Uniting Through Food: ‘A Taste Of The World Cup’

Photo by Neidy Gutierrez | SOC Images.

Less than one month from now, thousands of fans from different parts of the world will arrive to New Jersey for the World Cup. While soccer is considered the world’s sport, nothing brings people together like a delicious meal.

And lucky for them, New Jersey has a very rich and cultural diverse food scene.

On May 7, Slice of Culture attended a dining showcase called “A Taste of The World Cup” at Barrymore Film Center in Fort Lee, sponsored by Bank of America, where local businesses across the state came together to create dishes from the nine countries, plus Mexico, that are playing in the temporarily named New York New Jersey Stadium, in East Rutherford:

Brazil
Morocco
France
Senegal
Norway
Ecuador
Germany
Panama
England

The event was hosted by The Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (SHCCNJ), which has helped over 150,000 Hispanic owned businesses in New Jersey and contributes $127 billion dollars to the state’s GDP. Giovanna Aguilar, the SHCCNJ Director of Communications, spoke about their partnership with Bank of America, who has helped sponsor many of their events that support Latino-owned businesses, explaining how “the chamber really relies on helping the communities on the business side, but also working with the sponsors.”

The World Cup is estimated to create $1.3 billion worth of income across New York and New Jersey, which can mean a massive boost in profits for local businesses. Many owners are beginning to prepare for the influx.

Mark Acosta, the owner of Varitage Brew Works, is working with the town of Bloomfield to bring a World Cup experience across the street from the brewery, where they will be hosting an outdoor beer garden and watch party for U.S. vs. Australia and the World Cup final, with more dates in Nutley to be announced.

“We have a lot of surprises in stores, a lot of collaborations coming up for the World Cup, and people popping in and out. You never know who’s gonna walk in,” Acosta told Slice of Culture.

Varitage was debuting their new brew in partnership with Soccertown USA, noting on an Instagram post, “It only feels right that New Jersey’s Soccer-Centric Brewery teams up with the crew behind Soccertown USA to brew a soccer beer for soccer people.”

Varitage currently has two beers at the Sports Illustrated Stadium, which is the official NYNJ World Cup 26 Jersey Fab Hub.

Sandra Caro, the owner of Más Q’ Pan also spoke to Slice of Culture about World Cup preparations the business has been working on.

“There has been a great deal of preparation… many preparations and high expectations as we organize new dishes and strive to ensure that everything runs as smoothly as possible,” said Caro.

“We are a restaurant that takes great care that our plates taste like authentic Colombian flavors so that those who are Colombian enter and enjoy the cuisine. Those who do not know [about Colombian food] can learn about it.”

Más Q’ Pan is a Colombian bakery in Paterson offering traditional Colombian food like mondongo, sancocho, pandeja paisa, pan trenza, bunelo and pandebono.

For the challenge, they had to recreate Brazilian dishes such as pastelitos, which are similar to empanadas filled with chicken or beef, a typical Brazilian sauce and coxinhas, which are one of Brazil’s most popular street food items. It is like a croquetta with its coated breadcrumb deep-fried texture but can hold beef or meat filling.

“At first we were scared [of the challenge] because we take such great care to preserve our Colombian identity. We want the people who visit us to truly feel like they are in Colombia,” said Caro. “So making Brazilian food meant learning… and really share a typical Brazilian dish.”

One of the other businesses gearing up for the World Cup is Antojitos Bar and Restaurant in Irvington, who created Ecuadorian food for the exhibition.

Diana Ron, owner of Antojitos, who hosts events on the regular, said they will have World Cup-related events with show, music, typical food and two big screens in their backyard area. The restaurant also offers a lounge area.

Caro shared her joy for the upcoming World Cup stating, “for me, football is a wonderful sport—a true source of happiness. I absolutely love the game. So, I am incredibly happy that my country has made it to the World Cup.”

Mayra Garcia, another member of SHCCNJ and owner of Viva Margar Bake Art, a luxury cake and personalized dessert business, created two iconic English desserts—Eton Mess and Bakewell.

Being invited by the SHCCNJ to be part of the exhibition was a proud moment for Garcia.

“I feel very fortunate to have been given this opportunity, because I know that my colleagues have businesses that are much more established than mine,” Garcia told Slice of Culture.

“We’ve learned at the Chamber of Commerce—from our fellow members, the other entrepreneurs I know, and all the affiliated individuals who collaborate by providing training at the Chamber.”

Aguilar emphasized that the Chamber has been preparing for the World Cup for years because of its huge significance to the soccer community here in New Jersey.

“For us, it’s a monumental moment to celebrate this incredible game that is coming to New Jersey where there’s the largest fan base of soccer in the country, and we’re gonna have the finals here,” said Aguilar.

“For us as Latinos representing so many countries with so much pride, whether or not you follow soccer, the statistics, I think when the World Cup gets here, we’re gonna feel the excitement.”

Businesses like Tacolgando Taqueria in Passaic are eager to welcome the world to their neighborhoods and businesses.

“I’m Mexican myself, naturally I’m thrilled to welcome people from my own country. But above all, I’m eager to meet visitors from other nations—people who will come and visit my business. I want them to experience our culture and our food, and—most importantly—to get to know my business. That is precisely why we have to prepare; we always need to stay one step ahead. That is exactly why we must keep getting ready,” said Veronica Rodriguez, owner of Tacolgando.