Any tips for hosting an interactive show with a divided group?

[heat123]

My host wants to try the interactive show on the Delux Cheeseburger salad recipe. Any tips on station set up, dos, dont's etc would be greatly appreciated! TIA!:chef:

 

[Christ Follower]

I am going to be doing my first cheeseburger salad interactive show myself on the 26th. I second the request for tips!

I have done a few interactive shows, but not this one yet. It seems like it is a great recipe to do interactively. I need to go watch that dvd some more...lol.

 

[heat123]

I am going to be doing my first cheeseburger salad interactive show myself on the 26th. I second the request for tips!

I have done a few interactive shows, but not this one yet. It seems like it is a great recipe to do interactively. I need to go watch that dvd some more...lol.

Me too but was just wanting other input on those who have done this recipe in action!

 

[vwpamperedchef]

I have not done a interactive demo with that salad. I try to stick to the same trifle recipe---because one I know it and two its fun! I am sure someone can help you---but sorry I cant!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I LOVE:love: the Cheeseburger Salad as an Interactive Demo.

I'm not so great with "stations" though. That just sounds to structured for me - LOL!

Before the show, I get the lettuce washed and ready to spin in the salad spinner. I also make sure that the ingredients are prepped. I have onion peeled and divided and in a prep bowl, tomatoes have the ends sliced off, cheese is measured into the 2 cup ERMC, pickles are in a prep bowl ready to be chopped, ketchup is in the measure-all cup, and mustard is in the easy read measuring spoon. Hamburger is in the 10" pan on the stove, and buns are on the Bar Pan. Oven is turned on to preheat.

When the first guests start arriving, I have one person help out by cooking the hamburger. She then starts oohhing and aahhing about the mix n chop, and that leads into the rest of the show! We stand around the table or counter and I make nametags for everyone and chat with them while I am doing that.
Then I say that we are going to be cooking together tonight - and feel free to wash your hands or use gloves. (I have a package of gloves there for them)

I ask the person(s) who did the hamburger to tell me how that went. Was it easy? Was it quick? Then I talk about the cookware for a minute.

I have the bar pan in the middle of the table sitting on the cooling rack w/ the bread knife lying beside it.
I talk about stoneware and get some guests to talk about their stoneware - especially the bar pan. I always give the bacon tip. Then, I show them how to slice the buns, and have a couple people help with slicing the rest, and we pop them in the oven.

Then we slice onion & tomato using the UM, wedge another tomato using a knife, chop the pickle and onion with the chopper, and mix together the hamburger with the other ingredients. (talk about those tools as we add the ingredients to the mix)
Then We spin the lettuce, use the salad chopper a bit on it, dump it in the Large Dots Bowl, pull the croutons out of the oven, and assemble the salad!

Everyone serves themselves with the Bamboo Salad Tongs, and moves to sit down. I give everyone their guest folder, go over it, talk about host specials and recruiting, and let them eat and shop.

I clean up a bit, and get ready to help them with their orders.

That's it!

 

[IAmChefJ]

Thank you -- for the tips and for starting this thread! My 1st interactive with this recipe is tomorrow night!

 

[heat123]

Thank you Soooo much Becky! That helps a TON! Cause I was totally clueless as to how I was going to do this one! I will take these notes with!

 

[heat123]

I LOVE:love: the Cheeseburger Salad as an Interactive Demo.

I'm not so great with "stations" though. That just sounds to structured for me - LOL!

Before the show, I get the lettuce washed and ready to spin in the salad spinner. I also make sure that the ingredients are prepped. I have onion peeled and divided and in a prep bowl, tomatoes have the ends sliced off, cheese is measured into the 2 cup ERMC, pickles are in a prep bowl ready to be chopped, ketchup is in the measure-all cup, and mustard is in the easy read measuring spoon. Hamburger is in the 10" pan on the stove, and buns are on the Bar Pan. Oven is turned on to preheat.

When the first guests start arriving, I have one person help out by cooking the hamburger. She then starts oohhing and aahhing about the mix n chop, and that leads into the rest of the show! We stand around the table or counter and I make nametags for everyone and chat with them while I am doing that.
Then I say that we are going to be cooking together tonight - and feel free to wash your hands or use gloves. (I have a package of gloves there for them)

I ask the person(s) who did the hamburger to tell me how that went. Was it easy? Was it quick? Then I talk about the cookware for a minute.

I have the bar pan in the middle of the table sitting on the cooling rack w/ the bread knife lying beside it.
I talk about stoneware and get some guests to talk about their stoneware - especially the bar pan. I always give the bacon tip. Then, I show them how to slice the buns, and have a couple people help with slicing the rest, and we pop them in the oven.

Then we slice onion & tomato using the UM, wedge another tomato using a knife, chop the pickle and onion with the chopper, and mix together the hamburger with the other ingredients. (talk about those tools as we add the ingredients to the mix)
Then We spin the lettuce, use the salad chopper a bit on it, dump it in the Large Dots Bowl, pull the croutons out of the oven, and assemble the salad!

Everyone serves themselves with the Bamboo Salad Tongs, and moves to sit down. I give everyone their guest folder, go over it, talk about host specials and recruiting, and let them eat and shop.

I clean up a bit, and get ready to help them with their orders.

That's it!

Although I am kind of nervous because she is expecting 18-22 people. How would you handle a larger crowd??

 

[wadesgirl]

Although I am kind of nervous because she is expecting 18-22 people. How would you handle a larger crowd??

You can always do 1 lb of meat or add more lettuce to it.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Although I am kind of nervous because she is expecting 18-22 people. How would you handle a larger crowd??

With things like spinning the salad and chopping the lettuce - you can pass that around and have several people try it! I've also had several people get in on slicing the croutons - 4 people, one bun each!

I would guess with a crowd that big, you would probably have some who just want to be onlookers. That's okay too - just make sure that you are including them by asking questions. Like when you talk about stoneware - ask someone who hasn't helped with the demo their favorite way to use their stones. Also - I've been using Jillian's game where I have a product to pass, and every time I say the magic word - the person who is holding it has to pass it to the next person.....this keeps people engaged, even if they aren't actively participating in the demo.

 

[heat123]

Great thanks again Becky!

 

[twinkie10]

Although I am kind of nervous because she is expecting 18-22 people. How would you handle a larger crowd??

Have people pair up and double team one step in the recipe. For example, have two work on the hamburger, two or four slicing the buns, one pour the ketchup in the MAC and then one pours it out, etc.

 

[pamperedbecky]

Wow, Heather, that's awesome!! If you haven't watched that Cooking Shows in Action DVD, I suggest that. It shows you 3 different ways of doing an interactive show. I know when I watched it for the 2nd time, it got me WAY more excited about interactive shows. What's nice is the consultants seem to make it flow so smoothly and make it look easy and I really feel that with the right prep work and planning it out, it IS an easy show.

Let us know how it goes!! I'm a little more nervous about doing interactive shows with that big of a crowd, but like was mentioned above, it's doubtful every single person will want to join in. Hopefully they'll at least be quiet!!

 

[heat123]

Thanks for all the advice ladies, especially Becky D! It was kind of a flop cause only 1/2 of them were particitpating in the kitchen and the other 1/2 was in another room mingling. The group I was instructing was the same ol group I see 3-4x a year at other PC parties with their friends! While the non active ones were the ones I really wanted to get involved with.

So I had to go running back and forth to each room to make announcements and such. 16 people showed of the 18 who rsvp'd and it's at about $400. So I don't think it went well in the sense that I got to explain our products to the "other" ladies in the other room the way the active ladies were able to see and feel them.

Hopefully next time I have one cohesive active group if not participating, at least watching us do it together!