Columbia University has come under scrutiny following the appearance of “October 7th Blush Sauce” on its campus dining menu, coinciding with the third anniversary of the Hamas terror attacks. The controversy began when Israeli journalist Simone Saidmehr shared an image of the menu, which included the date alongside the dish, leading many to interpret it as a reference to the approximately 1,200 victims of those attacks.
In response, Vicki Dunn, assistant vice president of Columbia Dining, stated to Fox News Digital that the menu item was due to an “unfortunate mistake” and that it was corrected soon after being noticed. She explained that the blush sauce was intended to be served, but the date was inadvertently retained when transferring information to the menu layout. Dunn also emphasized that the signs were removed immediately upon realizing the error, expressing regret over the confusion it caused.
“This was an unfortunate mistake and was not intended as a reference to the events of October 7,” Dunn reiterated, adding that a team member will now review all menus prior to publication. Columbia University echoed this sentiment in a post on social media, clarifying that the mention of October 7 was unintentional.
In light of the attacks three years ago, Columbia has faced continued scrutiny, including federal civil rights investigations regarding its response to the safety of Jewish students. The institution reached a $221 million settlement by July 2025 over allegations of discriminatory practices and antisemitic treatment of faculty.
Despite these issues, anti-Israel protests have persisted on campus. On the same day the controversy erupted over the menu, demonstrators from The Columbia Intifada were reported to have gathered, though the university maintains that this group is not officially affiliated with Columbia.
