While living in Yonsei Residential College, students confront many difficulties, and one of them is eating. Even though there are different kinds of restaurants in and out of campus, eating-out cannot satisfy their yearning for homemade food. RA Jiyun Jeong recognized students’ demand and came up with a program “Allsikdang” (which is a combination of the word ‘Allen’ and ‘Sikdang’ which means restaurant in Korean) that not only serves delicious food but also provides a platform where RC students can bond with each other.

  After receiving applications from students, Jiyun made a group chat room of participants. Then, students chose menus and wrote lists of recipes by themselves. Students considered various factors (like time, price, and complexity) to find the best combination of cuisine. After careful consideration, Jiyun and RC students decided to make kimchi fried rice, doenjang stew (Soybean Paste Stew), pizza toast and gambas al ajillo (Spanish appetizer made with shrimp, garlic, and olive oil).

  On September 25, participants gathered in a fellow room with fresh ingredients. Students began to discuss which to cook first since there was a time limit of one hour. Although there was no professional cook among students, they effectively shared roles. Two students got ready for the ingredients and the other put toppings on slices of bread to put them in the oven. Surprisingly, as time went on, delicious smell filled the whole room. In a short time, a nice dinner was set on the table. “Honestly, I did not expect that we can make it. But, look. We made it!” one student commented on the dishes. After finishing the meal, students cleaned up the kitchen together and returned to their rooms.

[Photo 1] A nice and delicious dinner table made in Alsikdang

  There is a Korean word Sik-gu. It usually means ‘family’ but largely sik-gu means people who are in a relationship of eating together in one place. Every participant with different cooking abilities gathered in the kitchen, made a delicious meal helping each other, and shared it together. Allsikdang was a place where the true sik-gu relationship was formed under the slogan of Allen House: Rise by Lifting Others. 

[Photo 2] Students eating dinner together

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