Cultural Foodways: Slavic Tradition - Mar. 5
March 5th, 6 p.m.
Hickory Soup Kitchen
110 2nd St. Pl. SE, Hickory, NC
Please note that this event will take place at Hickory Soup Kitchen and will NOT be held at the Hart Square site
Join us for a rich cultural foodways experience rooted in Slavic tradition.
South Slavic foodways are deeply rooted in the land and the seasons, shaped by centuries of farming, foraging, preservation, and ritual. From hearty grains, root vegetables, and legumes to fermented foods, fresh herbs, and celebratory breads, Slavic cuisines reflect resilience, hospitality, and the belief that food is meant to be shared.
Guests will begin the evening by exploring educational stations that highlight traditional agricultural practices, herbal knowledge, folktales and oral storytelling, folk art such as embroidery and painted eggs, music and dance, and spiritual or ritual traditions that often accompany meals and seasonal celebrations. These elements reveal how food is intertwined with daily life, belief systems, and cultural identity across Slavic regions.
The evening will feature chef Rilke Witherstine, who will share her personal journey reconnecting with her Yugoslavian heritage through cooking. After an introduction to the Cultural Foodways series, Rilke will lead a hands-on kitchen demonstration inspired by communal Baltic cooking traditions, where many dishes are shaped, filled, or assembled together. Guests will be invited to participate in a series of simple, guided steps before enjoying a shared meal.
The night concludes with a family-style dinner and an open Q&A, providing an opportunity for conversation about heritage, migration, memory, and how food serves as a powerful bridge between the past and the present.
In collaboration with Hickory Soup Kitchen.
Menu
About Rilke Witherstine
Rilke is actively engaged in the Hickory food and restaurant scene. Through restaurants, catered events, cooking classes, farmer relationships, fundraising, or simply cooking for friends in her home, food is, and always has been, the way she immerses herself in community.
As a life-long student of cuisines from all over the world, Rilke has always thrived on the intersectionality between food, culture, acceptance, and togetherness. After evaluating the importance of this, she recently realized how thin the connection was to her own Slavic culture on her paternal side. Recently she has pledged to reunite herself with the culture and cuisine of her Yugoslavian heritage. She cannot wait to share her new-found knowledge with you!
Rilke is a Northern California native. She settled in NC after cooking chef-driven menus in San Francisco and NYC. She now works at Hatch, where she continues her passion to weave elevated, seasonal and local food with the greater Hickory community.
About Hickory Soup Kitchen
As the only soup kitchen in Hickory, NC, Hickory Soup Kitchen serves food daily and provides safe shower facilities, take-home groceries, and much more.
In 2023, they averaged more than 150 people coming through the doors each day, totaling over 80,000 plates last year. The facility provides private shower stalls similar to those at your local gym. About 15 people use the facilities each day between 8 am and 10 am Monday through Friday. We also provide towels, soap, and other hygiene products for men and women.
For families who need a little extra help, they offer free groceries once each month. Contents may vary by season and what has been donated, but they try to include fresh produce, fruit, and meats along with easy-to-store items like bread, staples and canned goods. The pantry is open 8:30 am until 11:30 am Monday through Friday.
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