When my friend Catherine suggested to our university group chat we have a competition over who had the best dinner that night, I enthusiastically agreed, not at all suspecting that two months later it would become a solidified part of my daily routine. Wake up, stretch, vote in the Corona Cook Off, stress about my future, teach an English class, almost-forget-but-at-the-last-minute-remember-to-take-a-picture-of-my-dinner-for-the-group-chat, and go to bed.
The first week started with a bang. Elliott, the engine of the whole thing (he manages voting), happens to do an uncanny impression of the formidable X-Factor voiceover man. Thus, the first night’s results show provided some much needed comic relief to the dread-filled week one of lockdown. It wasn’t short either, as there are fifteen of us in total, and most of us post every day.
It was a tough act to follow, but the group were up to the challenge.
One night Dudley presented us with a poem, and another night Catherine made us a song to the music of Wonderwall from her Manchester flat complete with a parka and a Liam Gallagher accent (though she’s actually from Surrey). It was phenomenal.
Needless to say, it grew a bit difficult to produce a results video every day, but the comments that people add at the bottom of the voting form are enough to keep us entertained in between.
It hasn’t all been jelly and ice cream, however. Characteristic of the group, we’ve had our fair share of drama, with participants threatening to, or actually leaving the group (and then being immediately re-added). A couple of times I was “jokingly” outraged that my beautifully prepared meal did not score any points, and that it was a prejudice against vegans. (Lottie, the other vegan in the group, has since disproved this by frequently winning.) I had to accept the unfairness of taste not being a factor due to practical reasons, and learn to garnish my baked beans on toast. Things have since calmed down.
Most weekends we have a group quiz or synchronised Eurovision watching to remind us that we do actually like each other - searing lasagne criticisms and heated debates about how burnt a pizza can be aside. Despite meet-ups every other month or so, it feels the most we have talked as a group since graduating almost three years ago, and I think we've all been grateful for the competition. The other week, Elliott asked us if we were all keen to carry on. “I thought this was just life now,” someone replied, summing up the general sentiment.
Like a good custard, the consistency is the most important part of the Cook Off, and in between our comments about disappointing takeaways or how some meals resemble dog food (naming no names, Liam), we actually get to connect and realise that isolation doesn’t have to be so isolating. And I’m only partly saying that because I just found out I won yesterday’s competition.
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