The Ohio Union was filled with the aroma of sweet, spicy and savory international cuisine and a couple thousand hungry Buckeyes eager to experience Taste of OSU, one of Ohio State’s signature events and long-time traditions. More than 40 international student organizations cooked up their favorite dishes and entertained the crowd with performances that best represented their diverse cultures and regions of the world on Feb. 14.
Taste of OSU was first held in Oxley Hall in 1997. There were four electric rice cookers, a gyro rotisserie and one large chicken roaster overloading the circuit breaker every few minutes. Approximately 60 people attended the event that spring day to enjoy a plate of international food on the lawn in front of the building.
Organized by the Office of International Affairs (OIA), Taste of OSU has grown significantly in the past 28 years and provides a space for students from many different backgrounds to celebrate their culture and traditions with the campus community. The event continues to be free to attend and guests purchase $1 tickets to buy a small “taste” of food from the participating student organizations.
"Taste of OSU is a unique event that celebrates Ohio State’s cultural diversity, offering students the opportunity to showcase their heritage through food, drinks, booths, and performances," said Nicole Kuan, chair of Taste of OSU and a senior majoring in marketing. "This experience not only highlights the richness of various cultures but also broadens attendees' understanding and appreciation of others’ cultures. Serving as chair-elect in 2024 and chair in 2025 has been an incredible honor, and I’m so grateful for the experience and the support of the OIA staff. I wish Christine the best of luck as she steps into the role of Chair for Taste of OSU 2026!"
Twenty student organizations were selected to cook two of their favorite recipes that best represent their home countries. They work in teams alongside campus chefs in the Ohio Union to prepare their dishes.
Students participate in a friendly competition for best food and best cultural booth. Their dishes are judged by those who simply love good food as well as experts in the culinary field. Dishes are scored based on flavor, appearance, texture and cultural significance. Many of the cultural booths displayed include posters, historical retrospectives, interactive presentations and tell a story about a specific country or region of the world.
Also highlighting the evening were the 25 groups that took the stage to share traditional songs and dances from all around the world. The crowd enjoyed a wide variety of genres - everything from a Vietnamese fan dance and Lithuanian polka op op to modern wushu and Japanese martial arts.
"One of my favorite parts of Taste of OSU is sharing my culture with everyone," said Christine Lee, Taste of OSU chair-elect and a junior majoring in finance with a minor in business analytics. "From participating in the event as a freshman to making and selling boba at a drink booth during my sophomore year, and now managing performance schedules this year, I have grown so much! I've learned about different cultures and felt immense pride in seeing my own culture represented at Ohio State."
The 2025 Taste of OSU winners are: Taiwanese Student Association (first place in food); Brazilian Students Association (second place in food); Puerto Rican Students Association (third place in food); Palestinian Women’s Association and Students for Justice in Palestine (first place in cultural booth and second place in tickets collected); Indian Students Association and Cook with Communities (second place in cultural booth); Bangladeshi Student Association (third place in cultural booth); Pakistani American Students’ Association (first place in tickets collected); and the Malaysian Students Association (third place in tickets collected).