The Charger Blog
Students in the Pompea College of Business applied their creativity and strategic thinking to design a statewide tourism trail celebrating ethnic cuisine. Their work is now featured on CTvisit.com.
June 5, 2025
Three University of New Haven students have turned a class project into a flavorful celebration of community, culture, and connection. Anthony Zambri-Moran Ӱԭ25, Mansi Patel Ӱԭ25, and Risako Umekuni Ӱԭ25 created the , a culinary tourism trail designed to showcase the diversity of ConnecticutӰԭs cuisineӰԭall accessible by public transit.
Developed as part of the Hospitality & Tourism Capstone course in the Pompea College of Business, the project was selected as the courseӰԭs winning pitch and has now been launched as an official tourism trail.
ӰԭWe were inspired by the number of small ethnic restaurants in Connecticut that deserve recognition for fostering a more diverse dining scene, while remaining affordable for college students,Ӱԭ says Patel.
Understanding the needs of students and young adultsӰԭmany of whom donӰԭt own carsӰԭthe team designed the CT Taste Train so that every restaurant on the trail is within walking distance of a train station. The trail features approximately 50 independently owned restaurants near 17 rail stations, highlighting cuisines from around the world including Mexican, Thai, Indian, Sri Lankan, and Australian, among others.
Zambri-Moran explains, ӰԭKnowing that many in our age group do not have a car and value spending money on experiences, we decided to have all of our trail locations within walking distance of a train station.Ӱԭ
Affordability and authenticity were also key priorities. ӰԭWe researched ethnic restaurants within walking distance from train stations, prioritizing those with good reviews and affordable pricing,Ӱԭ says Umekuni.
The team emphasized selecting local Ӱԭhidden gemsӰԭӰԭrestaurants that werenӰԭt overly popular or already well knownӰԭand focused on those owned by immigrants who are passionate about sharing their culture through food.
ӰԭWe wanted to ensure diversity in cuisines while narrowing down our choices,Ӱԭ says Patel. ӰԭThe goal of this trail is to spotlight hidden gems, while ensuring they are within a one-mile radius of a train station.Ӱԭ
Creating the list was no small feat. ӰԭThis process took several weeks to complete, but it resulted in an extremely eclectic list of 15 restaurants, representing 10 different cuisines,Ӱԭ says Zambri-Moran. ӰԭAdditionally, the trail features restaurants from each rail line in the state, ranging from one restaurant from each of the New Canaan, Waterbury, and Danbury branches, to five restaurants along the New Haven Line.Ӱԭ
When the CT Taste Train was unveiled as the winning project in the capstone course, the team was thrilled.
ӰԭWhen it was announced our team had won, my reaction was a sigh of relief, followed by utter joy,Ӱԭ says Zambri-Moran. ӰԭHearing our team won was an incredible validation of the countless hours we put into this project.Ӱԭ
Patel adds, ӰԭWhen I found out we won, I was genuinely shocked and deeply honored. With so many creative ideas from other groups in our class, I didnӰԭt expect us to take first place.Ӱԭ
For Umekuni, the experience was rewarding and collaborative. ӰԭOur group leader, Anthony, was the driving force behind this idea, and I had confidence in both his vision and our team's efforts. When we found out that our trail had been selected to be part of CT Visit's official trails, I felt both relieved and thrilled.Ӱԭ
The project also shaped the studentsӰԭ future goals.
ӰԭThis assignment has helped reaffirm my commitment to being a global citizen,Ӱԭ says Zambri-Moran. ӰԭI now could potentially see myself working in a creative role in my professional career, designing unique ways to attract visitors.Ӱԭ
Patel says the experience strengthened her passion for tourism planning: ӰԭThrough this project, IӰԭve been inspired to support small ethnic restaurants in my home state of New JerseyӰԭespecially those owned by immigrants who bring their culture to life through food. IӰԭm truly grateful for this opportunity and for my teammates, who played a key role in making this project a success.Ӱԭ
From the bustling food scenes in New Haven to hidden gems in Naugatuck and Berlin, the CT Taste Train offers a new way to exploreӰԭand tasteӰԭConnecticut.
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