The NC State Global Training Initiative held the semifinals for its new event, the Culinary World Cup, on Nov. 1-2.

The Culinary World Cup is a cooking competition in which students are placed on teams with peers of different backgrounds and experiences to diversify the cuisine. 

Madison Sinclair, international programs specialist and co-creator of the Culinary World Cup, said the event aimed to bridge the gap between international and American students.

“We were hoping it would reach international students or internationally minded students,” Sinclair said. “They sign up on their own individually, … so none of them have ever met each other outside of this competition.”

The competition was created by the Global Training Initiative, an organization at NC State focused on navigating cultural differences, international student success and developing communication skills between different cultures. 

“I think our goal is to not only get our name out to NC State students but also to have a way for international students and NC State students to bridge the gap,” Sinclair said. “Sometimes [international students] get in their own international bubble, and it’s hard for them to break that. … We really try to help them get out there and meet other NC State students.”

The competition was held at the NC State Teaching Kitchen, a culinary space in Carmichael Gym. The teaching kitchen helps people develop organization and communication skills. 

Each round, competitors face a secret ingredient they must incorporate into their dish. The teams then have 50 minutes to complete their meal and plate their dish. In the first round, the secret ingredient was an orange. Meals ranged from French toast to Asian-fusion tacos.

Laci Gore, a first-year studying biology, was a competitor at the event and said her experience correlated with the competition goals.  

“At home, I am usually by myself, but I do like cooking with a team because it doesn’t feel like all the stress is on me to finish something, like in time for supper for anybody,” Gore said. “I like cooking with the secret ingredient because it kind of broadens the field a little bit. It makes things more creative.”

In the preliminary round, 12 teams were narrowed down to four. Just two teams remained after the semifinals Nov. 2.

The NC State Dining executive chef, the sous chef at Fountain Dining Hall and the Nutrition and Special Events coordinator judged meals on creativity, visual appeal, taste and texture, use of special ingredients and cleanliness. The winner of the Culinary World Cup will have their recipe featured in one of the campus dining halls.

“It’s really been interesting,” Sinclair said. “… We just posted a bunch of the recipes that they used last week, and they’re only given 50 minutes, but they’ve come up with the most creative things. You can see them bring their culture to the table.”

The final round of the Culinary World Cup will be Nov. 9 at 1 p.m. and can be livestreamed on Panopto.