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Happening simultaneously across 300 U.S. college and university campuses, Chartwells’ national “Festi-Ful” aims to bring students back together in joyful celebration
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — As part of its Joy-Ful campaign, Chartwells Higher Education, a recognized leader in contract food service management, today announced it will be hosting “Festi-Ful” – the nation’s largest street food festival taking place across 300 U.S. colleges and universities – with celebrity Chef Jet Tila on September 24, 2021.
With over 1.5 million students across the nation invited to attend, Chartwells is welcoming students back to campus in a memorable way with delicious street food, community give-back events, free swag, and more. This first of four signature Joy-Ful events will be headlined by a live-streamed cooking competition from world-renowned Chef Tila at Louisiana State University (LSU). During the event, Chef Tila will be hosting and judging LSU’s first-ever Jambalaya Showdown, in which six chefs will compete to see who can make the best jambalaya dish.
“When we were thinking about how to make the biggest, most impactful return to campus event possible, we knew Chef Jet was the perfect choice for us,” said Lisa McEuen, CEO of Chartwells Higher Education. “His world-renowned talents, global culinary flare and infectious energy make him the perfect host for the nation’s largest college street food festival, and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with him.”
Whether hosted indoors or out, each campus will celebrate with international street food favorites and local specialty menus including street tacos, po’ boys, plant-based BBQ, Cuban sandwiches, and sweet fair classics like caramel apples and apple cider donuts. Each campus will follow COVID-19 safety protocols in accordance with local and federal guidelines, including masking, social distancing, and enhanced cleaning measures.
“As soon as I heard about the “Festi-Ful” event Chartwells was planning, I was all in,” said Chef Jet Tila. “It’s a great event for the students and the community. For students who didn’t get the traditional college experience last year, this is an exciting and memorable way to kick off a new year, and the extra philanthropic efforts campuses are leading makes the event even more impactful.”
To support local communities, schools will host a variety of give-back activities, including canned food drives, non-perishable goods donations and social media give-backs, all for local food banks and charities. Campuses will also host interactive experiences such as photo booths, yard games, local artists and DJs, live music, chalk artists, and more.
The live stream with Chef Tila from LSU will take place on Chartwells’ Instagram page at 11:45am CT on Friday, September 24, with the street food festivals taking place throughout the day.
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