Eight o'clock on a Wednesday night, after Usdan has served its last burger and burrito, the smell of potatoes and shallots simmering in a delicate craeme sauce creeps into the dinning hall from the busy kitchen. The cooks are the 15 or so active members of the Culinary Club, who meet every week to prepare and enjoy a four course meal, which according to club treasurer Alicia DiVittorio '03, usually includes a vegetarian appetizer, two entrees, one fish, one meat and "of course" desert.Along with the (Oenology) Wine Appreciation club, these two recently established organizations are a novel addition of fine culture to the Brandeis community, given that Student Union Secretary Ana Yoselin Bugallo '03 said she cannot recall the existence of any clubs of a similar nature. Both DiVittorio and Wine Appreciation Club President Kate Tansey '03 said their inspiration for their respective clubs, both of which they participate in, originated during travel to Europe. "A lot of us in the (culinary club) were abroad last year in Europe and liked the leisurely lifestyle of enjoying eating rather than eating because you have to," DiVittorio said.

While DiVittorio admitted that some consider the culinary club "a little snooty," according to member Rachel Schneider '05, "it's usually not as formal as it sounds." To prepare for their weekly sessions, co-presidents Irvin Almonte '03 and Ashely Shaw '03 gather recipes, predominantly from www.epicuris.com, Bon Appetite magazine and occasionally personal suggestions from the members, and purchase the necessary ingredients in a local supermarket. In the reserved section of the spacious Usdan kitchen, the members rather haphazardly split up to work on the dish of their choice, usually according to specialty but sometimes out of sheer whimsy.

Almonte explained that the easy-to-follow recipies and constant group collaboration allows even the most illiterate cook to have fun and enjoy the fruit of his labor. He recalled that even he "used to pop hot dogs in the microwave. But, just because you don't know how to cook," Almonte said, "doesn't mean you don't know how to eat."

Last semester, the culinary club kicked it up a notch by staging an Iron Chef competition, in which eight two person teams raced to prepare their recipe of choice, limited by time and the obligatory use of fruit. The meals were judged by seven members of Brandeis staff and faculty, including Dean Laura Lyndon, and the competition was broadcasted continuously on BTV. Additional club events include the visit of a professional chef from Boston's Soleil restaurant, which, along with the Iron Chef competition, is also planned for this semester.

An even more recent addition to Brandeis' cultural scene, the Wine Appreciation club, has also initiated and participated in on-campus events. Club activities, organized by founder Kate Tansey '03, include monthly wine tastings and educational seminars, where participants are taught how to read labels, choose the best wine for a meal and distinguish between regional brands. Retired French Professor Gendzier instructed a recent seminar, after which he invited the group to his home where "we learned more in smaller groups and a more intimate environment," Tansey said. Although club funding has been low, Tansey is currently planning to visit a local winery.

Tansey, who grew up in wine-country California and studied in the south of France, said "wine is an important part of my life ... and I realized people don't know much about it." Judging by the ample club membership, she said her inspiration to educate the Brandeis community was well received.

Still, Tansey said she recognizes the cultural obstacles to wine appreciation. "In France kids grew up with it," she said, "but here, people think it's a bit snooty. This club is meant to show people that it's not a super-cultured thing." She added that alcohol would be more enjoyable and less problematic if experienced and appreciated at a younger age. Referring back to her European experience, Tansey said "drunkenness to the French is not a goal but an endpoint. It's all the experience ... and Americans need to learn that."

But, Tansey said she is optimistic about the current direction of American culture. "Now people (in America) are getting more and more into wine ... it is a natural step that our generation will take." Evidently, the Brandeis wine appreciation club is a pioneer of Tansey's speculated cultural trend. While universities such as Berkely and Cornell house similar clubs, judging by local Massachusetts universities, wine appreciation remains a rare college phenomenon.

While some members of Brandeis' recently founded food and wine organizations are planning to peruse related careers -- Schnider considering being a desert chef and Almonte hoping to write for a food magazine -- both Tansey and Schnider said the goals of the clubs are much less formal. Schnider said she and others participate in the culinary club to "get your hands on food and cook, which you might not be able to otherwise do in college, unless you have a kitchen. More importantly," she added, "food brings people together."

Likewise, Tansey said that wine appreciation has more significant consequences than understanding a label. "In France, I learned how to be a responsible drinker and enjoy life better. When you really enjoy wine you learn to take the time to relax and spend time with friends. It's not just about drinking," she added, "the sky's the limit."