How to Set up for an Open House & What to Serve

[naekelsey]

Can someone help me with suggestions as to how you would set up for an Open House with the new products? Does anyone have pictures they can share? And what do you serve? Just little tid bits or actual food?

 

[naekelsey]

And do you find that a weekend time works better than a weekday or vice versa?

 

[ChefZee]

I guess it depends on your area. I'm in Okinawa and a majority of us are stay at home moms. I had an incredibly successful one on a Monday during school hours. I would keep food simple. Cookies/muffins and coffee, water and lemonade (or something like that)

 

[darlinclem]

I do recipes from the new Season's Best that I plan on doing for shows that season. I also make sure to ask how people like them. One season just making the dish made me realize it wasn't going to work for shows and one season most people didn't like one (it was a few years ago). The party I am doing this time will have the BBQ chicken pizza (on the cover of the catalog), the peanutbutter brownie sandwiches (cut in half for 24) and the lemon cherry crumble cake. I will also have mini meatballs for tasting the sauces. I will be making the Bitty Bevs in both Alcoholic and Non Alcoholic. I usually have at least 20-30 people attend and book at least 4 shows so for me the extra ingredient cost is worth it!

 

[pctharper]

I tend to go over the top. I'll grill up some chicken in the grill pan and people can use seasonings for them. I'm also going to do some pulled pork in the new RCB and meatballs in the SRB for tasting the new BBQ sauces. I'll do some type of drink in the pitcher, a cake in the rice cooker, and use cream cheese with some of the sauces for sampling. I really don't make a lot of any one thing. ITs really just a sample thing, but a LOT of sampling!!! I'm possibly thinking of doing wraps in the grill pan instead of the chicken just to see how a wrap show would go. I also want to do something in the brownie pan. Maybe mini lasagnas! I agree with darlinclem that its a perfect time to experiment. You're comfortable with everyone coming, they know you, and you can get honest feedback.

I also try to pull out as many PC products as I possibly can to have on display. People can use the outdoor plates/plasticwer, the outdoor cups and dots glasses for their drinks, use the appitizer plates/caddy.....use everything you got!