NANYANG MBA

A taste of Korea – BBQ, kimchi and happy faces…

The NANYANG MBA Ex-co organizes BBQ for the AY 2011/2012
By Charles Chua, Singaporean, Nanyang MBA participant intake 2011, VP for Socials Student Ex-Co

No matter where you come from, sharing a good meal in the midst of like-minded company is a great way to spend a weekend especially if it is after a rigorous week in school. It is not a hidden fact that having a delicious meal is one of the many things our cohort enjoys most. With a very diverse cohort that we have, we thought – why not have a BBQ, with an Asian twist? And so, the first BBQ was organized by the Student Ex-Co 2011/12 at one of our classmates abode (and gracious hosts for the night) in a condominium in the Western part of Singapore.

Our full-time and part-time peers, MBA faculty, and MBA office staff were there to share some fun and indulge our hungry stomachs with a spread of BBQ food with a taste of Korean culture (yes, Korean dishes were served!). It was a big turnout of more than 80 people. It simply showed that among all other things that were common to us – the love for food (and great company) still surpassed all of these.

Welcoming everyone was a spread of delicious Korean dishes specially prepared by our Korean peers and their families – from the Korean style BBQ to various types of kimchi, a traditional fermented Korean dish made of vegetables with varied seasonings, usually made with napa cabbage, radish, green onions or cucumber, and are a common side dish in Korean cuisine. Our peers from Germany, Mexico, USA, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam were treated to this enjoyable spread of Korean dishes and it was a truly gastronomic treat to everyone. We also had the traditional American-styled grilled vegetables like asparagus, green capsicum and Hawaiian-styled grilled pineapple.

What made the event special was that it was prepared by Korean classmates and their wives and this was noted by Teddy, one of our Indonesian classmates –“I really enjoy eating Korean food and American traditional BBQ. However, this event was quite special because the food was prepared by our very own Korean classmates and their families, classmates from the US (and those who helped in the preparations). It was really great chance for me to take a break from our hectic school routine and also interact with my cohort in a very relaxing situation. Overall, it was a great event arranged by our Student Ex-Co and our Korean classmates who took the time and effort of preparing the food for everyone. I really look forward to more of similar events learning other cultures through sharing a meal.”

Kaspar, our classmate from Germany, shared the same warm and delightful experience, “The BBQ was a delightful experience where I could enjoy authentic food from other parts of this world together with friends who also gave me insights into the accompanying culture- this time it is Korean! It is this cultural exchange that makes The NANYNG MBA a fantastic experience for me and I am always looking forward to more of these events.”

It was a lovely and cool night of Korean culture and everyone had fun.

And yes, we did organized another BBQ event, too, during the holidays – a Christmas BBQ.