I Tried the No Cooking Format Last Night...

[lacychef]

This all sounds so interesting! It's kinda like teaching an old dog new tricks! I think it's definately worth trying though, especially during these hot months of summer when no one wants to heat up the house with the oven on. It's supposed to be in the 100's here the next few days
I know what you mean, sometimes it seems like the guests are just in a daze watching you prepare the recipe; this would be a way to get them really involved talking about the products.

 

[Cookingwithmichelle]

I asked my directorI asked my director about this and her thoughts. She said that the cooking part is what sets us different from the other home parties. She always says to keep the demo to 15-20 min MAX, but always do a quick demo. She has made TPC in sales and balanced business. I think I may still try this some time and have stations set up so people can "play with the tools" Has anyone tried having stations?

Michelle

 

[pamperedalf]

My director had a similar responce, she said Doris set up the company with the intent of showing people how to use the tools.
I am not going to get rid of my demo all together, but I am trying the got it love it, what do you use it for, and did you get it by hosting or buying? It worked really well at my show last night, will see how it goes tonight!

 

[lkspeir]

Yes, I have tried the "hands on" in addition to my cooking demo. It works great and the guests love it. I do that instead of playing a game. I set up around 6-8 different things and ask for volunteers. At one of my shows I had the guests try the Apple Peeler Corer Slicer and ended up selling 4-5 of them.

 

[Cindycooks]

I talked to my director too about it, I was even going to bring up the concept of what Tom does at his shows at our cluster meeting, but she did not want to - and I can see her point. She said it would just confuse the new consultants because cooking at our shows is what PC is all about - after all we are "cooking consultants".
She did like the idea tho, and said for us seasoned consultants, why not give it a try - just didnt want me sharing it with the new girls.
I love the idea - Im gonna try cooking most before hand and having it ready but maybe get the guest involved in last minute things - like adding cheese with the cheese grater etc...I love the hands on approach!

 

[pampered1224]

I thought we WERE Independent Kitchen Consutlantsand that we are now "Pampered Chef Consultants". That makes it a whole new ball game. I do not remember the word "Cooking" being in there at all.
The main reason it was changed was because of people like Tom Marston and the Express Show Idea. Your director needs to get it straight. We have two destinctive in home parties. One is the traditional cooking show and the other is the non-demo, no cooking express show as Tom does.
If she is a good director, she should be able to handle explaining both concepts. It's not confusing. It is an opportunity to learn that there is more than one way to sell our products. And it is only fair to talk about all those selling techniques. Especially to the newbies so they know they have choices.

 

[gilliandanielle]

We are Pampered Chef Consultants, but we are offering COOKING shows. In the end, the joy of owning our own business is controlling our income with what works for US. Cooking or not, it is your business and your income. Try out both formats and decide for yourself which one to use.

 

[soonerchef]

All I know is it works for Tom, he IS the first male consultant to reach the $1 million mark, I mean...that's $100,000 in sales every year!! The man knows what he is doing and I am finding great success with his method, again that is what is great about PC....we all can find our own paths to success.

 

[Cindycooks]

John - I think you misunderstood what I was trying to say, sorry if I did not explain it correctly. When the "kitchen" was dropped from our title, it was because we are "cooking consultants". PChef even says that. I was simply stating the fact that that is what we do, whether we cook before or during the show!

New consultants are first trained to cook during the demo. That is all my director meant and I agree. She is an Advanced Director in fact and one of the best and I am lucky to be under her...! She is great and definitely knows her stuff.

That is all she meant - just not to throw too much at the new girls at first - we have had some pretty "blonde" girls, LOL, lately if you know what I mean, and there was gonna be a bunch of them at the meeting. And they do know of the express show - we just had an already full meeting with tons of their questions and we were doing a live cooking demo for them.

My director is very much into letting us work independently. Our May meeting was at her beach house - 3 days - food, everything on her. She is awesome.

 

[Pampered Laura]

Just for clarification, Pampered Chef changed our titles to "Pampered Chef Consultants" because in surveys, people were thinking along the lines of "kitchen remodeling/design" when "Kitchen Consultants" was mentioned.
Along those lines, they changed the name of the show to "COOKING shows" rather than Kitchen Shows to more accurately reflect what the direction of the company is.

We are not called "Cooking Consultants"... we're called "Pampered Chef Consultants" and we do "cooking shows" - unless you don't cook at your "cooking show", thats up to you.

 

[cookn' katie]

Hey Sooner Chef, where are your notes posted from the meeting you went to. I would love to see them. Thanks Katie

 

[AJPratt]

I'd like to add to what John posted. I think its important to let the new consultants know that another option is available. Its especially great for those who aren't sure about public speaking or feel they aren't good cooks.

My philosophy is "Why re-invent the wheel?" If Tom is doing something very successful, and it works for him, I should certainly gve it a try.

Has anyone read Doris's latest book? It gives you really great information about why she started PC.

 

[chef_goods]

And, if you trying this format at your shows, then any subsequent recruits are going to know about this anyway. So, it might be confusing for your Director to NOT mention it as an option.

 

[beepampered]

Wow, I've been trying all sorts of formats - not just two. I've done Mommy and Me shows which, no matter how you do it, you don't have time for much cooking demos. I've done a bridal shower with no demo because everyone is there to say nice things about the bride. I've done product discussions with the two guests that are there - letting them lead the way. I've screamed over a crowd of wine-drinkers - barely able to say two sentences before they started talking again. Seems like a "traditional" show doesn't happen but about half the time for me and that's fine. I like the variety and hope my hosts do too....

 

[janel kelly]

For those of you who mentioned doing hands on show my director gave me a tip. I have had a hard time getting guests to come up and help with the demo so my consultant said to try putting the name of the different tools I'm going to use in my demo on the name tags. Tell everyone at the beginning that when I come to the tool that is mentioned on their name tag they get to come up and help with the demo. This worked really well at my last show and only one person didn't come up and help but that was because she had just had surgery.

 

[pampered1224]

OK I got it now!I do remember the surveys but part of the reason those surveys came out was because of inovative ideas like Tom's. And yes, thank you, as I though maybe your director was so old school that nothing new was worth talking about or trying. I am glad I was wrong. I have to admit though that some directors are like that. I know of at least two personally that are doing things like it was 1980 still. That's probably why they are still directors and not farther up the chain. Not in my group but at conference I sat behind these two ladies on one of the busses and they were saying how they thought it was awful that someone would do an Express show. We are there to teach cooking. Well, I am there to inform, teach, cook, sell and whatever else I need to do to make my customers happy. I also heard one of them say that their sales were way down and that even some of her "special" hosts weren't booking from her any more. I wondered why?
Same old, same old?

 

[pamperedchef.carol]

I just discovered this thread. I've read enough to know that I want the "dirt" on this show. Does anyone have a file or outline for this kind of show? Do you buy the ingredients or does the host? Do you prepare everything at home?

More details, please! This sounds really neat!!!

 

[soonerchef]

Look in the post "Tom Marston, Cooking Show Live!" That is where the notes are from the TM show and somewhat of an outline.

You can buy the ingredients and prepare the recipe at home or have the host buy the ingredients and make the recipe when you get there. I will bump up the TM post so that you can see it.

 

[pampered1224]

AndreaAny word on the e-mail yet? I am so wanting to go with all the info I can. I am so tired of my full time job and if what Tom does can bump up my business, well, I'll give anything a go! Short of getting anarexia and dying my hair brown and getting plastic surgery to look like a Calvin Klien model this post and that info is all I got going!
(Except maybe my sense of humor!)

 

[soonerchef]

Hey John, I posted the host coaching calendar that he uses in the TM, cooking show live post in Meeting Tips.

 

[AJPratt]

Short of getting anarexia and dying my hair brown and getting plastic surgery to look like a Calvin Klien model this post and that info is all I got going!

My word, John! In addition to the above I would have to add about 8 inches to my height.

 

[soonerchef]

So, just had to post and say that I did this again at my show this morning. I had 6 attend, my average order was $105!! With the 3 outside orders the show is at $705!! Holy Cow...the host was all bummed that not that many people showed, but it didn't matter one bit. I told her either the right friends came or the new format really works!!!!

 

[ChefTara]

I did a variation of this at my show Friday night - While I was preparing the recipe, instead of talking my way through the recipe, I had each guest share some of their favorites, why they like it, etc., etc. I loved the format - it took the pressure off of me, made the party interactive and stimulated a lot of discussion!

Tara

 

[ihavethetools]

Okay you guys, I would love to read more on this no cook show. I've been gone a couple of months and out of the loop so I don't know where to find the post on the format. Help!!! Can you put the link here for me and anyone else who is curious? Thanks

Kris

 

[jdavis]

Try this.....

http://chefsuccess.com/showthread.php?t=8758&highlight=marston

 

[ihavethetools]

Thank you SO much!!!

Kris

 

[its_me_susan]

I actually asked the current host and the host that she booked from (it was the previous hosts 3rd show of mine) and they both said that they liked the new format much better. Everyone said that they had a blast and that it was more like catalog shopping with their friends with good food and drinks...gotta like that! I also felt like less of a sales person than before, it was more like I was a facilitator of conversation.

What products did you bring? Did you show flyers? So you handed out pens & order forms, but no catalogs till the end?

Did you sit with the guests?

Were you wearing your apron?

Did you make the salad there in front of the host?

Thanks for sharing. Interesting!

 

[its_me_susan]

Im so gonna try this. My next really big show coming up is a grilling show. All this has been in the works for awhile but I still think I can pull this off. This show is gonna be over 20 people. I have the rubs for grilling the chicken. Her hubby was already gonna do this. And the host is gonna already have a big salad made up for guests to just make a salad and I will slice the chicken into 3 different SA squares. He can be grilling as they arrive. And I can sure do the pullapart bread! This may just work! I can have all the new tools out - especially the bbq stuff and talk about it all. I'm also gonna use the questions that Tom asks. Im excited!

What are Tom's questions?

 

[snugbug]

I'm wondering how this no-cook show would work for me. Currrently a lot of the shows I do involve a high percentage of people who have NEVER been to a PC show before. Have you had any of these people at the shows you have done like this and how did they answer your questions? How did you tie it into the show?

Sarah

 

[soonerchef]

What products did you bring? Did you show flyers? So you handed out pens & order forms, but no catalogs till the end?

Did you sit with the guests?

Were you wearing your apron?

Did you make the salad there in front of the host?

Thanks for sharing. Interesting!

I just brought the products I needed to make the recipe and the new products, a piece of cookware and a piece of stoneware. I only showed the guest special flyer that is in their lap boards and then had my bookings binder available to view. I passed out the lap boards with write in receipt, wedding and fundraiser flyers, opp brochure, and book to look info. I usually stand just because I would be up and down getting products when they talk about them. Sometimes I wear my apron, sometimes I don't, I always wear a PC shirt so I don't feel that the apron is neccessary. I do make the food in front of the host and we actually do it together, this way it's almost like a one-on-one cooking lesson, I sprinkle in tips while we are making the recipe.