Presentation Hour at the Sawtooth

2:45 - 4:30 pm event

Adrian Harris loading up Wurood's creations to go to Winston-Salem.

AJ Gregson doing final prep, with wonderful volunteers to help.

Tony's purple sweet potato backstory.

Our Nepali women seated after a busy morning of prep at Chef Jeff Bacon’s Triad Community Kitchen.

And then the show began! Bryant Hernandez played the role of moderator.

From left to right, AJ Gregon (Table 16), Kwol Ksa, Mark Grohman (Meridian), Menbi Halu, Jeff Bacon (Triad Community Kitchen) , Roshan Shrestra, Adrian Harris (Southern Lights Bistro), Wurood Almashhadani, Bryant Hernandez.

Kwol talks about prepping cassava and rice as a topping for the sweet potato.

AJ Gregson explains a little about his encounter with Montagnard food.

Table 16 made a crowd-please purple sweet potato tart.

As participants spoke about their dishes, samples were distributed to the audience.

Mark Grohman loved the spices that Menbi brought with her.

As more and more samples appeared, hands and mouths filled.

Roshan talks about overseeing Nepali helpers Ganga, Devi and Hari.

Bryant warns that there are more samples to come.

Roshan Shrestra, GTCC culinary student and Nepali immigrant, who led the Nepali refugee women's team.

Cassava-rice topping on purple sweet potato.

Among the honored guests, Omer Omer of African Services Coalition (center) and Narayan Khadka of Senior Reources (left, back turned)

Devi Timsina talks to Cheryl Schirillo a Winston-Salem blogger.

Nepali singara (or samusa) created by Chef Jeff, Roshan and the Nepali team.

A purple sweet potato soup created by Menbi and Chef Mark.

Many refugees suffer from cultural and linguistic isolation here in the Piedmont. Events such as this offer opportunities for them to engage in meaningful conversation, a precondition for employment and participation in American life.

Adrian Harris of Southern Lights and Wurood with husband Tareq and children. Adrian allowed Wurood to express herself through her food, giving her ample space, time and support in the Southern Lights kitchen to prepare many dishes new to the DATS MashUp audience.

Shockingly great food created from the purple sweet potato!

And then in a flash, DATS MashUp was over.