Kissam: the one word in Vanderbilt Housing that’s bound to elicit a reaction full of jealousy and pride. Pride, if you live there; jealousy, if you don’t. Widely regarded as a luxurious hotel-like space, Vanderbilt’s first attempt at the residential college system doesn’t disappoint. Its halls are pristine, its ceilings high, and its common areas spacious. As a two-year resident of College Halls, it’s a place I’m proud to come home to every night.
That said, there’s a reason we stay here and why our friends choose to make the trek for breakfast or dinner instead of nagging us to join them at Grins: the food here is killer. Below is my expertly compiled investigation of the mysteries of Kissam dining.
1. The Market is basically Trader Joe’s
Photo by Gabrielle Levitt
This is not your average Munchie Mart. They have kale chips, Annie’s mac ‘n’ cheese, toasted edamame, and pretty much any other trendy food you desire. The mini packets of Justin’s Almond Butter are a great way to use your extra sides if you don’t want to go all-in on a jar of nut butter. Even if you do want to drop the extra cash on a full jar, they’ve got options like Nutella and Biscoff cookie butter to satisfy your needs.
2. The Kitchen is open for lunch…sorta
Photo by Mary Beth Schatzman
Tragically, the Kitchen only serves hot breakfast food from 7:30am until approximately 10:00am and then dinner from 5:30pm until 7:30pm. What many don’t know is that the Kitchen also serves two daily soups from 11:00am until they run out, and on some special days they might even make you a sandwich to go with it. They’ve also got a great Tropikale smoothie, wraps, and occasionally sushi to satisfy your lunch needs without the horrible traffic of Rand.
3. You get a LOT of food for your meal plan
GIF courtesy of giphy.com
This seems to confuse people, so as a seasoned veteran, let me break it down for you: one entree from the Kitchen + three sides from the Market and/or Kitchen; one entree from the Market + two sides from the Market and/or Kitchen; three sides all from the Market and/or Kitchen; and finally, five sides from the Kitchen. Drinks count as a universal side.
4. Their breakfast is basically country-club style
GIF courtesy of giphy.com
Give up your crappy Rand omelets and order yours at the station in the Kitchen. Better yet, get your eggs cooked to order. While you wait, survey the daily scramblers, french toast, pancakes, breakfast sandwiches, and full oatmeal and yogurt bar (I like to put yogurt on top of my oatmeal for added creaminess, and also to cheat my way out of another side for a parfait).
5. The catered events are insane
Photo by Mary Beth Schatzman
You remember Blanc, or S.S. Rand? You clearly haven’t been to a Warren and Moore Celebration dinner. They had crab cakes, pickle grilled cheeses (TRY IT) suspended oh-so-carefully over cups of tomato soup, a grilled donut station… it was everything my heart could ever want. If you can’t make it to a Celebration dinner, stop by one of the Hot Topics panels for a great conversation about current issues and excellent food. They’re held in the Kissam MPR and get the same catering, often in the form of desserts and hors d’oeuvres.
6. They give out candy for free
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I’m not a girl who eats an entire candy bar in one sitting, but if I was, I’d be pretty pleased with my stock of pumpkin-shaped Snickers and large Butterfingers – all courtesy of the kind and wonderful cashiers in the Kissam Market.
7. They have dozens of sheets of Rice Krispie Treats
Photo by Mary Beth Schatzman
Your ten year old self would have a heart attack.
8. S’mores ingredients are in abundance
Photo by Mary Beth Schatzman
‘Nuff said.
9. It’s stocked with all the gluten free items you could ever need
Photo by Mary Beth Schatzman
Cake mix, Glutino snacks, bread…my friends with Celiac have made the Kissam Market their go-to. They’ve also got a special allergen-free freezer with soy milk, dairy-free creamer, and almond milk.
10. The themed dinners are almost as good as a restaurant
Photo by Monica Jeon
They rotate on a schedule, and they always draw long lines. Imagine Chef James, but better. My favorite nights are Pacific Rim (go for the caramelized salmon and roasted tofu), Italian (can you say cheesy polenta?) and BBQ (the salmon, chicken, and grilled pineapple are delicious).
11. Fisher’s Fresh Baked Fridays are the highlight of the week
Photo by Emily Green
Dr. Douglas Fisher, the Faculty Director of Warren College, and his wife prep and bake cookies every Friday afternoon from 3:30pm to 5:00pm. If the smell of fresh baked goods doesn’t entice you, you can also sign up for one of the faculty dinners. Dr. Fisher occasionally offers to buy dinner on Sunday nights for students who run out of meals; all you have to do is spend time eating with him and catching up. As Warren and Moore are residential colleges, the faculty directors want to build a sense of community – and what better way to do that than with food?
Between the glory of the Kitchen, the variety of the Market, and the tireless efforts of the faculty directors and programming board at Warren and Moore to bring Vandy kids together, the food scene at Kissam is nothing to sneeze at. I’ll always be thankful for being part of a community that tries so hard to bring people together, and I can’t wait to see what’s next on Kissam’s culinary horizon.