Giving Thanks for Multicultural Food Traditions

It is time to highlight the diverse ways families and friends celebrate thanksgiving by integrating their own cultural traditions.

Text by Whitney Welbaum | Illustrations by Harlow Arcaro

Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks, enjoy time with family, and, of course, stuff your face with food. But sometimes Thanksgiving tables don’t always look the same. Thanksgiving traditions don’t have to be all from the same cookie-cutter mold. This year, let’s celebrate Thanksgiving dinner tables that highlight unique cultural food traditions.

A Chinese-America Thanksgiving Dinner

My Thanksgiving dinner spread is the best of both worlds. My father grew up in Ohio, and my grandmother always prepared the iconic American dishes for the family. My mother’s family, on the other hand, is Chinese, and food is a major part of our culture and traditions. In addition to Thanksgiving comfort foods, such as ham, cranberry sauce, and au gratin potatoes, we prepare Chinese dishes such as roast meat or protein and stir fry. My family also serves steamed or fried fish, a symbol of luck, as one of the centerpieces of the table, giving me a sense of comfort and excitement.

On Thanksgiving Day, the aroma of roast duck is the first thing that I smell when I walk into my house. Duck is one of my mother’s favorite foods, and we only have it during special occasions, including Thanksgiving. It is prepared with a soy sauce base, hours in advance, and cooks it for at least an hour. Sometimes we add air under the skin using an empty syringe to make the outside more crispy. This technique is often used when preparing Peking duck, a staple dish from Beijing.

Turkey is something that we typically only have on Thanksgiving, so the smell instantly reminds me of the holiday and builds anticipation for dinner. In addition to all the deeper meanings and symbolism, having both of my parents’ food represented at the dinner table gives me a sense of comfort and belonging that I look forward to every year.

Bennie Guzman, whose family is of Mexican descent, grew up in San Antonio, Texas. For Guzman’s family, Thanksgiving was seen as a time to connect with family as a kick-off to the holiday season. The dinner table featured classics such as green bean casserole, which was Bennie’s personal favorite, as well as ham and Mexican cokes and beer.

Guzman currently lives in Syracuse, New York. His Thanksgiving traditions look a little different now that he is no longer living with his family. He spends Thanksgiving with friends and emphasizes quality time rather than food. His favorite Thanksgiving memory is when he studied abroad in Italy. European countries don’t recognize Thanksgiving, so Guzman and his friends pulled together a meal of baked ziti, sandwiches, casseroles and homemade cookies. “It’s not only about what food we eat. What’s more important for me is who is at the table. It’s who we can bring together and spend time with that really helps create the memories that stick with me for a long time,” said Guzman.

A Taste of the Bahamas at Thanksgiving in New York City — Simone Bellot `23

Simone Bellot, a junior at Syracuse University, was born and raised on the island of New Providence in the Bahamas. She spent her Thanksgiving break her freshman year in the U.S. with her family in New York City and roommate from South Africa. This was her first Thanksgiving in the U.S. and they celebrated by eating traditional Bahamian foods. Different foods were prepared in celebration throughout the day. In the morning they ate chicken souse, a citrusy soup made with meat and vegetables, and Johnnycake, a cornmeal flatbread. The dinner table was full of baked macaroni pie, conch fritters, peas and rice, fried fish, crawfish and Bellot’s personal favorite, guava duff. Guava duff is dubbed the national dessert of the Bahamas. It is a type of steamed pudding made with guava and covered in a rum sauce.

“Prior to that year, I did not have much of an attachment to the holiday. However, I now look forward to celebrating with people from different countries and cultures,” said Bellot.

International Thanksgiving Dinner at Syracuse University— Ruohan Xu `23

Syracuse University has hosted a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner for international students for the past 37 years. The spread of food features classics such as pie, mashed potatoes, apple sauce and casseroles, as well as a turkey carving station. The event gave Ruohan Xu the opportunity to meet new people and feel less alone during the holiday season. Xu is an international student from China. For many international students, this is the first time they’re in an entirely new country away from their families. Students can feel isolated and lonely, especially when domestic students are all going home for break. “The Thanksgiving dinner helps international students to feel at home. It is a great way to explore a new culture and gain new experiences to form a sense of community and belonging with other students,” said Xu.