DS has applied to a "no cooking" university. He loves cooking. This is madness, isn't it?

[Thesearepearls]

Just that really. DS's first choice university (we've just done the application for halls) is a no-cooking university. The cooking facilities comprise a toaster, kettle and microwave. There is no cooking allowed for the entirety of his university course.

If you'd asked me what DS would do in a future life I would have given you two choices. The first is singing (he was a cathedral chorister and loves classical music). The second is that he would be a chef. He is absolutely gutted that he won't be able to cook. He cooks for us all the time. He's really keen on it and he is beyond disappointed that the next three years of his academic career will involve zero cooking.

It's total madness isn't it?

@frogsoup you sure about that? There's all kinds of Mickey mouse places calling themselves unis now you know

Does the sign on the station platform still say 'Welcome to Cambridge, home of Anglia Ruskin University'?

Welcome to Cambridge - the 'No Cooking University'

Kings expects undergrads to live in for their whole course and none of the college rooms have kitchens.
www.kings.cam.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/accommodation.html
Therefore cooking up a proper meal will be a tad tricky
The college expects to cater for its students
www.kings.cam.ac.uk/study/life/food.html

You lot are making me giggle now

"Welcome to Cambridge the no-cooking university" Arf and arf again. I might have been being a bit ridiculous.

maggienolia I might well take you up on that - thank you

Agatha I'm sorry about the nutmeg emergency. If you PM me your address I will directly send you a nutmeg. A proper nutmeg mind you.

He does have to stay in halls all three years. And to be fair to DS, he is an incredibly humble and respectful child. It's not fair to call him entitled. He's the biggest respector of persons that I know. He's just worried that he isn't really good enough and worried that he wouldn't be able to cook. I will send him away with gizmos and cookery books.

And coming to the cookery books D0do - Cooking in a Bedsitter by Katherine Whitehorn is a lovely idea. I remember reading the Far Distant Oxus by her when I was little and she could really write. So thank you for that :)

If they've offered him a place, they think he's good enough. I'm pretty sure loads of kids arrive at Cambridge with 'imposter syndrome'. Don't worry- if he makes his grades and then works hard he'll have a blast. Some of the others will be (and possibly remain) completely clueless and will be awed by his skills if he can rustle up something tasty with the available facilities (DD said someone was impressed she was able to make her own sandwiches for lunch...)

www.facebook.com/InTheKnowFoodieByAOL/videos/2098151173755363/

In case link doesn't work this is someone who apparently cooks "everything" in a coffee maker!

That's hilarious! There you go, all sorted.

Keep us informed of his A Level results tomorrow OP.TVM.

Oh yes. Very best of luck. Hope he gets what he needs.

I will :)

The daft kid is currently in China where emails get sort of delayed and what have you.

I'm worried about his Chemistry exam (Mum it didn't go to plan) but I'm hoping that DS will not be able to cook at university for the next three years.

I'll keep you posted

He got in. I’m going to buy that remoska now. Thanks for all words of advice

Great!

Fantastic. Now stop calling them 'halls' and instead say stay 'in college' all 3 years.

Most Oxbridge colleges are very old buildings and traditionally students ate in their respective dining halls. To provide cooking facilities would mean knocking these old buildings about a bit which for obvious reasons is not going to happen.
DD survived the first of her three years at Oxford eating in (dining) halls.
Your DS will also survive the hardship.
Oxbridge terms are shorter than other universities and he'll be home more often than you'd think.

So pleased to hear that he got the results he needed! Congratulations! Who knows, in a few years' time, we may be hearing all about "The Singing Chef"!

That's really fab Pearls :)

Congratulations! Really pleased. Hope he has a fab time.