Èva Morin | Fulcrum Contributor
LIVING AND MAINTAINING a student lifestyle is no easy task. Between juggling endless readings, essays, and work, some students must also take care of chores waiting for them at their apartment. While living away from home seems like the ideal scenario for many students, it often implies skimping out on basic needs
and privileges, such as home-cooked meals. Instead, macaroni and cheese, shawarma, and toast are often part of a student’s daily diet, while their oven goes unused.
Deborah Chud is the creator of TruffleHead—the newest app aimed at students and young adults with little to no ability in the kitchen. Spawned from her son’s regular phone calls regarding cooking techniques and ingredients, Chud realized, while cooking websites and books are aplenty, most apply to amateur cooks who already have skills in the kitchen.
“When I first got involved in this whole cooking dialogue with my son, I became more aware of the need for something for inexperienced cooks,” she explains.
“I started thinking it would be great for young people like my son to have some kind of a resource that they could use so that they could really feel comfortable in the kitchen and so they wouldn’t have to call their mother every two seconds.”
As a working mother with a background in medicine, Chud knows the importance of eating healthy and balanced meals. She also knew by creating an app, she would be able to reach her target audience.
While it seems like dozens of new cooking apps are created every day, Chud maintains TruffleHead is one of a kind. With the help of visual aids showing particular ingredients and slideshows demonstrating elaborate techniques, TruffleHead is sure to become indispensable for every kitchen virgin.
Chud reassures students on a tight budget that a fully stocked kitchen with brand new cookware is not necessary to become a pro.
“All you need is a spatula, a chef’s knife, a colander, a cutting board, and a wooden spoon,” she explains. “Those are the five must-have items in every cook’s kitchen.”
The app is available for Smartphone users for $3.99 and features over 260 recipes fit for every taste bud. Students with dietary restrictions will also be happy to learn TruffleHead caters to vegetarian, dairy-free, and gluten-free diets, as well as individuals looking to achieve or maintain a healthy weight.
“Eating at home is cheaper, better for the environment, and healthier,” explains Chud. “When you eat healthy, you not only look good, but you feel good.”
