LOS ALAMITOS, CA- In Southern California, various cultures leave an impact on our local communities. Therefore, it is extremely important for someone to understand the plethora of nationalities that are present here. This feat of understanding other cultures may seem outside of our own norms and overwhelming, so Los Alamitos High School has a club that can help.

Los Al’s International Culinary Club (ICC) helps spread this sense of cultural literacy among our students, involving benefits that come from participating in its culturally enriching activities.

What is ICC?

Founded by seniors Una O’farrell and Polly McKillrath, the club was created as a way to learn about other cultures from around the world. However, learning about these different cultures could be difficult for some students, so its members had to find an accessible medium to use.

“We started the club because we really wanted to learn more about other cultures, and we realized food was a great way to connect with others,” said O’farrell.

Most of the time, trying new things could be daunting if done alone. That is why ICC tries to use group and friend cooperation to encourage it. Since eating in a social environment is something that most students are fond of doing, it was determined that this activity would be used to convey exotic and unfamiliar traditions.

“We think it’s important to study other cultures to simultaneously spread awareness and flavor in Los Al’s campus,” said O’farrell.

What activities does ICC do?

Each meeting in the club focuses on a different country or continent’s food and culture, be it in Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa and beyond. ICC tries its best to bring exotic flavors to its members through cooperative activities.

“Normally, one of our club members volunteers to make a cultural dish,” said O’farrell.

Typically, food is the embodiment of a country’s culture. Both the ingredients and cooking process for various dishes are developed from years of history and traditions. Whether the ingredients are native to the nation’s geography or brought in by an occupier or immigrant group, the dish always manages to convey the country’s story in the form of flavor. Creating these dishes allows the club members to experience that specific culture up close and personal.

“My favorite was probably when one of our members made Green Matcha Mochi for our Japan meeting,” said O’farrell.

After preparing the dish, the members eat it together and talk about its unique taste. Sharing and discussing these new experiences of flavor helps encourage further curiosity about that country’s culture, ultimately inspiring the students to learn more about it with their friends.

“[We] discuss the process of making the dish and specific traditions and customs of the country,” O’farrell said.

Ranging from every continent in the world, the palette scheduled for the club is meant to introduce a new foreign taste.

“So far, we have covered Italy, France, Japan, Mexico, Spain, and South Africa” O’farrell said about their previous meetings.

As of now, ICC is planning to keep their newer meetings on track with seasonal holidays. France was recently showcased for February’s Mardi Gras, and March will be kicked off with Irish cuisine in celebration of St. Patrick’s day. For the first time, Persian food will be made for the spring season Persian New Year of Nowruz.

After serving these delicious items to its members, trivia games like Kahoot are played, which have questions that revolve around the traditions of the meeting’s country. Even if the students get most of the questions wrong, it is expected as the topics revolve around a culture that is likely to be unfamiliar to them. While this is bound to happen, getting these preconceptions of the country wrong actually serves the purpose of encouraging further learning about said culture. Learning is often inspired by failure, and the realization that you know very little about a certain culture pushes further exploration of their traditions. Ultimately, every part of the club’s activities are to entice its members to pursue further learning of the topic. While some classes may present learning as tedious, this club associates learning with fun.

Why benefit from learning about other cultures? 

Life is more enjoyable when we try new things and grow fond of new experiences. If people live their lives with a closed mindset to other cultures, their lives would be bland and uneventful. That is why both the cultural literacy and openness to new experiences advocated by ICC is important for any student who wishes to have a great social life in the future.

America is a megadiverse country of unique cultures from around the world. In future school and even job experiences, you are bound to work with someone from a different cultural background from your own. That is why being culturally literate of respective traditions will foster greater bonds with classmates and coworkers. The more familiar you are with traditions and differences, the greater your bond with others will last.

In spite of our range of diversity, many Americans still feel unenthused or even afraid to try another culture. If we wish to have an exciting life, we must be able to be open to these new experiences. Even if the food you try is not exactly to your liking, it is part of creating your own sense of preferences between different cultures. That way, a sense of familiarity is felt when you visit a place belonging to another national tradition, as you now know what you would like to or rather not eat.

Why join ICC? 

Learning about other cultures could always be done alone if someone is confident enough. Especially in this day and age, information is available online through quick searches. However, doing it in the presence of others is always more enriching than done alone. If we try new things in the presence of others, it becomes a much more memorable moment. If you wish to obtain this kind of experience, then ICC is the club for you. No matter how foreign a culture may seem, experiencing it in the company of new friends makes it feel closer than ever.