Can I Host a Pampered Chef Event at My Local Grocery Store's Cooking Space?

[minirottie]

One of our local grocery stores has a chef in the produce section, cooking things on a hot plate (this is a new thing they're doing). I stopped by his table the other day and sampled the salmon and veggies. Since he didn't have the recipe available then, he told me to e-mail him, so I did. He sent some recipes back to me yesterday. Today I received this email from the Assistant Mgr of Perishables:

Hi Kristen,

My name is Brandon and I got your email address from the email you sent our Chef. I see that you are part of Pampered Chef. I know that Pampered Chef does a lot of hosting and I would like to give you some information on our clubroom. I am working on getting it used more often. For events like what you do, I would let you use the clubroom for free if in exchange you buy all your food and drinks for the event at our store. If you would like to discuss it more please email me back. (I am on vacation starting Monday for 1 week)
Attached is a flyer.

So it's a gorgeous looking cooking space and I'm wondering if somehow I could try and do a monthly "event" there? I have a potential fundraiser host that I'd like to suggest to use the space if we do a cooking show. I wondered about trying to partner with their dietician to do healthy meals in PC items? The normal rental fee is $200 so I don't want to mention that well, I'd maybe be spending $25 on things (assuming a normal cooking show)

What do y'all think? Any ideas for me (I'm not hugely creative) to try and make this into a business venture of some sort???

And maybe others could contact their local stores to see if they have something like this available!

 

[nikked]

Sounds like it could be a good location for "mega shows"...

 

[flemings99]

This sounds like an awesome opportunity. Kids n' the kitchen, healthy cooking shows. Maybe you could do a different theme every month. I bet the store would help you promote. Just think of all the new leads! Congrats!

 

[purpleluvs3]

I feel my wheels turning..hmm. thanks for sharing this experience. Maybe do a meal out of a few of the featured Ad item.

 

[PamperedchefDaly]

Wow! That looks like an opportunity not to pass by!! Good luck, and congratulations!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I agree with Nikke! Do a Mega Show!

That's where you gather 3+ hosts (as many as you want) and bill it as a show where they don't have to clean, cook, or shop. They all chip in $10-$15 for demo ingredients, etc....and invite their guests, and then they each act as hosts at the show, with their own table for their guests. So - you can be having 3-7 (or more!) Shows going on at the same time. Have a calculator for each table, and have the hosts help tabulate payments for each guest, and if they have questions about orders, you can be there to help.

 

[Jolie_Paradoxe]

Congtats! That's awesome. In addition to the great ideas already mentioned, you can do a cooking club. Do opportunity events, customer appreciation parties. Team celebrations. Express shows for the chefs who work there. Fundraising kick offs. Much success!

 

[minirottie]

Thank you SO much everyone! I'm meeting with him at 9AM tomorrow and you've given me some great ideas because I feel I need to be able to "sell" the store, their space, etc. so that it's worthwhile to them, especially given the lack of rental fee they'd be charging me. To me it seems like a wonderful environment to draw people in, since they're there buying food anyways!! Now to get them to buy the right products to cook it in

 

[minirottie]

I agree with Nikke! Do a Mega Show!

That's where you gather 3+ hosts (as many as you want) and bill it as a show where they don't have to clean, cook, or shop. They all chip in $10-$15 for demo ingredients, etc....and invite their guests, and then they each act as hosts at the show, with their own table for their guests. So - you can be having 3-7 (or more!) Shows going on at the same time. Have a calculator for each table, and have the hosts help tabulate payments for each guest, and if they have questions about orders, you can be there to help.

Thanks! Once I get a better idea of how the space is set up tomorrow that's a really good suggestion, and thank you for explaining it to me, since I hadn't had a chance to come back and ask what a mega show is.

 

[minirottie]

I feel my wheels turning..hmm. thanks for sharing this experience. Maybe do a meal out of a few of the featured Ad item.

Great idea too!

 

[lt1jane]

or even a monthly "Cooking Club" possibly. If the store promotes it too, you can demo a recipe and people can stop in to taste the recipe and do a little shopping for PC while they grocery shop.