Getting uni life Sorted (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Getting uni life Sorted

11:10am Wednesday 27th August 2008 in

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As soon-to-be freshers prepare to fly the nest for university, help is at hand from an unlikely source. Eight entrepreneurial students from Hertfordshire have come to the rescue with a new cook book written for students by students. Paola Dellafiora reports.

THE idea of a healthy eating campaign was born during the university holidays over a couple of pints at the lads’ regular drinking hole.

The 21-year-old former Chancellor School students started sharing anecdotes of the funny mistakes, stupid assumptions and the unbelievable problems they faced during the first year at university.

What’s more, they all mocked each other’s laughable domestic skills in the kitchen.

Combining their living-away-from-home expertise with their insatiable appetite for tasty grub, they have created Sorted – A Recipe for Student Survival.

“The key for us is to make student living healthy,” says Barry Taylor, creator and photographer for the book.

“We were horrified at the tales of woe and how many tins of beans were consumed in the first year of uni by many of our friends.”

Combined with recipes, the book features top tips and snippets to prevent any student crises.

The title – Sorted – originated from a weekend away when the boys realised they were using the word frequently in conversation.

They decided the word was perfect for illustrating the idea of students getting ready and heading off to university.

Chef Ben Ebbrell, of Brookmans Park, who spent the summer working at Jean-Christophe Novelli’s White Horse gastropub in Harpenden, concocted the book’s recipes.

He said: “A lot of the inspiration has come from my work as a part-time chef at different restaurants and hotels.

“I’ve seen ideas and I’ve been able to adapt them making them quick to make and most importantly, cheaper.

“We wanted to show people how easy and fun it is to ditch a typical university diet of Pot Noodles and take-aways, and create a dish that is healthy and just as cheap,” added Barry.

The book is crammed full of mouth-watering dishes including Thai-style tuna burgers, crunchy creamy chicken satay and chocolate cherry pots, to name but a few.

Each chapter is stamped with the lads’ unique sense of cheeky humour and guides the student through various university experiences.

Marketing student Jamie Spafford said: “The book is a credible student’s survival guide. We have tried to make it student-friendly by keeping it as punchy and simple as possible.

“As it is written by students for students it’s not patronising in anyway.”

Supported by celebrity endorsements, the students have created a mobile catering trailer to help them spread the word and get their campaign on the road.

Barry said: “We’ve put all of our savings into this project and have carried out voluntary work in return for favours but it’s all been worth it.”

The lads will be embarking on a roadshow throughout September and October, touring universities around the UK.

Aided with a Land Rover and complete with their fully loaded mobile catering unit, they want to encourage students to explore healthier menu alternatives and get creative in the kitchen.

Founder Jon Gavaghan said: “Being a student myself I am only too aware of the difficulties of having to buy your own food and then having to try and make something with it.

“But now with Sorted, students everywhere will be living like kings.”

“We’ve been really surprised by the uptake. It’s not just students who have bought the book, but young professionals, mothers and just about anybody,” said Barry.

“The project has brought us all back together. Through the bickering, banter and brilliance we are proud to present the bible of student living.”

Watch out for the Sorted team at University of Hertfordshire on Friday, October 3.

Visit the group’s website by clicking the related link where you can purchase the book, view video podcasts of the recipes, drinking games and other student essentials.