight nations — Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. In addition to a full calendar of other events, the college is taking the university on a multinational tour of South Asia’s dinner table with its first stop in Pakistan’s kitchen.

 

Chef Asma Hyatt of Bluegrass Catering will teach a hands-on cooking class featuring the culinary traditions of Pakistan at 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, at The Food Connection Learning Kitchen, room 234 of The 90. This is the first of four South Asian regional culinary classes offered by The Food Connection, featuring local chefs and authentic recipes.

 

To register, email tanya.whitehouse@uky.edu or call 859-537-1303. General reservation is $10, $5 for students.

 

In addition to the college, the event is sponsored by the Department of Gender and Women’s Studies, the Department of Anthropology, The Food Connection and Food Systems Initiative.

 

 

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