Getting guests to help with cooking show

ponvn591

When i do the cooking part of my shows it seems that no one wants to help. The same reply is "Ohhh, we just want to watch." So i am always stuck doing the whole receipe. The point of the cooking is to let the guest try the products out so if they are not helping then what's the point? So while i am measuring or doing whatever the receipe says, their is always a dead silence like ppl are getting bored or some are just talkin about random stuff not listening to me. While i am using a product i tell them what the product is and wt it can be used for but they all just look and stare. Any suggestions on how I can get the guests attention and make it to where they want to play with the products

Humble Beginnings

I understand what you are saying. However, I've read on here someone suggesting writing the products you will be using in your demo on cards and having the guest pick a card prior to the show. So when you get to that part you just call out "ok who has the chopper?" and that person comes up to demo it. Or you can just put the products on a tray and pass those out and do the same thing. Good luck

ponvn591

that's a great idea!thanks

esavvymom

I also incorporated it into a Ticket Game. They get tickets for helping with a portion of the demo or when I ask for a volunteer. I've only had a chance to try it at one of my last shows....but it worked.

loreo

When asking who has been to a show, I explain that I do things a little different than what they may be used to seeing. I tell them that I already know how the tools work and now it is their turn to try them out. Too many people get their products, don't know how to use them, them shove them in a cupboard. Everyone gets a ticket for participating as well as asking quesions. If somebody doesn't readily volunteer I volunteer them. I've had very few say "no."

cookin to the top

Another option is to put names in a Stainless Mixing Bowl, and pull a name when you need a "volun-told"

Sheila

I just announce at the beginning of my shows that it's an interactive show (of course the host has been warned in advance), explaining to all the guests that THEY will be making the recipe today. I ask them to all come & wash their hands so we can get started. After everyone has washed their hands, we gather around the dining room table or kitchen countertop. I show them the recipe, the ingredients & all the tools & let them go at it. I'm there just to answer questions. I do very little if any of the prep. If someone's being super gentle on the food chopper I'll give it a couple of pounds to show them how rough they can be & then hand it back. I don't DO the recipe. I don't give them chairs at the table either. We move them against a wall or into the living room for afterward. It works really well!! Everyone stays on their feet, next to the table & usually get involved. There's been a couple of shows where someone said that they had a cold and were just observing, but for the most part everyone gets their hands involved in the recipe.

When you put them on the spot where they have to get up & "perform" in front of the crowd, they are less likely to participate.

JenniK

I love to try an interactive show, but my parties have been quite large lately (around 15+ people) and I never have enough space around me for that many. How do you handle large crowds?

Oh... and I'm definitely not complaining about having large parties! Love it, but would like to make it more interactive.

ChefBeckyD

I pass things around for people to try. I'll often pass around a cutting board, knife, and a pepper, or carrot, or cucumber...I sell a lot of knives that way. I also do the same thing with a bowl of salsa, or chicken, and the salad choppers.
I rarely do a totally interactive show. I don't often have room for that either.
For instance, last night's show - I had 10 people on a sunporch. The kitchen was not visible from the porch. The host ran things back and forth to the micro for me. I was doing the show on a little table - so I just passed around the salad choppers and the chicken we'd cooked for BBQ sandwiches. I also passed around spices, and sprinkles, and various other products. Lots of interaction, but not an interactive show in the strictest sense of the word.

JenniK

Thanks for the tips. I definitely need pass around more items.

robbiesmom123

I had a show in a large place and was making the pineapple salsa. I had typed up slips of paper with each step written and which tool is used and had them passed around. I think I had 8 steps (even mixing it all together was a step) and made them come up and do their step. I would then ask them how wonderful their product was, and of course they agree and then we got others to come up and try them out. Everyone loved helping out and I didn't have to do the entire demo myself.

baychef

I had so many complaints when I did this and people were not re-booking. So I am back to passing things around. No more having people angry at me.

That said, I have a consultant who tells her guests if they want to eat they'd better wash up and help others do the recipe. Then those that do not want to participate are left to wander and end up going in another room. She is booking and selling, however.

Another consultant starts by having the host come up, then the host picks the next person to come up, etc. This works for her.

My point is, do what feels comfortable. I do pass the products around and try to include passing a bowl around to chop chicken for the Mexican Chicken.
For me, this is what works and each of us has our own comfort zone.

taterbug

For the last couple of interactive shows that I did, I basically told them (in a humorous manner) that if they wanted to eat they needed to cook because I wasn't going to do it for them; that I knew how to use all of the tools and if I wanted to use them myself, I would have stayed home and cooked for my family. My last several shows have not been interactive, which I usually prefer.

Beckycooks

I've tried this several different ways with success. I have laminated product card with the name and a photo on back - they pick one to use. I've had the actual products in a basket and they pick one. Lately, I've been using an apron. I have the host put on the apron first. She does the first product/step then she passes the apron on to the next person then that person passes it on. These have all worked well with great participation.

Sheila

If it's more than 8, we do a 2nd recipe. I did one show with 22 people and we did 3 recipes. One on each end of the dining room table & a 3rd on a card table.

And I don't gather the guests "around me", I step back and let them have at it. I'm behind them to answer any questions that they might have about a certain tool.

Oh wow! I've had nothing but good feedback. Everyone says that they LOVE being up & touching everything & I get comments on how much more fun it was to be involved vs. sitting & observing. That's wild that you are getting the complete opposite reaction!!!

outwhit420

It certainly seems that you are doing something right if you've only had 5 shows and your top show was $1,400!!! It took me over two years to have a $1,000 show! Now I have them a little more frequently.

I don't usually do "interactive" shows per se, but I do let all the guests know that the products are set out to be touched and used. I will say something like "Who wants to come up and try the Food Chopper?" Most times, I find the guests encouraging someone to give it a shot, and it usually works. If it doesn't, then I say "Are you sure? I bet there's someone out there who needs to get rid of some stress". After that, if no one has volunteered, then I just do it, but 9 times out of 10, someone comes up.

stefani2

you could ask your Hostess for help encouraging her friends

you could also start the interactive part as soon as they come in - so after they wash their hands - they go to the kitchen - you can introduce yourself and say "ok, sally, can I get you to ____________ "

ChefBeckyD

I've had many people who have reacted negatively to it too. "I didn't come to a party to work", "I've been on my feet all day - I just want to sit and relax" "Oh - I was looking forward to someone else cooking for a change" are all common responses I've had.

Some groups LOVE the interactive show, but I've had a lot of hosts who've booked and specifically asked me NOT to do it. I'm all about making my hosts and guests happy, so I do what they want. Plus, again - I am not always in a place where an interactive show is possible. I've done many shows on my knees on a coffee table.

If my bookings were down, or I didn't have loyal repeat hosts and customers, I may think more about doing a fully interactive show, but I have a very strong show schedule, sales, and bookings....so I figure why mess with a good thing?!

Sheila

I have an occasional person who still just wants to watch, but most of them love doing hands-on. I've only had one make a comment about having to work and I made light of the situation by asking her how she was supposed to learn to save time in the kitchen if she didn't participate? She participated and ended up having fun.

I had one host demand the demo. One that left the chairs around the table so it ended up being a demo because no one would get up to participate. The 3rd demo that I did only had 3 guests present and they wanted their kids to participate. The adults ended up sitting on their butts talking while I was the babysitter for the evening. I had not really studied the online stuff about host coaching until after that show. I host coach now!!!

I just took the time to calculate:

Demo show average: $392.92
Interactive show average before I learned to host coach: $645.04
Interactive show average after I learned to host coach: $795.89!!

The extra $150 average per show really adds up!!

ChefBeckyD

I don't know - maybe it has something to do with your location....or mine. Those are great stats! Good for you - keep it up!

I could say that my stats look just like yours - but mine would be:

1. Host sending invites
2. Me sending the invites
3. Using the Mini with the invite.!

Now, in August, I'm out of Mini's - and while I am doing everything else the same, my avg. has gone back down a bit. I'll be glad when Sept. hits and I can use them again!