A Big Thank You

Dear All,

We did it! A giant heartfelt THANK YOU goes out to everyone! With the help of many, UMass cooked up the world’s largest stir-fry of 4,010 pounds of ingredients and smashed the previous set world record of 2,319-pounds.

Most of you know that stir-fry is one of the most popular foods at the dining commons. Not only is it healthy, but it is tasty as well. All the vegetables for this event came from local sources including our own student-run farms, the UMass permaculture garden and other local farms.

We could not have made this world record-breaking event happen without the help of everyone, notably the College of Engineering, College of Natural Science, Physical Plant, EH&S, UMass Relations, Amherst Fire Department, Student Affairs and Campus Life, Center for Student Development, News Office, All-Steel Fabrication, UMass Police, Vice Chancellor Joyce Hatch, the Chancellor’s office, sponsors, local famers, guest chefs, staff, volunteers and You, the students of UMass.

Special thanks goes to Chancellor Holub, our leader, and our cheerleader for the past three years, whose support for this event was invaluable. Our honorary “chef chancellor” helped stir right along with everyone and fondly worked to proudly set another record for UMass.

Go UMass!!!

Ken Toong

Executive Director of Auxiliary Enterprises

World’s Largest Stir-fry in Making

On Labor Day, September 5th, 2011, at approximately 5:15 pm, the University of Massachusetts Amherst Dining Services along with hundreds of volunteers will attempt to create the World’s Largest Stir-Fry weighing 3,000 pounds. This will be an attempt to break the record previously set by the Wesvalia High School in Klerksdorp, South Africa (October 22nd, 2005) weighing 2,319 pounds, as recorded by Guinness World Records.

Our goal for this world record, while supporting sustainability, is to promote healthy eating as we welcome 27,000 students back to school during the annual Welcome BBQ at the Haigas Mall. We plan to use vegetables from the UMass Student-Run Farm, the UMass Permaculture Garden on campus and local farmers. In addition, we will be using canola oil with zero grams trans-fat.

After the final weigh in, the prepared stir-fry will be available to eat. The cooking event will be led by Jet Tila of the Food Network, UMass Executive Chef Willie Sng, and UMass chefs. The event will be aided by hundreds of volunteers to make it possible.

The stir-fry pan is being fabricated in North Grafton, MA by All Steel Fabrication with the drawings and design from one of our faculty members, Scott A. Civjan of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The heating source for the pan will be charcoal.

A representative from Guinness World Records will be on site during the event.

UMass needs your help to break another world record. Please click the volunteer banner to volunteer to help!