In The only constant, EM follows the people who keep Rotterdam student life running. They are the only constant in the ever-changing student world.
“Guys, I’ve got the wraps!” Karin calls cheerfully through the large white kitchen, as she pulls a big tray stacked with tortillas out of the oven. “I’ll show you how to plate them.” She grabs a deep plate and places a warm wrap on it, then fills it with chicken and chips. Around her, a group of first-year students from the cooking committee watch closely. “Be generous with the chicken. And then top it off with cheese, sriracha sauce and a pinch of salad. That’s it!”
Karin, or Ka, as she is affectionately known, works alongside a team of four members of the association in the kitchen next to the association restaurant De Smulpaep. Every Tuesday and Thursday, she and her ‘KoCi’s’ make sure that all the clubs, disputen, committees and the board members who’ve signed up for dinner are fed. Tonight, there are about sixty guests in Karin’s restaurant. A quiet evening, as De Smulpaep has double the capacity.
Inside Ka’s kitchen
Karin has been cooking at Laurentius for fifteen years. In addition to the regular association nights, she also provides food for parties, date dinners, or for events at dispuut and club houses. Her workday starts at 4.00. When she arrives at the association, she heads straight to her kitchen. Often, she’ll give the counters a quick wipe and rinse the kitchenware again. The cooking committee is responsible for cleaning the kitchen, but still. “There’s clean, and then there’s ‘studenty’ clean. And I like clean.”
Tonight’s menu is Mexican. “I thought that would be fun, since the board just got back from their board trip to Mexico”, Karin explains. The board always pops into the kitchen on Tuesdays and Thursdays for a chat. “Ka is really a silent force behind the association”, says president Guus. “We appreciate her immensely.” Karin has the most contact with board member Niels. As fiscus consumabel, he’s responsible for all spending on food and drink. “Before I joined the board, I didn’t know Ka at all, but we’ve really become friends”, he says with a smile at Karin. “True, we really have a click”, she agrees.
Kaatje
Karin’s kitchen is an extension of De Smulpaep. All evening, students from various years come in for a chat, a hug, to see what’s on the menu, or to grab a fry. “It’s so sociable here”, says Karin, as she mixes two bowls of beans and corn that will later be used to fill the wraps. “Laurentians make me happy. Everyone genuinely enjoys being here. And they’re always up for a chat and a bit of fun.”
Karin adds her own dose of fun to the mix. “I stop by every Tuesday and Thursday to say hi to Ka”, says second-year student Tijn. Last year, he was on the cooking committee. This year, he still enjoys helping out in the kitchen. “Kaatje always creates a good atmosphere in the kitchen. You do have to pitch in sometimes, but you do it out of love for Ka and the association.”
Karin is a household name at Laurentius. “Everyone knows Ka”, says first-year member Bender as he crumbles parmesan cheese meant for the starters. New members learn about Karin during initiation week. “We were told to always be kind to her.”
Cooking in student houses
Karin has worked in hospitality her whole life. But the student world was completely new to her until 2008, when she came into contact with club Glad. “They were looking for a cook to prepare club dinners in their student houses on Lusthof every Tuesday and Thursday.” No one in the year club felt like cooking themselves. “So for five euros a head, I made a three-course meal. I served it on paper plates so no one had to do the washing up.” That’s how Karin gradually got to know the student scene in Kralingen, and she was increasingly asked by disputen and clubs to cook for date dinners or house dinners. “That was so much fun! It was always lively and the students were always happy with what I made.”
A year later, the position of permanent cook at Laurentius became available. She applied and got the job. “And the very first night I started here, year club Glad was in the restaurant!” Karin had no idea they were Laurentius members. “It was such a great reunion! Such a coincidence.”
The oldest member
In the past fifteen years, Karin has seen many generations of students come and go. She follows many of them on Instagram. “I see them grow up. They get into relationships, find good jobs, or buy a house. It’s really special to see.” Karin sometimes feels like a mother to the association members. “They sometimes ask, ‘Do you have kids?’, and I say, ‘About seven hundred, and they’re all at Laurie!’”
By now, Karin can’t imagine life without the Laurentius kitchen. “Laurentius is just a part of me. I wouldn’t want to do anything else.”
