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?

Oh god, fire alarms. Another reason why a university might not want more kitchen facilities - so everyone gets more sleep and there aren't so many fire brigade call outs they have to pay.

I’m sure he will
Be fine

This thread is the most monumental stealth boast

the more I think about it the more I think this is another aspect of inequality

Ah yes the poor oppressed Oxbridge students and the many inequalities they face.

Many Cambridge colleges have hobs, ovens, microwaves, fridges pots and pans etc. Others have tiny gyps and weird rules such as no frying. He either chose his college badly or got pooled/did an open application. The cooking facilities and rules are on the college websites.

Last point, even in the same college cooking rules may vary from site to site (old rooms in main college versus new development across the road) so perhaps look to move to another site next year.

Basically, there’s just no way you can call Cambridge a “no-cooking” university.

I didn't cook a meal at university, didn't even have a microwave. Just a kettle and sandwich toaster.

It was a collegiate university (not cambridge but similar), we lived there for the full 3 years, fully catered, room cleaned, bin emptied. was fab. Better things to be doing at uni than cooking imo!

I'm a great cook now fwiw

Thanks for all the useful suggestions- cooking societies, thermomix and remoska. All of which will be followed up.

I still think it’s ridiculous and tbh DS does mind - he’s not looking forward to university at all (and not just because of the no-cooking) - so the helpful suggestions have been gratefully received.

The less kindly comments? Well I suppose it is AIBU! I maintain it’s completely ridiculous that they aren’t allowed to cook though!

Not sure if it will be the same at Cambridge, but at one of the Oxford colleges I visited recently they had a mini students union within the college, it had a kitchen and students could sign up to cook a meal for anyone who wanted it. They had just had a curry night with all the dishes cooked by a student. If Cambridge has similar then that could be perfect for your DS.

Oh FFS, get him one of these www.amazon.co.uk/Andrew-James-Portable-Induction-Built/dp/B076F53Y6G?tag=mumsnetforum-21 and stop being so melodramatic! Cambridge is not a ‘no-cooking university’. Yes, some college facilities are rudimentary but with a little ingenuity it’s amazing what you can do. My friends and I used to take turns to cook a 3 course meal for each other once a week

DS does mind - he’s not looking forward to university at all (and not just because of the no-cooking)
He doesnt have to go. I wonder though if he is picking up on your anxieties.

I maintain it’s completely ridiculous that they aren’t allowed to cook though!
We have established that this isn't really the case and he just needed to apply to a different college. It's like applying to a women only college then complaining there aren't any men.

Ah - Thesearethepearls - It's is sort of what he has bought into by applying. That said if there are other reasons he is not looking forward to it then I hope very much that whatever he thinks may be difficult does not turn out to be a problem. I have joked on this thread and actually if I am really honest I am not sure the no cooking thing can't be overcome , but , seriously , I hope he finds ( of course may take a bit of finding his way ) that he really enjoys his course and his university. I did once poach an egg in a kettle. Note - once. All best to your DS . I do like the idea of a bunsen burner barbecue - I would just make doubly sure that what may not be allowed in 1st year accommodation is all the same through all 3 years. ( So technically Ds's accommodation was catered all 3 years. In reality Yr 2 and Yr3 he could have chosen or used a small kitchen. Sorry - am sure you have checked. ) Good luck to him

Why doesn't he just go to catering college, enjoy his 3 years and actually have a job at the end of it?

Get him a slow cooker

I maintain it’s completely ridiculous that they aren’t allowed to cook though!

But they are. Just not in the college he chose. I repeat, he chose.

DS does mind - he’s not looking forward to university at all (and not just because of the no-cooking)

Then why is he going?

Years ago My (now) ex, had his oven stolen (this is absolutely true, it was a new build and it was there but on day he moved in it had gone, leaving scratch marks on flooring) so he bought a microwave and when I was there at weekends I learnt to cook in one. I bought an excellent book and became very good and produced some tasty meals in a microwave. It can be done.

O please stop it. We are all delighted that your brilliantly talented and accomplished sprog has acquired bragging rights for you for the next few years. Wonderful more power to him. He is not obliged to go to this university of his choice if its expected to be an ordeal is he? Let them eat toast.

I’m rather bemused by the strength of feeling this has elicited in the OP. If cooking is the only thing that matters to her DS why is he studying physics? I love cooking too, but on days when I am at work I have to eat aeroplane food. I don’t think it is the end of the world that I have to sit here eating the leftovers from First Class, feeling traumatised that I can’t just have a nice bit of moussaka I knocked up myself.

Sometimes you just have to accept that not everything you want from life is available at every point in your life, and that the key to a successful and happy life is being able to see the balance in everything. Physics this month (yay!) and cooking next month because it’s the uni hols (yay!)? Happy days, you’ve got it all. Omg I have to choose between cooking and physics because for a whole 8 weeks I won’t even be able to scramble my own egg? Lifetime of misery with this approach.

Rather than discussing salting aubergines and what a tragedy it will be if he has to eat food someone else cooked, OP, why not help your son to see just how fab his life is going to be? He has got an opportunity to study at a top notch college at a world famous university and experience a lifestyle very few people have access to (dd is 10 and already considering Oxford - when I was younger I never even knew such fabulous colleges existed and am already insanely jealous of the fact that she even has this ambition!) He also has 28 whole weeks a year when he can make his own cheese toasties himself in the holidays, or whatever floats his boat.

My Oxford College was pretty old - but coking was only banned in one Quad - and that was because that Quad was so old that cooking would have both been a fire risk and might damage the structure (older than the College itself). Most staircases had their own kitchens, some were better than others. People also tended to live in "houses" in second year, although do that less nowadays.

So I'd check this isn't just for the first year.

Has the son merely applied for his place? Maybe he won't be offered a place nor get the grades and so he can trot off to Anglia Ruskin instead to make rosemary canapés and everyone's a winner.

“Let them eat toast” - hahahahaha!

I suspect it's not about the cooking at all. He's having cold feet, and using the cooking to focus on.

Maybe subconsciously he never wanted to go, hence applying to a catered college, to give him a non-academic opt-out.

If cooking matters to DS he will find a way to do it.

Good cooks are good cooks even with rudimentary facilities. If he needs state of the art facilities OTOH....

With practice, microwave poached eggs are very good.