The Monthly Special: Battle of the Dining Halls 2026
As Seen on TV
On March 26, five dining halls - Faculty House, John Jay, JJ's Place, Chef Mike's Sub Shop, and Ferris Booth Commons - competed in an epic food showdown featuring dishes inspired by TV shows.
Event guests were invited to sample all the food and vote on their favorite dish, while a panel of student judges, celebrity Chef Robert Irvine, and Undergraduate Student Life Dean Kiem formally scored each dining hall. The competition was fierce, and each dining hall fought to win Judges' Choice and People's Choice!
#FacHouseRocks
Faculty House served a Lorelai and Rory Gilmore staple: orange chicken and rice inspired by Gilmore Girls (and Al's Pancake world, IYKYK).
#TeamJohnJay
Inspired by Naruto, John Jay served an uzemaki ramen with a soft egg, scallions, bamboo shoots, nori and fish cakes. Believe it! This dish was delish.
#JJsFam
Are you ready, kids?! JJ's served up Jazzy Patties, inspired by everyone's favorite sponge: Spongebob Squarepants. These wagyu beef sliders were served with cheddar cheese and a secret sauce, and even Mr. Krabs would be proud.
#BigSubsBigDill (AKA Chef Mike's Sub Shop)
The Gabagool? Over here, at Chef Mike's Sub Shop! The Sub Shop team served up the classic Italian sub of The Sopranos, which included capicola, sharp provolone, roasted red peppers and an olive oil and balsamic glaze.
#FerrisForever
The Ferris team cooked up something delicious: Gus' Pollo Frito inspired by Breaking Bad. Their double-battered chicken wings were tossed in a secret seasoning blend and served with house-made chips and pickles.
An Expert Panel: Student Judges, Chef Robert Irvine, and Undergraduate Student Life Dean Kiem
The Judges' Choice award was determined by a panel of four student judges, celebrity Chef Robert Irvine, and Dean Kamala Kiem.
"Battle of the Dining Halls is my fav Columbia tradition"
^^^Feedback from one of our student attendees! The food, the ambiance, the swag.... this was an event to remember (and to tell your friends about).
And The Winner Is....
Yeah, we really made you scroll this far to find out who won. That's because it's not about who won! All of our passionate, creative, talented staff won. Every student who sampled the incredible food won. We all won!
But we know, we know, you must be curious. This 2026 winners are....
- Judges' Choice: Ferris Booth Commons
- People's Choice: Ferris Booth Commons
First the first time since 2020, one dining hall swept the competition! Congratulations to Ferris Booth Commons and the entire Dining staff for this incredible event.
Photography credit to Eileen Barroso and Brandon Vallejo