If you’re looking for a unique place to grab lunch on campus, running low on your meal plan, or just thinking that eating some barbeque made by your chemistry professors sounds cool, try checking out the chemistry department’s weekly barbeque.
Ray Teng, Research and Facilities Coordinator for the Chemistry Department, gave an inside look at how the Chemistry BBQ works at the University, even in the snowiest winters.
“This started 10 years ago when Dr. Brennessel thought it would be nice if once a week undergrads, grads, faculty, and staff of the chemistry department could meet and chat during lunch over some burgers and dogs,” Teng said. Since then, it has grown to include anyone in Hutchison, and beyond.
Although it is most popular in the summer months when the crowd can gather “on the grass slope getting to know each other and chow down,” according to Teng, they do hold the event “all year round—rain, snow, or shine.” Put to the test, however, the barbeque was cancelled due to intensely snowy conditions and an absentee cook during the recent snow storm.
Karl Smith, a University graduate student, attended in better weather. Describing his experience, Smith said, “The sun was shining. They charged me two bucks and I got a sausage on a bun. I put mustard on it, and it was neither amazing nor bad.”
The professors do not make a profit, nor is the event for charity, but they do have a donation box to cover the cost of the food. Attendees are welcome to donate what they feel like, and there is a suggested donation posted for those unsure of how much to give.
Perhaps best season to enjoy the BBQ, though, is winter, as it is a great way to pretend the snow isn’t falling and enjoy a taste of summer.
“The smell of a BBQ permeating throughout Hutchison,” Teng says, beckons tired students and faculty alike to an oasis. So, next time you want to escape the dreary winter and Danforth dining, consider bonding with chemistry professors, graduate students, faculty, and fellow students over delicious food. The BBQ runs from about 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, outside the Wilson Blvd. side of Hutchison Hall, near the information booth. They serve burgers, sausage, hot dogs, and a good time.
