Southeast Asian Cuisine Explored at Foodways Symposium April 10 - 11

Get ready for a culinary journey to Southeast Asia! Kalamazoo Valley Community College will explore those flavor profiles when its annual Kalamazoo Valley Foodways Symposium returns April 10 - 11 to downtown Kalamazoo. Admission is free and advance registration is not required.

Expect a weekend of exploration, learning and fun as the community comes together to honor its agricultural history and heritage cuisines, celebrate good food and work together to build a just and healthy future for all. All are welcome to attend.

The event opens on Friday, April 10 at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, with a free distribution of seeds from 6 to 7 p.m. The keynote panel, "Beyond Authentic? Rethinking Tradition, Innovation and Belonging in Southeast Asian Foodways," follows from 7 to 8 p.m. Southeast Asian appetizers will be served from 8 to 8:30 p.m.

Friday's panel will be facilitated by Chef Abang Brian, a culinary educator, award-winning author and host of "The Hungry Immigrant." Brian will lead a powerful conversation with Southeast Asian chefs, growers and community storytellers. Together, they will unpack how heritage cuisines evolve in American kitchens, how migration and adaptation shape taste and how communities preserve cultural meaning even as recipes change.

Enjoy more activities the next day, on Saturday, April 11, at Kalamazoo Valley Community College's Marilyn J. Schlack Culinary and Allied Health Building, at 418 E. Walnut St. in downtown Kalamazoo. The day will feature cooking demos, classes, hands-on activities, community conversations, kids' activities, local area vendors, food and more!

Visit kalamazoofoodways.org for the schedule and other details..