On 16 March 2016, when Easter was just around the corner, UG Hall III had the exciting Easter Cooking Night to celebrate this joyful festival in G18 Multi-Function Room of UG Hall III.

We were very glad to have four teams consisted of a total of 17 competitors and their supporters to celebrate Easter together. They came from different countries. Some were local students, some were international students from Taiwan, Korea and Bangladesh; and the others were exchange students from Ireland, USA, Germany and France, etc. Similar to the cooking night held at Halloween last semester, participants had to design their dishes and prepare the ingredients with the given budget. The four teams made carrot pancakes, a carrot chocolate cake with cream cheese filling, bubble milk tea and three mouthwatering dishes with carrots and kimchi.

Right after the announcement by our MC, the cooking night was kicked off at 7 o’clock. With a wide variety of cooking utensils and the relaxing atmosphere in the room, everyone enjoyed the cooking and had loads of fun chatting and coordination during the competition. It was a precious opportunity for the participants to meet new friends, share their interests and introduce their cultures to one another.

At 8 o’clock when the competition ended, five appetizing, appealing and divine-looking dishes with a special drink were placed on the presentation table and each team gave a short presentation on their masterpieces.

The exchange student team made stacks of delicious carrot pancakes served with cream cheese and nuts. The pancakes were nicely decorated, which looked so fascinating. Everyone just couldn’t wait to have a bite! “Missing Bubble Milk Tea” team which was formed by our friends from Taiwan and two local girls, presented a “milk tea buffet” which included smooth and intense milk tea with several types of handmade toppings. “I Love Glacier” team baked a superb looking carrot chocolate cake with cream cheese fillings. “Hins”, a team of boys, made three dishes smelling extremely good that no one could resist.

As judges, Jacky, our Residential Life Officer as well as Dennis and Constantinos, our Hall Tutors, tasted all dishes. They appreciated the creativity of the dishes and the efforts made by the competitors. After rating the healthiness, the use of ingredients, the color, the smell, the taste, the creativity, the presentation and the team spirit, “Missing Bubble Milk Tea” won the special prize for the Easter Cooking Night. After the competition, we all enjoyed a party with food prepared by the teams and party food like pizzas, spaghetti, chicken wings, mushed potatoes and salads.

It was such a fun, delightful and unforgettable Easter Cooking night where participants from all over the world shared not only their food but also their culture and cooking tips. This surely was a highlighting experience for all of us in this semester!