Anything You Would Never Do at a Show Again?

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Discussion Overview

This thread explores various experiences and lessons learned by participants regarding what they would avoid doing at cooking shows in the future. Participants share specific products, recipes, and situations that they found challenging or unproductive during their demonstrations.

Discussion Character

  • Anecdotal
  • Opinion-based
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant, identifying as a consultant, mentions they will never demo carrots on the Ultimate Mandoline again due to staining issues.
  • Another participant shares their experience of chopping chocolate in the food chopper on warm days, noting it clumps together and affects sales.
  • Several participants express a strong dislike for working with phyllo dough, citing difficulties in preparation.
  • One participant discusses the stress caused by having too many children at shows, suggesting it can disrupt the event.
  • Another participant recounts a negative experience doing a show outside in the sun, mentioning health concerns.
  • One participant emphasizes the importance of confirming ingredient availability with hosts before shows to avoid last-minute issues.
  • Several participants share humorous anecdotes about entering the wrong house during shows, leading to unexpected situations.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

There is a general agreement among participants regarding the challenges of using phyllo dough and the difficulties posed by having children at shows. However, other points raised, such as specific product experiences, show a variety of individual preferences and no clear consensus.

Contextual Notes

Participants share personal experiences from their cooking shows, reflecting on the challenges faced and lessons learned. The discussion highlights the varied nature of cooking demonstrations and the unpredictability of live events.

Who May Find This Useful

Consultants looking for insights into common pitfalls during cooking shows may find this discussion relevant, particularly those new to the experience.

I had NICELY told my host to limit the amount of kids at the show because it can make for such a chaotic show - but there were 14 KIDS! :yuck:
 
I will never demo the Warm Nutty Caramel Brownies. They are soooo yummy, but the darned things are too much work with peeling the Rolos and stuff!
 
I love to demo the brownies because they are easy! One thing I do though is ask the host to have them already unwrapped! ;)
 
I will also never continue with a show after I've seen a mouse because it came home with me in my bags! I was to grossed out!
 
I had a hostess look on line for the recipes to make. she chose three. one was a frittata, a dessert cake and something else. i am a very good but the frittata took way to long to bake. even though the show was really good it was over $700.
 
merego said:
Double check the host when she is helping out with setting the oven or microwave.
The 30 minute chicken show turned into the 60+ minute chicken show because she didn't know how to work her microwave and the power setting was on low, not high.

Had another host pre-heat the oven to the wrong temp and set the timer wrong b/c she wasn't paying attention to what I was saying ( she admitted that) and the pizza crust was burnt. So much for interactive~ ha ha :)

I did a show for a friend of mine once and asked her to put the micro cooker in the microwave to melt the butter...well a few minutes later we smelt something burning b/c she had put in on the stove. Was pretty funny:D
 
I also won't do the Chocolate Raspberry trifle at a show again, I think it takes too long.
 
traci4tpc said:
I did a show for a friend of mine once and asked her to put the micro cooker in the microwave to melt the butter...well a few minutes later we smelt something burning b/c she had put in on the stove. Was pretty funny:D
Seriously? Who does that. I mean, for those of us not very technical, it's basically plastic. Who puts plastic in the oven?
 
chefmeg said:
cwinter474 said:
I now always ask about the size of the microwave. The dcb doesn't fit into so many of them.[/
cwinter474 said:
QUOTE]

the worst was when it was my own mother's microwave that the dang thing didn't fit in!:balloon:

I have been in this situation a FEW times--Carrying a chicken across the street or to the neighbors house my host was watching!! The worst was we made a chocolate cake--next door---Poor kids were coming in from practice--and the smell was killing them---I offered to send 1-2 over---

CUZ I agree with the above posts---KIDS---lol it was easier to deliver--!!
 
traci4tpc said:
I also won't do the Chocolate Raspberry trifle at a show again, I think it takes too long.

I agree I didn't like making this and while it tasted good it was really rich and something I don't think everyone enjoyed.
 
  • Thread starter
  • #41
Chef Kearns said:
I will also never continue with a show after I've seen a mouse because it came home with me in my bags! I was to grossed out!

OMG..... I would have DIED
 
  • Thread starter
  • #42
CookingwithMary said:
I won't do games again. A drawing, yes, but not games. Not my style.

DItto.... not fond of games
 
  • Thread starter
  • #43
Chef Kearns said:
I will never demo the Warm Nutty Caramel Brownies. They are soooo yummy, but the darned things are too much work with peeling the Rolos and stuff!

Haven't made these either, sounds good, I will be searching that one. Will have to have someone else unwrap the Rolos.... they are my FAVORITE!
 
The Rolos that come in a roll (not the bag) aren't individually wrapped - use those instead. Then you only have 4 wrappers to take off.
 
I will NEVER demo the nonstick abilities of our cookware by burning a slice of cheese...........smoke detectors went off and the smell stayed in my hosts house for days!
 
  • Thread starter
  • #46
chefmeg said:
I will NEVER demo the nonstick abilities of our cookware by burning a slice of cheese...........smoke detectors went off and the smell stayed in my hosts house for days!

That is so funny! I would have never thought about that!
 
Little hi-jack - My director had us come over to practice some of the new recipes in the F/W SB and my job was to do the Apple Tartlets. Well it just killed me not to eat all the Werther's soft caramels as I was putting them in the tart pan :cry: I did my job and then I treated myself to some of them.

One of my cluster mates said, she didn't know how I stopped myself from eating them, because she saw my eyes light up when I saw them in the bowl.:love: End of hi-jack :)
 
  • Thread starter
  • #48
ChefEileen said:
Little hi-jack - My director had us come over to practice some of the new recipes in the F/W SB and my job was to do the Apple Tartlets. Well it just killed me not to eat all the Werther's soft caramels as I was putting them in the tart pan :cry: I did my job and then I treated myself to some of them.

One of my cluster mates said, she didn't know how I stopped myself from eating them, because she saw my eyes light up when I saw them in the bowl.:love: End of hi-jack :)

that is so true, we made them and it was like cut one in half, add half to the tartlet and the eat the other..... they are so YUMMY
 
chefann said:
The Rolos that come in a roll (not the bag) aren't individually wrapped - use those instead. Then you only have 4 wrappers to take off.

At my store the rolls of rolos were more expensive by alot than the bag.
 
Chef Kearns said:
At my store the rolls of rolos were more expensive by alot than the bag.

My recruit discovered that, too, when she made that recipe. Unfortunately, she doesn't pay attention to instructions in the recipes, so she not only had to unwrap all those individual candies, she cut them all and didn't leave any whole to push into the brownie. :rolleyes: And somehow, she always seems to say things like it's HO's fault that the recipes don't work out perfectly.
 
Wow these are all great tips, great storries ladies!!
 
When there is chicken called for in a recipe I will ALWAYS tell the host to make sure it is at least thawed by the time I get there...there have been too many times where they hand me chicken straight out of the freezer to prep for a demo! (ditto that for ground beef!)
 
  • Thread starter
  • #53
chefsteph07 said:
When there is chicken called for in a recipe I will ALWAYS tell the host to make sure it is at least thawed by the time I get there...there have been too many times where they hand me chicken straight out of the freezer to prep for a demo! (ditto that for ground beef!)

Mine do that too..... Why? what are they thinking??
 
I would have to say TAKING THEM UP ON THE COCKTAIL OR GLASS OF WINE THEY OFFER.

I did one party at a friend of my sisters' house and they offered me a glass of wine. I hadn't eaten much and am a very lightweight. Well I made the chocolate pecan lattice tart and it was a mess. I was sweating and giggling the whole time, I kept slurring and stumbling on my words, it took forever, and it looked like my 3 year old made it. AND THEN I BURNED IT! Of course they were all buzzed themselves, so everyone just laughed. But I tell that story at my shows sometimes to fill in the "silent moments".
 
I told my host to have all of the ingredients out and ready to go, so when I got there, the crescent rolls were warm on the counter. Then at my last show, I was using the mandolin to slice cucumbers and I said, "you can tell you have the food holder on correctly when it rests at the top of the Mandolin." Well, guess what, it wouldn't stay up there and the cucumber wouldn't slice at all. I was sweating! So I pulled out the blade and moved the adjustable lever again into place and then it worked fine! Of course no one bought the Mandolin!
Recently I have asked for volunteers to help with the recipe and they just sit there, even though I have asked the host to help out with this ahead of time. They just say "We just want to watch you cook." Oh well.
Also, I don't know if I will do a show for a catering expert again. She criticized me the entire time, I burnt the pizza, forgot the olives, and her guest to my left said "How come you always pass the products to me first, I can't even look at the catalog, waa, waa, waa! How rude! I was so upset when I left, then I couldn't get ahold of her for 6 weeks to close her show. After we closed and she got her stuff, I omited her from my contact list. But most of my shows have had super hosts and guests!!
Deb
 
  • Thread starter
  • #56
zmom58 said:
Recently I have asked for volunteers to help with the recipe and they just sit there, even though I have asked the host to help out with this ahead of time. They just say "We just want to watch you cook." Oh well.

I have the same problem! The interactive show are NOT working for me.
 
cwinter474 said:
I have the same problem! The interactive show are NOT working for me.

it's all in the host coaching, ladies! You can do it!
 
THe show stopper recipe from a few years ago with the chocolate cups. You make them with ballons, dip in chocolate, let harden and pop the ballon. Hostess bought cheap cheap cheap ballons, the chocolate wasn't very warm and they were popping left and right - chocolate went everywhere!
 
  • Thread starter
  • #59
ltkacz said:
THe show stopper recipe from a few years ago with the chocolate cups. You make them with ballons, dip in chocolate, let harden and pop the ballon. Hostess bought cheap cheap cheap ballons, the chocolate wasn't very warm and they were popping left and right - chocolate went everywhere!

I wasn't selling PC back then, I would LOVE to see the cups made. Would you still have the recipe and how to's??? Sounds really hard to make.

Note to self - do not buy cheap ballons.
 
I would make sure that I told the host to have everything in the fridge, I did one show where everything was frozen....Too way too long and was a mess. then there is the time I set my towel on fire oh well...don't want to do that again.
 

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