The sound of music and the smells of fresh cuisine were pouring out of SAC Ballroom A this Wednesday during Campus Life Time as the university put on a food show as part of Spring Chillfest 2013. The ballroom was full of students, faculty and staff eager to try the delectable free samples that were being offered. There were tables with anything from bagels to ice cream to freshly cooked Chinese food.

Over 20 food and drink organizations ranging from Tropicana to Stony Brook’s very own Campus Dining had set up tables, freezers and tents. It was a relaxed atmosphere where students had the opportunity to go from table to table as they sampled diverse food options.

There were numerous food organizations that were either food suppliers for the campus or ones not associated with the university promoting their products. However, there were also samples from the university’s own chefs who had the opportunity to interact with students.

Jacquie Greene, the pastry chef for Campus Dining, set up a delicious chocolate dessert display. “I want students to know that food is baked fresh on campus every day and I wanted to come out and meet the students,” Greene stated. Only an hour into the event, the ballroom was crowded with people trying to get as much food as they could hold.

“The school needs to have more events like this,” stated Margarita Lungin, a senior health science major.

Yany Wu Feng, a senior anthropology major, agreed that the event was a success, saying “I like that there’s a lot of variety and it’s another opportunity to meet new people on campus.”

In addition to the samples of food that were there, there were also live cooking demonstrations put on by campus chefs. Chefs were on elevated platforms cooking numerous dishes as students crowded around to watch, arms full of food.

The SAC Food Court’s Unit Chef Romel Velasquez was preparing saffron rice with shrimp and scallops. Velasquez stated that this was an opportunity to showcase examples of specials that the food court sometimes runs or is planning to run.

“Students like free food,” said Latoya Reid, a freshman psychology major. “There’s also a lot of diversity in the food here that I have never tried before.”

Upon entering the ballroom, students were presented with a survey, which they were expected to return before leaving. The survey also doubled as a raffle. The winner of the raffle would receive a three course plated dinner for five from Campus Dining. The survey asked students to rank their top five food vendors and disclose the one that they enjoyed the least. The university plans to use this data to fine-tune dining options for next semester.

Overall, the event appeared to be a success as students had an opportunity to take a break from classes, meet with friends and be able to eat without worrying about spending those meal points.