Spoon University brings foodie culture to Trinity

KELLY VAUGHAN ’ 17

FEATURES EDITOR

On a campus where food consumption is either dependent on chicken sandwiches wrapped in cheap parchment paper or ordering overpriced pasta from an off-campus location, Spoon University provides the source of unique solutions hungry college students crave. An online publication dedicated to food lovers and college students looking to get creative in their dorm rooms, Spoon University is a community made up of over 100 campuses worldwide, providing insight on unique city eats, dining hall inspiration, and tips for staying healthy while on a meal plan. Founded by Northwestern University graduates Sarah Adler and Mackenzie Barth, Spoon has been stirring up some of the best food news since 2012.

With an interest in both blogging and food, three Trinity students learned about Spoon and decided to start their own campus chapter. Carly Goroff ’17, Lizzie Snyder ’17, and Anna Brennan ’18 are in the process of launching Spoon Trinity, a chapter of Spoon University with articles focused mainly on Hartford cuisine and how to make the most of the food that is offered on campus. Goroff, who serves as the Editorial Manager, says that Spoon “takes it beyond a packet of ramen noodles; students these days care about where their food comes from and what they’re putting into their bodies.” Brennan, the Social Media Manager of Spoon Trinity, adds that Spoon serves as a great way to “connect with Hartford and local food served at Hartford restaurants.” The girls agree that Trinity students tend to rely on the same West Hartford spots when looking for a place to eat off campus; their goal is to find more unique and authentic eateries within the community to share with their peers. Snyder, Community Manager of Spoon Trinity, says the website will offer “relevant posts to college campuses- quick dorm recipes that don’t take a ton of ingredients or appliances, party food, drinks, hangover cures, etc.”

Snyder and Goroff were both inspired by the cuisine they experienced while studying abroad. Snyder says that after her semester abroad in Paris, she has sought out French inspired restaurants in the Hartford area,  landing upon A’Vert Brasserie “a French bistro in Blue Back Square that reminds me of Paris- it was fun and had a pretty interior.” Snyder also recommends Le Petit France, which she describes as a bakery and bistro located on Farmington Avenue in West Hartford. Goroff has also found nearby Peruvian restaurants, but is seeking more options that have diverse, worldly menus.

The girls agreed that starting Spoon has given them an education in marketing and business- fields that are lacking in the courses offered at Trinity. Goroff says that having “direct access with headquarters has helped with marketing and advertising, and learning how to communicate with an audience our age.” The only course related to Spoon’s content was an American Studies course Snyder took last spring titled, “Food and American Culture,” which outlined the history of food culture from Colonial to present day America.

Although the official site of Spoon Trinity will not launch until the end of the month, social media has already been an extremely successful source of promotion for the team. Snyder explains that they have been working with the Spoon University team in Brooklyn and has “learned a lot in terms of how to get views and hits, making the blog successful, and different takes you can do to get there.”

Snyder says the online resources Spoon provided has helped with her own blog, “Saturday or Sunday.” Goroff says that they have been trying to engage the Trinity community through social media by asking students to tag their food pictures on Instagram so that they can “see what students are interested in, the kinds of restaurants they’re going to, and help students discover what Hartford has to offer.”

To learn more about Trinity’s chapter of Spoon University, follow spoon_trinity on Instagram, or email  carly.goroff@trincoll.edu.