York College of Pennsylvania Hosts an Interdisciplinary Dining Experience to Enhance Cultural Immersion

Bringing Classroom Theory Into the Kitchen

When students from the Spanish program and the Hospitality & Tourism Management department gather around a table, the result is more than a meal. It is a living laboratory where language, literature, cultural history and professional hospitality practices intersect. The event, held on November 3 at the Gunter‑Smith Center for Community Engagement, showcases how York College of Pennsylvania can turn academic research into a tangible, sensory experience.

From Conversation to Capsule Event

The idea was born in a faculty meeting during fall 2024. Assistant Professor José Luis de Ramón Ruiz (Spanish) and Associate Professor Joseph Scarcelli (Hospitality) discussed ways to deepen students’ cultural competence beyond the page. The solution: pair language scholars with future hospitality professionals to design, research, and serve a Spanish‑themed dinner that reflects the cuisines of Central America, the Caribbean, and Mexico.

The Research Backbone

Spanish majors started in their literature courses by tracking references to food in classic and contemporary texts. They mapped how ingredients, preparation methods, and meal contexts signal identity, migration, and socioeconomic status. The research culminated in a brief presentation that connected each dish to its narrative source and its broader socio‑cultural backdrop.

Planning the Production Side

Hospitality students treated the dinner as a full‑scale event. They wrote production schedules, drafted staffing plans, calculated ingredient quantities, ordered supplies, and practiced plating. By mirroring a real‑world restaurant workflow, they applied concepts such as line balance, service standards, and guest communication.

Dining as an Immersive Educational Tool

Guests entered the dining room expecting a typical banquet; instead, they discovered a “cultural lab.” As each course arrived, a Spanish major explained the dish’s literary roots, while Adjacent Hospitality staff demonstrated the service technique used. The conversation was a two‑way exchange: culinary staff clarified production challenges, and language students asked clarifying questions about the cultural meanings behind the food.

Skills Developed Beyond the Textbook

• Strategic planning and execution under time pressure.
• Interdisciplinary communication—translating culinary jargon for the linguistics audience and vice versa.
• Critical reflection on how food functions as a cultural text.
• Team coordination across diverse departments.

Student Voices on the Experience

Caroline Junkin ’26, a Hospitality graduate, said, “Seeing the menu concept take live form confirmed that theory and practice are inseparable. The event helped me understand exactly how a skilled chef can convey cultural narrative through plating, timing, and service.” Sammy Villa‑Lobos ’26 added, “It was a micro‑environment to practice the professional skills I’m building toward a career in fine‑dining management.” Even students from unrelated majors, such as Nursing’s Kennedy Conte ’27, noted the value: “The presentations opened my eyes to the subtleties of cultural interaction that go beyond the campus walls.”

Implications for York College’s Hospitality Curriculum

The success of the interdisciplinary dinner provides a template for future courses. By embedding field‑based projects, students gain measurable exposure to real‑world scenarios. The program illustrates how hospitality education must be grounded in cultural literacy if graduates truly serve a global and diverse market.

Bridging Theory and Practice

Academic researchers can use the methodology as a case study for grant proposals or curriculum enhancement. Educators can adopt a project‑based design that pushes students to research, plan, and execute within a comfortable but rigorous timeframe.

Resources for Aspiring Hospitality Professionals

• York College’s Event Management Guide
• Sustainable Food Practices Course Module
• Library Database: Cuisine in Literature
• Hospitality & Tourism Management Undergraduate Program
• Spanish Language and Culture Studies Program

How You Can Get Involved

Interested students, faculty, or community members can become a part of this interdisciplinary approach. The program is currently recruiting new participants for its spring cohort.

Apply to a Program That Fosters Interdisciplinarity

Reminder: Applications for the Hospitality & Tourism Management program close on January 15. If this cross‑disciplinary event resonates with you, now is the time to start your journey.

Schedule a Free Consultation

Want to learn more about how York College designs immersive experiences? Reach out to our admissions office for a no‑obligation consultation.

Have Questions? Reach Out!

Questions about the event, the curriculum, or how to apply? Send us an email or use the contact form on our website.

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Conclusion: A Blueprint for Cultural Immersion in Hospitality Education

The student‑curated dinner at York College of Pennsylvania demonstrates that culinary experiences can serve as powerful research laboratories. By weaving together language study, literary analysis, and hospitality operations, the project offers a holistic preview of the challenges and rewards of a career in global hospitality. Other institutions can adapt this model, proving that learning is most effective when it happens outside the textbook and inside a shared, sensory space.