It was with mixed emotion that I read the TCS food survey published on Thursday. On the one hand, I was happy to see that Pembroke came in second in the Top Formal Hall category (behind Kings who charge double the price we charge and host one Formal Hall a week, not seven like Pembroke!).
On the other hand, I was a bit surprised that the TCS had received no replies from Pembroke students...are we such a content group that we don't feel the need to 'rate' our food?
What most surprised me was the fact that if NO Pembroke students responded to the survey, then our Formal Hall score was made up solely by non-Pembroke student responses? I guess that is quite an acomplishment?
Imagine how well we could have done if only a few of our own students had responded....
Anyway.....below is the list as published in Thursday's TCS.
Top Formal Halls
(1=best 5=worst)
King’s 2.18
Corpus Christi 2.26
St. John’s 2.39
Jesus 2.61
Peterhouse 2.69
Magdalene 2.73
Emmanuel 2.81
Downing 2.82
Newnham 3.08
Queens’ 3.09
Robinson 3.15
Trinity 3.16
Murray Edwards 3.19
Trinity Hall 3.26
St. Catharine’s 3.66
Homerton 3.67
Fitzwilliam 3.69
Christ’s 3.82
Girton 4.14
I'm a Pembroke student and I didn't hear anything about this survey, but if I had done I would certainly have given Pembroke top ratings. We have some of the most varied and most beautifully presented food - not to mention delicious!
ReplyDeleteI agree with the survey about the point that Pembroke has excellent food at formal. Having been to formals at a number of other colleges, I have not found any of them to be as good as Pembroke.
ReplyDeleteI also noted that the average cost of a meal in Pembroke would place it as one of, if not the most, expensive college in which to eat a standard canteen meal, which is surely not ideal.
A fish main and two tapas, with student discount would be £3.28 (That would put us 8th out of 17 according to their survey which does not state what an average meal consists of..)
ReplyDeleteor £2.75 between 5.45pm and 6.00pm-that would make us the 5th cheapest college...
Breakfast with coffee, one egg, one bacon, beans and toast would cost you 99p (you get a 45% discount at breakfast-that's pretty good value for money). In the servery we display the cash prices which might be causing some confusion.
I'm also a Pembroke student and also heard nothing of the survey until it was published, and would ALSO certainly have responded (had I been asked) that Pembroke formal is THE best...
ReplyDeleteNone of my friends at King's have had the chance to attend their formal more than once, due to it's rare occurrence, and the limited number of seats available. I'm sure if Pembroke formal were to take place only once or twice a week, it would be number one (simply due to the 'hot ticket' element, because I can't imagine how the food could get any better!)...
Pembroke formal has the most variety and flavor of any college I've been to thus far, the portions are perfect, the pricing (in my opinion) reflects the quality of the food very well and is still very affordable, especially for Pembroke students (as you pointed out above).
Good luck this week! And we all know: first is the worst, second is the best ;)
I have to say that I think this is very impressive and a testament to the great improvements that have been made in the last year or two. Being in the chapel choir, I eat formal food once a week minimum, and last week's tuna, lamb and tart were all absolutely incredible. I would have been happy to be served them in a 5-star restaurant, and for that to only cost £7 is fantastic. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteI also have not heard of the survey...but am very proud. Pembroke would have deserved the number one place! Keep up the good work -- well done!!!!!
ReplyDeleteserve roast confit of duck everyday!! Today's duck was too delicious!
ReplyDelete