Columbia University Apologizes for "October 7th Blush Sauce" Menu Item
Translated & summarized from Israel Hayom by baba
Columbia University apologized for a "October 7th Blush Sauce" menu item in its John Jay dining hall, which was quickly removed after being identified as a mistake. The university stated the date was erroneously copied onto the menu for a pink sauce, not intended as a reference to the October 7th attacks. The incident occurred on the anniversary of the Hamas attack and generated significant online discussion and views.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Columbia University apologized for a "October 7th Blush Sauce" menu item in its dining hall.
- The university stated the date was mistakenly copied onto the menu for a pink sauce.
- The signs were quickly removed by dining services staff after the error was identified.
- The incident occurred on the anniversary of the October 7th Hamas-led attack on Israel.
- The menu error sparked significant online discussion and views on social media.
- The "Blush" sauce was one of several pasta sauces offered that day.
Columbia University has issued a formal apology after two signs in the John Jay dining hall listed a pasta sauce as "October 7th Blush Sauce." The signs were quickly removed by a manager in Columbia's dining services. The incident sparked discussion online, occurring on the anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken, marking the start of the war in Gaza.
Vicki Dunn, a vice president in Columbia's dining services, stated in a message to the student newspaper, The Spectator, that the error was "unfortunate" and not intended as a reference to the October 7th attacks. Dunn explained that the "Blush" sauce, also known as pink or rosa sauce, was scheduled for October 7th, and the date was mistakenly copied onto the menu template. She added that the dining hall staff removed the signs as soon as the mistake was identified.
The "Blush" sauce was one of several pasta sauces offered at lunch in the John Jay dining hall that Wednesday, but it was the only one with a date listed. An analysis by The Spectator earlier this year indicated that an average of 192 students entered the John Jay dining hall hourly, the second-highest rate among Columbia's ten dining facilities.
Simone Saidmehr, a Haaretz reporter in New York, posted about the incident on X, formerly Twitter, where her post garnered over a million views. The account @Breaking911 also shared the information, describing the sauce as "outrageous." Students discussed the menu error on Columbia Sidechat, an anonymous online forum, with one post asking for an explanation of the "October 7th Blush Sauce" receiving over 700 upvotes.