Pittsburgh Mennonite Church Hosts Traditional Indian Dinner

Some years ago, Sushil Ganguly would go on weekend retreats with fellow members of the . During each retreat, Ganguly would make a traditional Indian meal and his fellow congregants would relish his authentic homemade curries. 

Today, the yearly ritual has become the Indian Dinner and Auction, a large-scale community feast and fundraising event that takes place at the church this Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

Instead of a private affair with close friends, the Indian Dinner is open to the public, and for $15 (or $5 for children), guests can chow down on dal soup, chicken curry, and curried green beans and carrots, then wash it down with a milky mango lassi. They also may partake of the unspecified “Indian munchies.” 

“The great thing about it is that it’s homemade Indian food,” says Cheri High Beckford, a church volunteer and 14-year congregant.

A 39-year-old Regent Square resident, Beckford works for the University of Pittsburgh and is a mother of three, but she still makes time to volunteer, and the Indian Dinner is a highly anticipated event. Beckford’s sentiment is a common one in Pittsburgh’s thriving Mennonite circle: “I just like to help connect the church to lots of wonderful people.” 

“Lots” is the word. Unlike the old days, Ganguly no longer cooks alone. He is joined in the kitchen by Dr. Bernie Good, a local physician who jokingly refers to himself as the “real chef.” A cadre of other volunteers help prepare and serve the enormous volume of fragrant cuisine. 

Organizers also expect new faces. While the Indian Dinner is an established event on the church’s calendar, the location is relatively novel: Pittsburgh Mennonite Church moved from Squirrel Hill to Regent Square only a year and a half ago. Church regulars will likely be joined by neighborhood newbies.

“It is a new community connection,” says Beckford. “We’re sharing with a new group of people. We know that lots of people in the East End just love good food.”

The auctions are also extensive: There is a silent auction, a live auction, and a raffle for good measure, and the items are temptingly wide-ranging. Among the 60-odd listings, guests will bid for a hand-made prayer shawl (bidding starts at $80), a Mexican gift basket ($30), a month of piano lessons ($60), City Theatre tickets ($100), and even a weeklong getaway in Chautauqua, NY ($1,000).

Raffle items are equally varied: an acoustic guitar case, two tickets to a Pirates home game, and a felt purse, among others. Meanwhile, visitors can buy PMC t-shirts and caps, plush handmade earrings by jeweler Sarah Ramer. Many items reflect the creativity of the church’s congregation, such as oil paintings and a CD by acclaimed Pittsburgh singer-songwriter Brad Yoder.

It’s difficult to guess exactly how many people will attend the dinner, but the event has been popular since its earliest days, and the church can expect a full house.

As for Beckford, does she have a favorite dish?

“I love it all,” she says with a laugh.