Student input adds flavor, variety to halal, kosher meals
By Bryan Chambala, Student and Campus Life
In fall 2022, Mikhail Essa ’24 was sure of one thing about Cornell’s halal food offerings: Everyone was tired of chicken thighs.
“Grilled chicken thighs seemed like all they had,” said Essa, a student in the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management.
Later that semester, Essa, who is Muslim, happened to walk by the yet-to-open Morrison Dining hall while a dining planning meeting was underway and went inside. That encounter led to extensive volunteer involvement with Cornell Dining: Essa offered to look for suppliers of halal food – meat prepared in accordance with Muslim law. Now, students can choose from a variety of types of halal chicken, beef and lamb, prepared in styles ranging from Moroccan to Indian.
“At Morrison you’ll see a huge line of students for halal – a lot of whom are not Muslim,” said Essa – one of several Muslim and Jewish students who provide guidance to dining staff for sourcing and serving both halal and kosher foods, improving variety, availability and taste. “Our goal is to continue to work with Cornell Dining retail services to get more kosher and halal food at retail locations on campus. The feedback has been so good, we know the demand is there.”