Cooking Show Fundraiser: Ideas & Advice Needed

[Veevahchef]

Ok, so I have been asked to do a fundraiser cooking show which they are predicting could have between 75 to 100 people there. They are doing it in a hall with access to a kitchen (Although, i don't know if that matters)
I have told the organiser that I didn't think I could demonstrate something that would be enough that everyone could try some.
What I need are ideas of a demo that shows off a lot of tools, but won;t take a long time, but also maybe not really an actual recipe, just a nice flowing demonstration.
I am also concerned about taking orders. What do you think I should do to make order taking flow nicely.
I suppose I need any advice I can get about all aspects of this show.
Has anyone done anything like this before and if so, what did you do that worked well?
Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

 

[CAmomCookin4U]

A recipe that goes far is Spinach Diamond Puffs or Mini Ham Puffs
I would make everything ahead of time, just bake it there. Arrive early bake then they will be ready when guests arrive. You can do a demo with a Potato and show:
The Food Chopper(chop it up),
Ultimate Madoline(slice for Potato chips or Potatoes Anna),
Stoneware (layer Potato slices-butter,Potato slices-& cheese-Bake 45min.),
APCS(Cottage Fries, Tater Tots),
Seasonings(flavored potato chips),
Forged Cutlery(slice)
etc.

Have Host/Chairperson pass out Order forms as guests arrive.
Start show with thanks for attending our Fundraiser. Your purchases tonight will help.........................
tell guests they may give orders to ________ during demo & you after the demo. Payment is due to Chairperson w/in 3 days in the form of blah blah blah.
Tell attendee's Please make sure you fill out Phone & address info completly so I may better serve you and get your products to you.
This will give you there info so you may follow-up with them.
Thanks and lets have some fun
Do you demo. (Enjoy yourself)
Long winded but HTH Laurel

 

[legacypc46]

What about taking your computer with you and entering the orders into PP there (which would automatically verify all the math for you).

Your fundraiser chairperson could help by bringing orders to you and then calling people forward individually when you're ready to take their payment.

Just an idea....I've haven't 75 folks at one of my shows.

 

[MicheleC]

This sounds like a great opportunity. I would really check their numbers though before going overboard on food and catalogs. Make sure that isn't just how many they have invited. Is it a group that regularly gets together and that is their usual attendance. A lot of times our hosts assume that if they invite 20 then 20 will come.

Do you have a friend that would come and help you with order taking maybe for some free product? Maybe get a couple of people from the group to volunteer prior to the show. Just make sure they have time to get some training on filling out orders correctly. I would have them come to you for final payment and verification even if someone else does the initial math as this is where you are going to get your one on one time with people. Don't rush through and miss the opportunity for bookings and recruits.

Congratulations on landing this fundraiser and let us know how it turns out.

 

[Marg]

A fellow consultant and I did something similar a year or so ago. We made a few cool veggie pizzas before hand and cut them into small, bite-sized samples and had them sitting out with some other muchies to show off the SA line. As for the demo, we did the great potato demo - I'll attach a copy of it. We tweaked it some, changed around some tools etc, but it went well.
I second the idea of taking someone along (not neccessarily a consultant) to help add up the orders.
Good Luck!!

 

[Veevahchef]

Marg, how did that fundraiser go for you? Thanks for the potato thingy, I was thinking i would probably have to do something like that!

Kari

 

[Marg]

It was right around $3000, I believe. It wasn't "my" show, so I don't know the exact total. I helped out as a favour to the fellow consultant. She had originally planned to do it with another consultant (it was the other consultant who got the lead on the fundraiser) and at the last minute the other consultant flaked out on her. She called me, literally, 3 hours before the fundraiser was to start, practically in tears. She did offer to split everything with me, but she did all of the prep work etc and I was basically just another pair of hands, so I told her she didn't have to. She did send me a lovely fruit arrangement to say thanks.