Jenna Davis

The Making of the International Relations of Cuisine

When Linda Thomas Greenfield, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, spoke to the students from the Seton Hall about "Gumbo Diplomacy" in April of 2022, Jenna Davis knew she had made the right choice for graduate school because, to put it simply, Jenna loves food and diplomacy. A mid-career transition led her to the School of Diplomacy and International Relations. She brought along her experience as a nutritionist and a creative director at a high-end corporate catering company and a desire to connect with those around her. As she looked around, Jenna saw the cultural diversity of the New Jersey area and the student body of the School of Diplomacy but found no outlet that seamlessly merged food and diplomacy. So, in typical go-getter fashion, Jenna, with the help of fellow graduate student Fred Nilsson, created space for herself and others by starting the International Relations of Cuisine (IRoC). 

The mission of IRoC is to "build bridges by breaking bread." Food can cross language, religion, gender, and ethnic barriers and allow others to learn about new cultures and traditions. Anthony Bourdain's life and work, which focused on the "human condition" of food and culture, inspired Jenna. "Bourdain popularized discussing difficult topics over good food," she said. "I believe that if you look at street foods in different countries, you can understand the political history." By understanding the political history of different places, you learn about cultural nuances, such as how French bread became a staple in Vietnamese street sandwiches or how Spam became a popular comfort food in Japan. 

Over the past year, IRoC held monthly events tied to larger societal concerns. Soon after the war in Ukraine broke out, Jenna, and the IRoC leadership team, planned a day in New York City to visit the Ukrainian Catholic Church, the Russian Orthodox Cathedral, the Ukrainian Museum, and of course, food and drinks from the region. November's Thanksgiving potluck, co-sponsored by the Graduate Diplomacy Council, highlighted students' favorite recipes and included a history of how indigenous populations' knowledge of agriculture enabled the success of the European colonizers. Jenna helped plan an immersive food tour for Black History Month following the trans-Atlantic slave trade route. In addition to featuring food from Nigeria, the Caribbean, and the American South, Jenna prepared a flyer on the entomology and definitions of typical foods from each region. The handout highlighted how many common culinary terms in the U.S. are rooted in the history and customs of the enslaved people brought here.   

Jenna’s favorite part about IRoC is that it created a place for people to come together, learn about each other’s cultures, and try foods they normally would not. Jenna has also contributed to the Seton Hall community in her role at the Career Center, through her internships at the Hunger Project and UNA-USA, and her position on the Graduate Diplomacy Council. 

The executive team of Jenna Davis, Fred Nilsson, Christina Grossen, and Peter Roberto graduated in May 2023. They are thrilled to announce that the International Relations of Cuisine will live on, as Zane Cawthon takes the reins and continues the program for incoming graduate students. Be sure to check them out on Instagram at iroc.shu.