By Audrey Honig
As I walked into the “iron chef” cook off, I was expecting a simple cooking class- a final, relaxed activity to a high energy week. My senses were overwhelmed as I walked into the room and saw two long silver tables with boundless food. There was meat, many fruits and vegetables, and spices I couldn’t even name. Our cooking instructors gathered our cohort and told us that our two teams were to prepare a meal with salads, main dishes, and desserts. As someone who usually only makes pasta and chocolate cookies, I wasn’t sure what my role would be. I was nervous for the next hour, hoping to make something delicious for the cohort I had already come to love.
Within a few short breaths, I was making meatballs for the first time ever with my new friends. The air in the room was focused but lighthearted. Everyone seemed to find a task that they could excel at- and it turns out, many of my new friends knew how to make much more than Mac & cheese and cookies! In the same room, there was homemade pasta, chocolate mousse, inventive salads, and more. It was incredible to see everyone working together to create something delicious.
Finally! It was time to eat. Coming together to eat, it felt like a family reunion. Knowing that we would soon need to prepare many of our own meals in our apartments, I knew I was in good hands with my new friends’ cooking skills. The “competition” seemed to slip away as we enjoyed the amazing dinner. Like any wonderful dinner, we lingered at the table enjoying conversation long after the food was finished. At the end of the night, I was full of gratitude for the cohort we were able to form in one short week.
