Here’s Where to Get Free Food (For Thought)
by Nick Grudin on October 20, 2005 in Culture
Last Monday was a model day for my new plan. I ate three free meals, and in the process, I met the foreign minister from Georgia and learned everything I already knew about McKinsey & Co.
Before I go any further, an explanation is in order. This column was inspired by my failure to take full advantage of KSG’s offerings in my first year here. After a summer of reflection, I pinpointed the two areas I was falling short:
(1) My schedule was so packed that I often neglected the school’s daily parade of accomplished and inspirational visitors, who just so happen to regularly speak at mealtime events, and;
(2) Though there is rarely ever a need to actually pay for meals around here, I usually still bought food on a daily basis.
In the spirit of efficient self-improvement, I have made a pact with myself that I now extend to my readers. Between now and graduation, I will attend as many free food events as humanly possible, and in the process, I will make up for the experience that I missed last year, intellectually, financially, and nutritionally. To keep me disciplined and on task, I will chronicle it all in these pages.
I started last Monday at 9 a.m. at a McKinsey briefing. I scarfed down an onion bagel with cream cheese, a mini cherry Danish, and a steaming cup of Starbucks with a dash of sugar and cream.
The young and casually dapper consultants were about as predictable as the food. They responded with the standard explanations and euphemisms; the long hours are worth it because of the relationships you build; the travel is fun; the personal development opportunities are unmatched.
The surprising thing was when the questions got a bit more pointed. “What percentage of the company’s directors are women?” One of the female students attending the info-breakfast asked.
The lead presenter pulled a mini-cheat sheet out of his breast pocket, like a football coach looking for just the right play on third-and-long with a minute to play and no timeouts.
“I think it’s about 15%,” said one of the female associates.
Silence and slow nods. I took a gooey bite of my Danish.
Fast forward three hours. I’m in the Belfer Center library for an “off the record” meeting with Georgian Foreign Miniser Salome Zourabichvili. The sandwich bar was stacked. Your choice of prosciutto, bologna, turkey, and grilled chicken (I went with the grilled chicken on a Kaiser roll, with a side of mixed salad and vinaigrette).
As I loaded my plate and grabbed the my drinks (a bottle of Tropicana orange juice and a bottle of Poland Springs), I briefly eyed the dessert platter but decided to hold off since my plate was already precariously balanced on my right hand while my left hand strained carrying both of my beverages.
Without realizing it, I was about to learn my first free food lesson.
Levent Orsel, a Turkish MPP1 who was in line behind me, noticed my pause over the brownies and cookies. “Always take dessert to start because it will quickly go extinct,” he said sternly, reaching over the salad for a brownie of his own. I followed suit and then took my seat.
Only moments later, I was forced to briefly part from my mound of food when the Belfer organizers asked a few students to pose for a photo with Ms. Zourabichvili. I set down my plate and got into a couple pictures before sitting down to dig in and enjoy the proceedings. But as I sunk my teeth into my first bite of the grilled chicken sandwich - with mustard and mayonnaise squeezing out the edges - Ms. Zourabichvili’s introduction made me feel a brief twinge of guilt.
“The foreign minister has forgone lunch to speak with us today.”
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