Photo by Gina Lorusso
Photo by Gina Lorusso
Photo by Gina Lorusso
Photo by Gina Lorusso
Photo by Gina Lorusso
The Carl Hansen Student Center filled with the savory scent of fresh Korean cuisine on Thursday, Feb. 26. The History Club’s inaugural Soup Kitchen, brought the flavor of kimchi and Korean heritage to Hamden.
Organic vegetable grower Madalyn Warren and her mom, Ji Young Kim, sought to teach students and faculty about nutritious Korean staples while offering them the opportunity to sample home-cooked dishes.
“A lot of learning happens through the internet and books, so having the experience to smell and eat and see us is our form of education,” Warren said.
As campus Kimchi Residents, Warren and Kim share knowledge about fermentation and sustainable agriculture. The Soup Kitchen was part of a larger residency that blends hands-on cooking classes with classroom discussions and events.
The pair served japchae, a sweet potato noodle dish with vegetables; kimchi jjigae, a traditional Korean soup; and an assortment of kimchis including cucumber, watermelon-radish and white daikon radish varieties.
“I’ve never had home-cooked Korean cuisine before. I’ve only ever had it at restaurants, and you can definitely taste the difference,” Samantha Robbins, senior history major and History Club president, said.
“We’ve hosted kimchi workshops in the RecWell demo kitchen and sat in on environmental science, anthropology and history classes talking about the history of kimchi and my profession as an organic vegetable grower,” Warren said.
Beyond the meal itself, the gathering also served as an information session for attendees to learn about the history of Korean immigration. Posters made by the History Club featured timelines detailing when and why Koreans immigrated to the U.S. and how Korean culture has evolved in American society.
By pairing history with home-cooked cuisine, Warren, Kim and the History Club transformed the Student Center into more than a dining space. The event turned into a learning opportunity where culture was not only discussed, but experienced.