A college kid is running a highly-trendy restaurant out of his dorm room
For most of us, the food options at college were simple: cafeteria grub or ramen cooked on a dorm room hot plate. Let’s just say, things are a little different at one university, thanks to an enterprising student with some serious cooking chops. A senior at Columbia Univeristy named Jonah Reider opened a restaurant in his dorm, Hogan Hall, and it’s become an overnight sensation.
The restaurant, which Reider says is more of a supper club, is called Pith. Pith has its own website, and is extremely popular on Yelp. Reviewers praise everything from the food to the vibe to the ambiance, saying that Reider is truly a phenomenal and creative chef.
“I didn’t expect it to be so popular,” he told the New York Post.
How exactly does this all work? Reider takes reservations and prepares a full prix fixe meal in his dorm’s communal kitchen. He gladly accommodates dietary restrictions. Pith’s website describes the experience as “an inventive but relaxed meal” that you even get to enjoy with the chef himself.
Pith takes reservations for Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Groups of up to four are allowed. The best part? The price is about $10-$20 per person. Yes, really! Reider isn’t here to make money—to him, the restaurant is more of a project than a business.
“It’s this really great excuse for me to cook a lot,” Reider told the Columbia Spectator, “because people are willing to subsidize the cost of ingredients.”
What do his roommates think of all this? The system is working—for now. “It’s definitely a lot of fun,” Reider’s roommate, Jordan Walters, told the Post. “But it can be a strain since we have to study. I guess now with his fame, we’ll have to have a discussion.”
Pith is currently booked until Columbia breaks for the holidays, but you can still call or email to inquire about being placed on a waitlist.
Related:
