Want to Taste the World?
Food is a doorway.
If you had walked into the Legacy Room at Arts in the Sunset one Saturday just weeks before a polarized election, you would have seen something startling. In a room full of over 300 people, diversity reigned supreme. Refugees, immigrants, Democrats, Republicans, good ol’ boys, Christian grandmothers and Muslim hijabis all sat down to eat together.
The menu? There were no burgers, casseroles, or church lasagna pans to be found. Instead, dishes overflowed with bolani from Afghanistan, spicy lentils from Ethiopia, pupusas from El Salvador, Lao beef jerky, delicious Haitian chicken and so much more.
People craned their necks to see what food was being dished up while waiting in line to grab their own samples. Some came back for seconds and thirds of their favorites while others made a point to taste a little of everything. Immigrants and refugees shared their food proudly, and people smiled, shook hands, tried something new to eat and then repeated it all over again. This was Taste the World: Amarillo’s Global Food Scene.
People from all over Amarillo sat as equals at the table, hungry and breaking bread together. In those moments, small bridges were being built between the assumptions we hold about one another and the shared humanity and dignity we all possess. These are the kinds of rooms we hope to continue curating here at RLP, rooms where we can learn from each other, celebrate the beauty and creativity of God’s design in humanity, and hold space for people and places (and food!) we might not have made room for before.
In October of 2025, we're doing it again! Tickets sold out last year, so stay tuned to grab your seats as soon as they go on sale. We can't wait to see you for a second serving of this exciting event.
Taste the World 2024
- For a taste of Mexico, visit El Tejavan. We featured birria tacos and ceviche.
- For a taste of Somalia, visit Somali Restaurant Bulsho. We featured sambusa and Somali rice.
- For a taste of Ethiopia, visit Marhaba. We featured lentils, collard greens and injera.
- For a taste of El Salvador, visit El Carbonero. We featured both loroco flower and pork pupusas.
- For a taste of Ukraine, visit Kind House Ukrainian Bakery. We featured cardamom buns and European rye bread.
- For a taste of India, visit It’s a Punjabi Affair. We featured butter chicken, naan and loaded samosa.
- For a taste of Laos, visit Toom’s. We featured sticky rice with beef jerky and papaya salad.
- For a taste of Afghanistan, visit Amarillo International Food Market. We featured bolani (stuffed flatbread) which is only available on certain days of the week.
