The Campus Activities Board (CAB) kicked off a series of virtual events on Sept. 22 with “Cooking with CAB & Chef Jyll.” The event featured Jyll Everman, a renowned chef and Food Network Star finalist, teaching students how to make her very own, “Best Freezer Burritos.” The event planning had been in the works since July.

“I had the opportunity to connect with Jyll Everman,” CAB director Logan Light said. “One of her pitches was that she tailors her menu items to college students and keeps them easy without a ton of materials, which is great for students.”

Although the idea originally stemmed from trying to keep students distanced while keeping them engaged on campus, Light also saw another opportunity with it.

“I think it’s always fascinating to think about a college student’s lifestyle and what their cooking needs are,” Light said. “I thought it sounded really unique, and this year was a great reason to do something unique.”

Light was not alone in thinking the event sounded fun and unique, as CAB student workers were eager to join the fun and assist with the event.

“Overall, I thought it went really, really well,” senior Jack Pitcock, CAB student worker, said. “Chef Jyll is definitely way better at cooking than me, but her burritos were so good.”

The initial event may have been small, but Light plans to keep these cooking events going with two more events planned. However, the next two might be different from the first.

“We want to set up in a space where we can spread out and have multiple people cooking to make it look like a cooking show or contest,” Light said. “People can tune in and watch on our Instagram Live, or they can Zoom in and join.”

CAB is also looking into changing the logistics of these events so they can have more people attending in the future.

“We have taken some notes on the first run and plan to move the times back,” senior  Abby Stinnett, CAB student director, said. “I hope more people attend and help really get the word out.”

Even though some students may not be getting the buzz about virtual events, CAB is still going to help push them to give everyone on campus a fun and safe way to spend a night. 

“It’s a really cool way to get [people] involved even if it isn’t in person,” Stinnett said. “It can simply be a fun thing suites or housemates can do together.”

The next two CAB cooking events will be on Oct. 13 and Nov. 3. All students are welcome to attend.