Whatchu Cooking, Twin?

By Mathew Cole

If you walk through the halls of Weber on a quiet Tuesday evening, you might catch a scent that doesn’t belong in a dorm: sautéed garlic, simmering tomato sauce, or perhaps the spicy kick of a home-cooked curry.

While most of us are surviving on meal swipes and cereal, a dedicated group of campus culinarians is keeping the cooking spirit alive in the university's single communal kitchen.

Since its official opening in September 2023, the Weber Hall kitchen has stood as the only designated space for residential students to trade their meal cards for cutting boards.

But behind the pleasant aromas, there is a recipe for frustration. The Buccaneer took a look at the residents who use it, the students who avoid it, and the housing department to see if this facility is a hidden gem or a half-baked effort.

Pictured: Junior Taylor Hanna & Freshman Jaiden Forbes Photo Credit: Maison Clementé

The Home-Cooked Connection

"Stew peas and white rice." That is what Matthew Clarke, a senior from Jamaica, majoring in biology pre-med, thinks of when he needs a taste of home.

Clarke is one of the kitchen’s most frequent flyers, especially when the rest of the campus goes quiet.

"I really appreciate that there’s a kitchen students can use," he said, noting that he used it extensively over the summer and Christmas breaks. For international students or those staying on campus during the off-season, the kitchen isn't just a luxury: It’s a lifeline.

"Mulgikapsad" (mashed potatoes blended with sauerkraut and seasoned with pork fat). For Robin Tartar, who hails from Estonia, the kitchen is about cultural connection and control.

Tartar agrees with Clarke that during the height of the semester, the cafeteria is usually the more efficient choice.

"When the workload is heavy, it’s just easier to go to the cafe," Tartar admitted. But efficiency isn't everything. "There are times you just want to cook good food where you know every single ingredient. It’s about having that food from home that the dining hall just can’t replicate."

The Weekend Alchemist

Between the busy schedules of Clarke and Tartar, we caught up with the student responsible for many of those mouth-watering aromas.

"Jamaican stew chicken, curry chicken and sometimes cookies." That is the specialty of Rianna-Ashley Williams, a junior majoring in pre-professional biology. Williams claims the space on weekends to prepare traditional meals.

"I enjoyed using the kitchen because the stove cooked food quickly," she said.

However, her experience highlights a disconnect between policy and practice. To use the space, students must request access at Weber front desk and be escorted to the space.

"There were several occasions where I was locked out, which made access inconvenient," she said.

According to the Housing Department, the kitchen is designed to be a "shared, temporary-use environment." The rules are clear: The kitchen operates daily from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. (unless an event is held in Weber Grand Hall).

The procedure is structured for accountability:

1. Check-in: Trade your ID at the Weber desk (or Weber 137 during business hours).

2. Escort: A staff member unlocks the door.

3. Clean-up: Students must wipe surfaces, dispose of trash and turn off appliances.

4. Inspection: Staff checks the kitchen for cleanliness before returning the student’s ID.

Housing notes that custodial staff cleans the room every weekday morning and RAs conduct daily rounds to ensure safety and compliance. But if the "patrols" are happening, why are students still finding messes?

The "Two-Month Spaghetti" Incident

The gap between the housing department’s policy and the student experience often comes down to individual responsibility. Matthew Clarke shared a harrowing story of a student who once left a massive pot of spaghetti in the fridge for over two months.

"No one member took the initiative to clean it out," he recalled.

While housing explicitly states that no personal items or food may be left in the kitchen, the "spaghetti incident" proves that rules only work if the community respects them. When a student leaves a mess, it doesn't just hurt the facility; it burdens the next student—like Williams—who often has to clean the kitchen before she can even start her own meal.

While the Weber kitchen is a hub for some, for residents of Bevi Hall on the other side of campus, it’s a distant dream.

"Sheperd's Pie." Giovanni Davenport ,a Bevi freshman tells us, "I’d love to cook, but trekking across campus with groceries and a heavy pot is just too far." For these students, the lack of awareness about the 10:30-10:30 hours or the ID-swap process have made the hurdle even higher.

A Call for Community

The Weber Hall kitchen isn't just a room with a stove; it’s a test of our campus community. Housing provides the hardware and the morning cleaning, but the "soul" of the kitchen depends on the students.

To make the experience pleasant for everyone, students may have to move beyond just "following rules" and start "owning the space."

The verdict? The Weber Hall kitchen is a vital part of campus life, providing a taste of home in a busy semester. But for the recipe to truly work, the final and most important ingredient is us.

Next time you’re in Weber, ask yourself: Did you leave it better than you found it?