On Sunday, Feb. 11, Cornell’s undergraduate co-ops kicked off their Spring 2024 moseying process with a series of open houses. From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m, potential new residents were welcomed to eight different Cornell-affiliated housing units for a brief tour and a closer look into cooperative (co-op) living. Moseying, a long-time tradition amongst the co-ops, is a casual two-week recruitment period. It involves social events from late night crafts to collaborative dinners, resulting in selecting new co-op residents for the upcoming semester.
As moseyers — people who partake in the co-op recruitment process — consider where they want to call home, a significant part of the decision is based on the dining experience. Though not every co-op has a meal plan, each one offers unique cooking opportunities unavailable at campus dorms. How different communities celebrate food and spend time in the kitchen infiltrates every aspect of co-op life. While cooking is not always easy, most residents agree that despite cooking disasters ending in smoke alarms or recipe mishaps, it provides a valuable bonding experience. You might be curious about what makes a co-op’s cuisine special — each one offers a standout menu that will not disappoint.
Wait Terrace Cooperative
Located at 308 Wait Avenue, the Wait Terrace co-op is an iconic yellow house on North Campus, neighboring Louie’s Food Truck across from Risley and downhill from the Clara Dickson volleyball courts. There is no official meal plan at this 13-person residency, but that doesn’t prevent them from creating their own fun kitchen customs. Baking is a favorite activity amongst students here and home-made brownies were a staple of the Wait Terrace tour. Residents bake cakes with a thrifted Bob The Builder cake pan while housemate Marco Scocca ’25 dedicates time to preparing Italian dinners. Shrimp scampi and garlic bread are only a few of his specialties. The pantry is constantly stocked with a range of shared staples including oats, tea and chocolate chips. Sunday dinner is a chance to make empanadas, perogies and horchata while occasional parties are supplied with quiche or cheesecake.
Wait Avenue Cooperative
Just next door to Wait Terrace is the Wait Ave co-op, an all female co-op housing 14 people in one of the North Campus’s oldest buildings. The house is equipped with a modern sunlit kitchen and ample fridge space. Though a meal plan isn’t established here either, the women of Wait Avenue store tomato sauce, garlic and other ingredients voted on during food polls. Managers go on grocery runs often.
“No one goes hungry in this house,” said Cocoa Poopat ’26.
Members of the co-op enjoy preparing fresh soup with a surplus of on hand pots and pans. Meanwhile, an extensive “So You Can Bake?” ingredient list challenges residents to try sweet treat recipes with molasses or chia seeds.
The Prospect Of Whitby
A quick trip down Wait Avenue, neighbors at Prospect of Whitby are particularly successful at fostering a positive cooking culture. The Whitby meal plan provides five dinners a week with an emphasis on vegetarian options. Meals are decided by food stewards and assembled in cook groups of four to five people. A whiteboard in the kitchen is dedicated to suggestions; in fact, Whitby’s open house took place after a much anticipated burrito lunch. Whitby has a spacious dining room and invited moseyers in with fresh apple cider by the fireplace. When asked about dining at the co-op, Co-President Sofya Maslova ‘24 summarized the environment by describing her own experience.
“It’s 40 servings. It’s a lot of work, it’s hard to cook that much. But it’s such a valuable cooking experience. I learned to cook really well here,” Maslova said.
Triphammer Cooperative
The co-op at Triphammer is a little further north from Whitby but well worth the visit. They share similar cooking principles with a vegetarian meal plan and collaborative dinners. The kitchen is equipped with a long wooden table where residents often snack and hang out after class. Here, food preparation takes place separate from stoves, counters and fridges. In the basement of Triphammer, students ferment kimchi and other vegetables at the treasured fermentation station. The shelf of glass jars provides room for a different kind of culinary creativity. Residents at this unit also prioritize their health by keeping an abundance of oranges and apples around common areas.
Wari Cooperative
Near Jessup Field and the Africana Research Center, Wari is the last cooperative residence on North Campus. Wari is home to 10 undergraduate women of color and was founded in 1968 to promote an atmosphere of support and personal confidence. Wari does not have its own meal plan but students here often come together to create meals in a uniquely bright green kitchen. The House has a gorgeous front lawn and as a very socially active organization, women here make frequent desserts and snacks to supplement events.
Watermargin
Headed towards West Campus, Watermargin is a beautiful blue house tucked away near the Johnson museum. Though secluded, this co-op is complete with gorgeous views and multiple residential stories. A spiraling wood staircase complements the home in addition to a marvelous kitchen. The Watermargin meal plan runs from Sunday to Thursday and most shopping is conducted by stewards at eitherTrader Joes or Walmart. Popular bites amongst housemates consist of curry udon, egg drop soup and shakshuka, a dish of cooked tomatoes with egg.
Redbud Cooperative
Down University Avenue, the largest of the eight co-ops is Redbud at Von Cramm Hall. With a grand total of 34 members, turning out dinner for everyone is always an adventure. Redbud’s six-day meal plan requires a little extra dedication from cooking groups. Grilled pizza is a speciality at the hall and students are equipped with a wider array of cooking gadgetry, including an ice cream maker. Instead of one large table, Redbud’s dining room is decorated in cafeteria-esque style with multiple close seating arrangements. The area is perfect for banquets held from time to time. Looking back on the trials and triumphs of Redbud cooking, Irfan Adizan ‘25 explained that, “cooking itself can be a hit or miss, but eating together, getting together is how you get to know people in the house.” There is certainly an air of festivity that unites those living here.
660 Stewart Avenue Cooperative
Closest to Collegetown amongst Cornell’s co-ops is 660 Stewart. 660 continues an optional meal plan that serves three vegetarian meals a week. Rice, oats, honey and fruit are several staples of the house since residents are extra considerate of gluten-free diets. An outdoor barbecue is used for everything from summer grilling to maple syrup production. Most groceries around the co-op are for public consumption but personal shelves get thoroughly filled at 660. Housemates share generously, especially when it comes to beloved tacos or lasagna. Potato and leek soup is a cozy selection for cold second semester beginnings.
Cooking practices at cooperative living units are certainly not what comes to mind when most imagine college dining. Dorm meals or hall buffets are the common choice for many Cornellians, whether or not they prefer it. But co-ops offer another choice; collaborative meals in an environment reminiscent of a home away from home. Though the nostalgia of childhood recipes or baking memories may feel distant, it is being recreated almost daily within these eight units. For those who miss enjoying the kitchen together, cooking in the co-ops may be the answer.
Kira Walter, staff writer, is a sophomore in the College of Agricultural & Life Sciences. She can be reached at [email protected].