Grilling Show - to Do or Not to Do??

[ckarasevic]

One of my July hosts really wants to do a grilling show. I really, really do not want to do a grilling show. I have very little experience using any grill, let alone one I've never used before at the host's house. Plus, I don't have any of the grilling products, so I would have to buy something, or try to borrow it from my director.

So....
Have any of you done a grilling show? How did it go? What did you make? Did you sell a ton of grilling products?

Any tips on how I can talk her out of doing a grilling show? Should I do so?

To make things more complicated, the host is my Mother In Law's best friend....

 

[babywings76]

If you don't have the products to do it, and you don't want to do a grilling show, then you could just tell your host that you'd love to, but are unable to right now being that you don't own the products to do it. You could try to get in contact with your director and see if you could borrow the pizza pan. It does seem that a lot of consultants are having a lot of success with doing these grilling shows. I'm like you with the inexperience with grilling, but what you could do if you could borrow someone's pan, is you prepare it but put someone else at the show in charge of the actual grilling part.But I'd try to come up with some other options that are fun and exciting that you could steer her towards instead. How about a chocolate fondue dip that you can put in the C&S tray and prepare strawberries, apples, and have other fun dipping things. Or do a Brownie Pan recipe. Someone shared a video clip the other day here about doing a Cold Stone show. It seemed very simple and could be fun. Or you could do something on the grill pan on the stove top and some other fun recipes.

 

[chefliz]

I did grilling shows before we got all the cool new tools...I've made pizza on the grill several times in the last couple of years. I sold lots of bbq turners and tongs, manual food processors, salad choppers, pineapple wedgers, grooved cutting boards (for the pineapple), stainless bowls, colanders...there are lots of possibilities even if you don't sell actual grilling tools. The best thing about a grilling show is that it is FUN-everyone has a good time! (even when I blackened the pizza-LOL) I love to make the Aloha Pizza. That is what I still mainly do on the grill, and if they don't like those toppings, we put what they want on it. As long as they have fun, it is ok.Good luck whatever you decide...

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Why not try it? It might just be the grill o' your dreams!

 

[LI Chick]

Why don't you try grilling pizza? Get the pan - it is inexpensive and try it at home first. Everybody loves pizza and on the grill it really comes out great! Good luck!

 

[pchockeymom]

I have done grill shows almost exclusively for the past two months. They are so easy and fun. When I have had a grill I'm not familiar with, I put the host in charge of the grill. The instructions are really easy:

For a gas grill, turn it on high for about 8 minutes to heat up. Prepare pizza while it's heating. ONce pizza and grill are ready, turn center burners OFF, and outside burners on low. Place pizza in centr of grill, close lid, and let cook for 8-10 minutes.

For a charcoal grill, ask your host. It's their grill, let them work it. The shape of a charcoal grill determines what you do with it (round Webers, simply get charcoal going; square or rectangular, flat bottomed grills, move coals to edges, put pizza in center).

I sell a ton of bbq tools, esp. the pizza pan and the bbq roasting pan.

 

[BethCooks4U]

When I have done grilling shows I ha nd over my grill tools to the hosts husband and he grills the meat. And I demo a salad or side. Now that we have all the new grill tools I would offer the pizza or veggies on the grill but I would still have the husband (or host if she grills) do the grilling part. I don't do it at home and I sure won't do it on someone else's grill.You don't have the tools at this time so tell the host that. The party can still be outside and someone can grill the meat. Just show them our tools and ask them which of the tools would help make it easier for them. Point out the popularity of the BBQ Turner and it's features. And of course guide everyone to the outdoor pages of the catalog so they can see all the choices there. Then offer the host a summery recipe that you do have the tools for.

 

[chefsteph07]

I don't even own a grill at home and I do grilling shows....I mainly only do an individual pizza bar though, it's what I'm most comfortable with and its sooo easy...I got the idea on here and there's even customized invites if you do your own invites.

Just try it!!

Have the host get flour tortillas and all the toppings she wants for people to make their own pizzas. I usually recommend pepperoni, mushrooms, bacon bits, peppers, olives, mozz cheese, pizza sauce, or whatever creative thing the host wants. Then I have the GUESTS assemble their own pizzas, bring them to me when they are ready, pop those on the grill (you can fit about 4 on a grate at a time so it goes by pretty fast), when the edges of the tortillas are turning upwards and the cheese is melted, pull them off w/ tongs and call the guest over (I usually just say- "pepperoni and mushroom come and get it!") they can cut it themselves w/ the pizza cutter and you are done...it is seriously the easiest thing ever and it's filling enough. Do the fruit salsa while the grill is heating up and you will be good to go.

 

[chefliz]

I don't even own a grill at home and I do grilling shows....I mainly only do an individual pizza bar though, it's what I'm most comfortable with and its sooo easy...I got the idea on here and there's even customized invites if you do your own invites.

Just try it!!

Have the host get flour tortillas and all the toppings she wants for people to make their own pizzas. I usually recommend pepperoni, mushrooms, bacon bits, peppers, olives, mozz cheese, pizza sauce, or whatever creative thing the host wants. Then I have the GUESTS assemble their own pizzas, bring them to me when they are ready, pop those on the grill (you can fit about 4 on a grate at a time so it goes by pretty fast), when the edges of the tortillas are turning upwards and the cheese is melted, pull them off w/ tongs and call the guest over (I usually just say- "pepperoni and mushroom come and get it!") they can cut it themselves w/ the pizza cutter and you are done...it is seriously the easiest thing ever and it's filling enough. Do the fruit salsa while the grill is heating up and you will be good to go.

I just LOVE the idea of individual pizzas and letting the guest assemble their own! I think I might try this!

 

[vanscootin]

I must admit, I was scared to do grilling shows in front of people... as I am the grill master at home. But I gave it a shot with the individual pizzas and it is an awesome show! It shows off a ton of tools! I prepare the cool and serve with different pizza toppings, like peppers, an onion, pepperoni, and whole mushrooms. I get a jar of pizza sauce, a hunk of mozzerella, and pita bread. I baste the pita bread with oil and one of the dipping seasonings, then toss that on the grill to get the grill marks on it. While that's working I use the veggie wedger to wedge my onion and then toss that in the MFP to chop it.... I hurt my wrist last week and realized I can't use my food chopper without wincing.... the MFP is awesome and people love it, plus it's a higher priced item than the food chopper. Then I demo a color coated knife and a forged cutlery knife with the mushrooms. By that time the pita is ready to become a pizza, I put the sauce on using the back of a bamboo spoon to spread it, then the toppings, then I use the rotary grater to grate the mozzeralla over... back on the grill it goes to melt the cheese. Done. Guests can then make their own and shop and ask questions. It's so easy, I don't ever want summer to end!

 

[ShellBeach]

ck, I gotta ask - how did this host even hear about a grilling show?

eeeek. I would not want to do one, either. For one, it's a bazillion degrees outside. For another, I never grill. For a third, I also don't have the grilling tools.

That being said, I would go ahead and give the host what they want. Excellent ideas, cheffers! I could see myself trying this with the pita idea. The tortillas - don't they get too crunchy? Athough some folks like thin & crispy, haha.

 

[esavvymom]

As far as the grilling part, that is easy! You let the HOST DO THE GRILL! Or her husband. I would never do the grilll.....even if I was experienced. Everyone's grill is different! We have talked about this type of show the last few months and some of the girls at our meetings do them ALOT. They do not use the grill, the host or her DH does. Or even better....if doing pizza, you make thebpizza like normal.
..then you can say "At this point we could put this pizza on our grill pan, or we out it on the round stone and cook it inside.". (this would be if you used a premade crust.....if you used dough, then just say something like at before you put the dough on a pan". Talk about what they would do to grill it. (fake it!). Do a little research. CC has info if you look for a theme show called "in and out show". It was from this past spring launch....doing a pizza INSIDE on a stone or OUTSIDE on the new grill pan. It is under the Products & Recipes tab, then Spring Marketing Guide, then In And Out Pizza show. (https://www.pamperedchef.com/repsonly/product_information/spring_marketing_12/in_out_pizza.jsp)Wth the heat....gives a good reason too.Good luck!

 

[ckarasevic]

Thanks, Ladies.
I think the host saw a Pampered Chef booth at a festival. She contacted me to do her show because she knows my MIL.
I like the idea of having the host or her husband do the actual grilling. That takes off a lot of pressure.
I gave my FIL a pizza grill pan for Father's Day so I could technically borrow his. I don't own any of the Pampered Chef grilling tools, but my director says that she would lend them to me. (She is awesome!)
By the way...this same host has changed her date twice...that always gets under my skin!