On Tuesday, Gordon Commons opened its newest station, “Human,” which serves meat products derived from Homo sapiens.
The station is one of many new initiatives aimed at helping Vassar students expand their diet. An official statement from Bon Appétit notes that “Gordon Commons has always strived to offer a great variety of cuisine, balancing both nutrition and flavor. Our cannibalism station is the next step in this direction, giving students the unique chance to eat fellow humans.”
The menu for the new station changes weekly, with a set of offerings for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Morning options have included organ omelets and skull cereal, while lunch and dinner dishes include human-fingers, hand-burgers and even loose eye pie for dessert.
Moving forward, the program hopes to expand to grab & go options at both Express and the Retreat. Potential menu items for both could include “brain bites and teriyaki toes,” and according to Bon Appétit, “both would be served in plastic cups for convenience.”
Reactions to the initiative have been mixed. “I’ve never eaten a human before, but I came to Vassar to try new things,” said student John Munchand. Junior Ben Eatman was confused. “When I saw the sign, I thought ‘human’ meant it was home-cooked food. But nope, you can eat humans…” Senior Sarah Tastetoe was excited to explore a new diet. “I’ve always loved sampling foods at the Deece! Can’t wait to get some kidney cake at Late Night!”
Some have been critical of whether the station could provide offerings to vegan, vegetarian and allergy-sensitive members of the Vassar community. Currently, all Homo sapiens products are
designated “VG” for vegan. Bon Appétit’s website explains that “the dishes are designated as vegan because they do not contain animal products—just human ones.” This marks Vassar’s entry into the controversial debate of whether cannibalism counts as being vegan.
Vassar is one of many organizations taking part in a recent trend of cannibalized food products. Brands from Coca Cola to McDonalds have embraced the fad, first seen in the viral “people are yummy” Tiktok challenge. Coca Cola is currently in development of its line of Diet Blood beverages, while McDonald’s began rolling out its “McPerson” cheeseburger in February. Vassar and Marist both adopted the trend for the return of classes, with Marist debuting its new Cardiac Café in August.
While the future of the station is uncertain, one thing is clear: Whether you are a fan of person-eating or prefer the usual from “Home,” you’re sure to see cannibalism’s continued impact on the Vassar dining experience.
“Human” is located to the left of “Root,” and will be open daily from 10:00 am – 8:00 pm