Columbia University Apologizes for October 7 Blush Sauce Menu Label

Columbia University has issued a formal apology after signs posted at a dining hall pasta station included the phrase "October 7th Blush Sauce" on the daily menu.

Incident and Removal

The signs were quickly removed by a Columbia dining services manager. The incident sparked widespread discussion online, as it coincided with the anniversary of the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel—an assault in which Hamas and other armed groups killed 1,200 people and abducted 251, marking the beginning of the war in Gaza.

"This was an unfortunate mistake, and it was not intended to be a reference to the October 7 attacks," wrote Vicki Dunn, vice president of Columbia Dining, in a statement provided Wednesday to the student newspaper Spectator.

Dining Hall Response

Dunn noted that serving the blush sauce (also known as pink or rosé sauce) was scheduled for October 7, and the date was mistakenly copied onto the menu template. She added that "as soon as the mistake was identified," the dining hall staff removed the signs.

The blush sauce was one of several pasta sauces served at Wednesday lunch in the John Jay dining hall, but it was the only one labeled with a date. An analysis by the Spectator earlier this year found that an average of 192 students enter the John Jay dining hall every hour.