My taxi pulls up at the grand door to Jiangnan University in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, under a summer sky coated in Azure blue as bright and as a baby boy's freshly-painted bedroom. Beaming golden sunshine beats down upon my brow as I make my way through the giant campus entrance, enticed on by the far-off rhythms of beating drums.

I'm here to attend the 7th Jiangnan University Food and Culture Festival, an event not to be missed by any foodie worth his salt, or with half an idea what a free lunch looks like.

Wuxi's biggest university, Jiangnan is home to nigh on 200 overseas students, hailing from such far-flung destinations as Ghana, Bangladesh, and Syria. The festival celebrates the diverse cultures which come together through the school's many exchange programs – the ingredients of which provide a succulent dish to behold.

Arriving at a snug courtyard hugged by emerald-tinged water on all sides, guests make their way across a red-carpeted gangplank draped in the multicolored flags of nations far and wide.