World Affairs Council Launches International Eats Restaurant Trail to Promote Cultural Diversity and Support Local Business
In mid-2020, well into the COVID world of zoom meetings, carry-out dinners, and longing for the old days of mask-less, face-to-face gatherings, several of the Board Members were on a zoom call with one of the World Affairs Council Strategic Dream Committees. The topic of discussion was, how can we engage the public and our members to support our mission of promoting cultural awareness and international education especially at a time of masks, social distancing, and quarantines?
We knew about the bourbon trail and the donut trail. We all were passionate about how food is perhaps one of the best ways to share a little bit about diverse cultures. And then it hit us – why not launch an International Restaurant Trail to encourage folks to try new cuisines from the corners of the world, and at the same time, help so many struggling family-owned restaurants?
From there, the snowball picked up momentum as it began to roll down the hill. Everyone submitted 5 of their favorite restaurants from around the region, and we soon had a list of two dozen or more stops on our newly formed restaurant trail. Michelle, our Executive Director, reeled us back and suggested we launch this initiative with a more reasonable number, so we cut the long list back to six.
We all threw in potential names for this initiative, and i-EATS was unanimously selected as a moniker that was catchy, referenced our love of food, and carries the international connotation. From there, the ideas kept on coming. The magic-makers at DeanHouston created a logo and webpage, and our volunteers worked to secure buy-in from the owners of our founding six restaurants, along with a million other little things.
Doug is ready to his passport on the iEATS trail! Join him now!
And now, we have visited each of the restaurants, explained the rules, dropped off the passport stamps, and finally, we are ready to push the button that makes the website and initiative live for you! I have my passport printed out and I am ready to begin my i-EATS journey!
Kurdish, German, Cantonese, and Argentinian – gotta go – this is making me hungry!
Click here for the Press Release.
Go to https://globalcincinnati.org/programs/international-eats/ to print your passport and begin your i-EATS journey too!
