When Navneet Mundae was seven years old, her family moved. “I was really afraid of moving to a different place,” Mundae remembers.
“That day, my mom made me kheer (South Asian rice pudding). She usually makes it for birthdays or holidays, but this time, she made it so that I wouldn’t be so scared.”
“When I tasted it, I could feel her love, and I felt comforted like everything would be okay.”
Now a student at McMaster, Mundae submitted her mother’s recipe to Taste of Home, an annual initiative where students share recipes from their families for a chance to have them served at La Piazza.
Mundae is one of six students whose dishes will be featured in this year’s Taste of Home, and she hopes to share the sense of comfort kheer gives her with others.
“Food is more than nourishment,” says Gisela Oliveira, associate director (Skills Development and International Student Services) in Student Affairs.
“It’s a way to connect with our roots, share our stories, and build a sense of belonging. Taste of Home celebrates rich traditions and the diversity of the McMaster community.”
Like Mundae’s kheer, Tingyi Li’s dumplings carry special memories and a sense of connection.
“Dumplings are one of the most traditional dishes in China. They represent unity, warmth, and especially reunion,” Li shares.
His pork and corn dumplings have become part of a new yearly tradition.
“I came to Canada on my own and I really missed that tradition of making dumplings with my family,” explains Li.
“Instead of giving up, I taught my host family and roommates how to make them. Now every Chinese New Year we have a new tradition of making dumplings together, just like my family back home.”
Top row, from left: Kheer is a rice pudding from South Asia; pork belly and rice with bok choy. Lower row, from left: Vada pav, pork and corn dumplings and Boursin orzo.
Connecting people to their roots
For Jason Xiao and Kerry Yang, it’s not just about the flavours — food is a bridge that connects them to their roots.
“It’s the emotions and memories that each dish invokes,” Xiao says. He shared the recipe for braised pork belly that his grandma makes when he visits.
He even Facetimed his grandma to make sure he got the recipe right.
Yang submitted the special wonton soup recipe shared with Yang’s parents by the village “wonton grandpa” when they first left China. And though she was nervous to make dumplings on her own without her mom, Yang knew her family would be proud.
“It means a lot to them, knowing the story of their village and the wonton grandpa is being shared.”
Reimagining old traditions with new dishes
Sometimes it’s not the recipe but the act of cooking that carries a tradition. For Italian American exchange student, Cameron Morse, cooking together is how his family expresses their love and care.
“We grew up making family recipes like bolognese and lasagna — all secret recipes that my grandmother keeps in the family to pass on,” Morse explains.
His Boursin orzo, though not traditionally Italian, holds a special meaning as the first new dish he’s introduced into his family’s shared cookbook.
“This dish represents the comfort of home cooking and a feeling of independence,” said Morse.
“It’s the first original recipe I could share with my family, and I’m so excited to share it at McMaster. It really means a lot.”
Taste of Home is a collaboration between McMaster Hospitality Services and the Student Success Centre and is part of McMaster’s Holiday Market, presented by MSU Campus Events, McMaster Students Union, and Student Success Centre.