How Do I Handle Too Many Guests for a Cooking Demo?

[pctharper]

I just talked to my host who is having her show tomorrow. we are doing the 3 cheese garden pizza. suddenly she tells me she has 10-15 people coming and possibly more!!!!!! Now what should I do?! I only have one stone (newbie here) so I can't do a second

 

[wadesgirl]

Only do 1 recipe. If the host wants to provide more, she can herself. If you want to do more than one, have her provide some veggies and mayo and sour cream and make a couple of the dips with the rubs.

 

[jla8279]

Do the Italian Pull Apart Bread (see below). It's a little something extra and can be done in the 8" saute pan. It is filling and easy to do a second batch while the pizza is cooking. BTW, you can use store bought Italian Seasoning and it will be fine. Also, maybe do the artichoke appetizer that came in your kit. This will use the products that you already have.

Italian Pull Apart Bread
1 10.5 ounce package Grands biscuits
1-2 cloves of garlic
1½ tablespoons butter
Pampered Chef Italian Seasoning Mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in Small Sauté Pan. Press garlic into pan spreading evenly. Cut biscuits into quarters and layer into pan. Then sprinkle with Italian Seasoning Mix. Place whole pan in oven and baker for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and flip onto plate for serving.

 

[punkie1019]

I have had that many people at a show and did just the 3 ch. pizza. Just cut it small. It is not a ton of food but I am sure she will have some little snacks out too. If you have the Deep Covered Baker you can make a pork tenderloin in there. Just season it with one of your rubs and put it in the microwave for 15 min. while the pizza is also cooking. It doesn't involve any extra demo. just a brief description of the Baker which is now great for bookings and will give you some extra food.

 

[wadesgirl]

Just remember we are not caterers! One recipe is generally enough. I had 30+ people at one party and all we did was the greek cheese torta.

 

[lesliec]

We all struggle with this idea. I agree that you only need to do one recipe. If the host is worried about it, then tell her to serve a veggie tray along with the pizza, but again, you are not the caterer and don't let yourself be pressured into trying to fill that role.

 

[dannyzmom]

All of my shows have 12-15 guests. I only do one recipe.
For my shows that have 25 people or more I will do a microwave cake in the DCB or in the Fluted Pan as a "thank you" to the host for getting a good turn out. Anything under 25 gets ONE recipe. Period. We are not there to cater their affair. We are there to demonstrate our tools and sell our tools.

 

[Sheila]

I agree that you are here to let them sample the recipe, not feed them lunch/dinner. I do the fully interactive shows so I let the host choose if she wants to break a larger team in groups and do 2 or 3 recipes. We normally do no more than 8 per recipe. I have extra measuring cups, cutting boards and just invested in a 2nd food chopper. I do NOT have 2 of the same stones. I give them options for recipes that time well together and try to avoid 2 oven recipes, 2 microwave recipes, etc. I suggest 2 different cooking methods.My reasoning for giving them the option of a 2nd or 3rd recipe is not for more food, it's so all the guests will have a better opportunity to see and touch the tools. The host buys all the ingredients so I let them choose how many recipes they want and give them a list from which to choose.

 

[sherri lynn]

I'm not trying to highjack here, but this reminds me of the situation I am running into (I am new). One host wants a desserts show with the emphasis on more than one and her invite list was only 13 people. Another host asked me today what I was making (I was doing the chicken your way) and she said "well what about dessert?". I gave her three options. I'm new and did not know that you really only had to do one recipie, gosh, that would be a lot easier than my 1st show where I made grilled chicken, salad, and molten lava cake! I am learning so much on here, thanks you guys.

 

[ShellBeach]

My best shows have been one demo recipe.

 

[pctharper]

Thank you all for your help! I feel really bad only having the one pizza and facing the possibility of everyone not getting a sample. I remember at the show I hosted back in march, my now director made 2 recipies. My shows have only been 6-10 people so far so when she told me so many it got me thinking back to my own show.

I do like the idea of the DCB although I would probably do the microwave cake. Frosting and mix are always on sale this time of year. I could take that and have it be a back-up when she gives me her final headcount at the show. If it is more than 20 I can whip that up no problem. I've impressed many guests at my house with that cake so maybe punkie was right and it could be a good booking item.

Again, thank you all so much!

 

[magentablue]

pcthaper, the pizza is huge! You should be able to cut it into a zillion pieces and everyone would still have a taste. It wouldn't be a full meal, but that's not what this is about either. It's to sample the food and to view the tools in action! I've also never had a host that didn't provide other foods with whatever I was making. No one has ever left one of my shows hungry, and I've only done 1 recipe at all my shows until last night where I did a cake in DCB.