There’s nothing better than free food as a college student. At Chaminade University, the Restauranteers Club happens to offer just that. Previously named Diners and Theaters Club, the Restauranteers Club allows students to try new foods from different cuisines for free. 

From Japanese to Greek to Hawaiian, Restauranteers Club has it as an option. The club, with almost 30 active members out of about 50, has been growing since it started in 2019. Pamela Oda, a fourth-year Criminal Justice and Data Science major, is the current president and shifted it to be more organized and open.

“I mean, who says no to free food? It’s why we draw a lot of members,” Oda said. 

The restauranteers try to go on at least six to eight dinners a semester and bring at least 10 people per dinner. Oda tries her best to rotate the members every single dinner. Oda also tries to bring a variety of people, not just “friend groups.” For members to attend, they have to attend community service. This way, members are rewarded for their service. 

“The whole point of the club is to meet new people and try new foods,” Oda said. “We try our best to rotate the members attending and be more strict with non-members attending.”

As per Chaminade policy, for clubs to receive funds, they must do community service. Oda wanted to try something different and less passive, like a canned food drive. This year members participated in making non-slip socks for children at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children. They used puff paint to create designs on the bottom of the socks. The puff paint acts as a grip. 

The restaurants are chosen by an Instagram poll for members to vote on. Oda created a document at the beginning of the semester that lists the restaurants the club could visit. It looks at the cost of food, if reservations are possible, and if a restaurant can sit down 10 people. At their first general meeting, members decided on what cuisines they would like to try for the semester. 

The idea was introduced in 2019 by Joseph Granado, past director of student activities, and former students Andrew Peter Ancheta II, Sierra Murobayashi, Taylor Diego, and Amber Sablan. Granado became the first advisor for in 2020, and now it is Ancheta II. Oda is the third president and has been a member for a year. 

Their first dinner of the semester was held on Friday at Tsukuneya, a Japanese-style robata grill, on University Avenue. Six members attended. 

“I had a scalloped and mushroom kamameshi which is a rice dish cooked in an iron pot,” said Kobe Ngirailemesang, a fourth-year Environmental Science major and fellow restauranteer. “I usually go for sushi and sashimi in a Japanese restaurant, but the whole point is to try new things.” 

The club is planning to host a potluck for members to meet everyone in the club. The potluck is tentatively scheduled before finals week. If students are interested in joining, they can email [email protected] with their name and student ID number.