What Are the Best Options for a Monthly Cooking Show at the Community Center?

Okay, I came up with the idea but now I am stuck with the details. In my full-time job, I am the director of programs for the local community center. Now that I am starting with PC, I have discussed with my executive director the opportunity to hold a monthly cooking show - with special features each month - at the community center. One idea was to have a "Petite Chef" event where, during special events like Valentine or Mother/Father's day, younger cooks will pay a set price (which will include ingredients) and prepare a yummy dish for them and their significant parent(s)/guardian(s). I would have the show video taped so parents can watch the entire ordeal as they eat with their child in the community room. The other option, that can be alternated, is that the child can take the meal home. Either way, we will focus on child-friendly tools and menus. My executive director believes there is no conflict and loves the idea of a regular "cooking show".

Questions - Should I include a flat price for each participant and have it include a featured item(s) for that month? Or should I simply charge a lesser price, to cover costs of ingredients and have a list of items used for purchase later?

I also thought I'd rotate cooking shows between adults and children. What do you think? Also, at my local church, there is a woman who has a standing party every third wednesday for her scrapbooking business. She has it set up that she will be there with supplies and a potential host notifies her that they will be coming and invites the guests. They go through a project and the "reserving" guest gets all the hostess specials.

Has anyone done anything like this? Ideally, it can give me 2 shows a month in a great, neutral setting.

I'm also looking for great theme ideas that will work in this type of arrangement. Thanks.

Great idea!Anytime we have a chance to get some products sold for our business and make some money plus do something fun we enjoy, I say go for it!!

This sounds like a great idea. I had a kids cooking class in my home and charged a set price which included food for the classes and the kids cookie making set. So yes you want to charge a fee and in that price they will not only get the food but also a product. That way you can submit this as your own show. You will be preparing food and using PC products to do it, so this counts as a show. It can be your own show, and for the adults maybe it can be a mystery host show.
Of course you will want to charge the adults more for food and products since I am assuming the kids meals will be simple compared to the adults, right? And by doing this they will take home their PC products and try them out, fall in love with them, and want to order more. Send everyone home with a catalog and maybe a schedule of upcoming classes. Let them know the guest and host special for the months to come. They could host a show in their home or a class with their friends and family.
Either way you can set up your themes based on just about anything.
Upcoming holidays, newlyweds, older couples, or just foods you wish to showcase for that month. Panini, desserts, appetizers.....

Keep up posted and I hope all goes well for you.
Debbie

It is a great idea. We have a cooking club thread (http://www.chefsuccess.com/showthread.php?t=11965) that we talked about a variety of ideas for adults. I'm still working on the "recipe book" for that. And if you search for "cooking club" you'll find a few other threads including a kids cooking club.

Please let us know what you make & how it works out.

My Exec used to do something like this with another consultant. They had the kitchen at a church or community center and had a cooking class each month. They'd pick a theme, usually something to do with upcoming holidays or seasons, and run with that. There was a cost to attend, but it was basically to pre-order a tool (like the cookie press if that was the theme). They tried to stick to new tools, so that attendees were less likely to already have them.

I never attended, but I guess that once they had a routine and a regular customer base, they had pretty good success with it.

Dear Community Center Director,Thank you for sharing your ideas for incorporating Pampered Chef into your community center's programming. It's great to see your enthusiasm for creating a fun and interactive cooking experience for children and their families.In terms of pricing, I would recommend including a flat price for each participant that includes the featured item(s) for the month. This will make it easier for families to budget for the event and ensure that all necessary ingredients are provided. However, you can also offer the option for families to purchase the tools used in the class if they wish to continue making the recipes at home.I think it's a fantastic idea to rotate cooking shows between adults and children. This will not only provide variety for your audience, but also allow for different age groups to participate and learn new skills. As for the scrapbooking party concept, I have not personally done something like this, but I can see how it could be a successful and fun way to host a Pampered Chef party. It's definitely worth exploring further.As for theme ideas, there are endless possibilities! Some fun themes for children could be a pizza party, taco night, or a make-your-own-sundae bar. For adults, you could do a wine and cheese pairing, a Mediterranean-inspired menu, or a holiday cookie exchange. The key is to make it interactive and engaging for all participants.I'm excited to see how your Pampered Chef events at the community center will unfold. If you need any further assistance or ideas, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. Happy cooking!