Booth has a myriad of opportunities for its students and some of the coolest opportunities come from the student-led groups. This week I sat down with Megan Marchuk, co-chair of Epicurean Club, to hear all about what they have been up to.
To start, could you tell us what Epicurean Club is?
Epicurean Club is the food club on campus. We’ll go to different restaurants around the city or host cooking classes. Everything is centered around food, we try different cuisines, see different parts of Chicago, and provide that push to venture out of the normal places you visit.
Why did you want to be co-chair?
I’m a big foodie. I always have been. I was always helping my mom in the kitchen. Epicurean is a fun way to give back to the Booth community through one of my passions.
What has been your favorite Epicurean Club event so far?
Our event at Gaijin. It’s a Japanese restaurant in the West Loop we went to during the Fall quarter. It was really fun, and we were able to do it in person. I think we ordered almost everything on the menu! Gaijin is known for its cabbage pancakes and octopus, which they cook on a flat top grill. It was a lot of people’s first event and it was fun to meet some of the new members.
What was your favorite virtual event?
I have two. Monteverde (Italian restaurant) we did virtually. We got takeout during Chicago’s restaurant week; it was a three course dinner and it was super delicious. It is one of my favorite restaurants. The other one is the Dean’s Dinner which we also did virtually last year. Dining with Dean Madhav Rajan and his wife gave us the opportunity to chat with them in a smaller forum. The food was from Ella Elli and was amazing.
What is one thing you have learned or gained from Epicurean Club?
I definitely gained new friendships, even just from working with the other co-chairs. Also, meeting people at dinners has been great. There are people I wouldn’t have met if it wasn’t for Epicurean. There’s also a lot of work that goes into planning a big restaurant event, so through planning I got to learn more about the restaurant industry and what goes on behind the scenes.
What should incoming students know about Epicurean Club?
Epicurean Club is the best club on campus! We have 1- 2 events every week and it is a great way for members to get involved, explore the city, and learn about the restaurant scene in Chicago. You can follow us on Instagram @boothepicurean!
