Must-Know Safety Precautions for Visiting a Stranger's Home | Chef Success Tips

[BlueMoon]

Hi everyone,
Like all of us, I enjoyed chuckling at RMDave's goofy drunk host. But I've been thinking, even tho Dave is a big, strong guy, that could have gotten ugly....well, uglier.

And I hate to go there, but I'd like to know: besides making sure that someone knows where you are going, what safety measures do you take when you are going to a total stranger's house?

As someone new to this world, I get so many ideas from Chef Success. what I love about this community is that we bounce ideas off each other and in the end, come up with new, better ideas.

I hope you'll share what you do to keep yourself safe.

thanks in advance,

Marghi

 

[RMDave]

Marghi, This is a great topic and I hope lots of people participate.I always make sure I meet the host in person before a show. Usually in their home so we can decide where I can set up. Friends always know where I'm going. They get a text message when I arrive and when I leave. If I don't leave soon enough, they call my iPhone. If they got voice mail, they'd show up at the address pretty darn quickly.I even met the drunkard at his home. The vibe was good. No scattered empties and he could speak without slurring. I felt safe. I felt safe when I went today to do the show ... I was amused or I would have just packed up and left. But I go by my gutt reactions - in the worst situation, hitting somebody over the head with one of the bar pans would leave me plenty of time to leave - of course I'd have to order another large bar pan - sheesh. What WOULD I do?

 

[BlueMoon]

Thanks, Dave, those are great suggestions.

I like the idea of meeting them before hand, ideally in their home so I can get a feel for it, and of people who are expecting my call, and will come if they don't hear from me.

And of course, you are right about trusting your gut feelings. Years ago I was a massage therapist, and worked for a service that tried to screen our customers, but....sometimes .... we were always told to trust our gut. It is not worth being polite if it ends up with you being hurt or even seriously scared.

I'm glad your story ended well, and I am sure most stories do. But I think it pays to think about this kind of stuff ahead of time. Like carrying your umbrella--it never rains if you are prepared for it!

Yours
Marghi

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

I guess I'd have to say I don't know. I've never booked a show with a TOTAL stranger. Some I know less well than others, however, they are usually friends or family of people I know better.

In my regular job, I meet people I barely know all the time, sometimes in their homes. Everybody knows where I'm going and who I'm talking to, and I've never had a problem. In fact, that's how I met yesterday's host!

 

[chefsteph07]

I have actually worried about this as well, especially from HO leads, where you have never met them. I don't worry about it obviously if it's a booking from a past host or something, but those that you meet at fairs, etc, where you have no idea about them, that's another story.

 

[mrshamel3808]

When my husband and I were dating and I lived alone, I would always text him the minute I walked in my apartment and the door was locked. One time I forgot and boy did I freak out when I heard a knock on the bedroom door after I went to bed because he came to see if I had made it home ok (he had a key)!! I often think it'd be a good idea to text him when I arrive and when I'm leaving a show but usually never do because I'm busy doing other things. I think I've only done shows in a stranger's house 3-4 times and 2 of those were bookings from 1 of the first. Those 3 were really great experiences...great hosts, great parties (1-$500, 2-$700), nice clean houses but the 4th...ugh...not as horrific as all these stories I've been reading but it was dirty (the dog peed on the carpet right as I was about to start and they just kinda sopped it up with a towel and the mom said "we'll clean it up later) and I left with just barely $150. But all 4 of thoses hostesses I really felt safe with having met them at a booth and talking with them during host coaching.

I think now that I'm starting to have to branch out of my circle of friends to get shows I will start texting my hubby specifically when I arrive and leave. I do usually text him while I'm prepping and let him know the situation. So if I arrived and felt a little uneasy but stayed, he'd know. The trick is I never know how long my shows go so I can't tell him "if you don't hear from me by ___" call me or come find me. I guess I could say "i'll text you once every hour (or half hour) and if you don't get it, call, if I don't answer, something's wrong...". I just would want to make sure I'm not having to stop interacting with a customer to text him.

Great topic to start!

 

[raebates]

I do make sure The Furry Guy knows the name, address, and phone number of hosts. I also give him a basic idea of the route I'll take. I pray before I leave and as I'm on the road to the show. Those are the only safety precautions I take. Honestly, I've only once felt insecure as I headed out to meet someone. That was a weird situation, but I blame my unease on what I'd been reading and watching (lots of murder/disappearance stuff) in the days leading up to that meeting.

 

[wadesgirl]

I do call my husband as I'm on my way home from a show but other than that I don't think about it too much. I've done a few shows for "strangers" (HO leads usually or outside order bookings) but have never had a problem.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I do a lot of shows with people I've never met face to face but I have SPOKEN to them. In most cases I don't have time to go to the house before the party, especially since some of my parties are over an hour from my home.

I have never had a problem or felt unsafe. I have to say I have been slack on telling my husband the host info lately. I do call him on my way home. Thanks for the thread. It reminded me that I need to leave the host info for him when I head out so he has a starting point if something ever were to happen. I do carry my cell phone so I guess they could find my by gps...

Don't worry but be cautious. People that book cooking shows aren't out to hurt you but we all know there are crazy people out there. I agree that we need to go with our gut - God gave us those warning systems so we need to heed them.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

Ive been selling 16 years never have i gone before to a hosts home dont have time for that
Like Rae, I pray before leaving and honestly I'm paranoid about enough other things to be worried about

 

[gailz2]

I agree to follow your gut feeling. I used to sell insurance, and one other agent from a different area, told me she carried a pistol in her purse! I couldn't imagine doing that. However, I do generally leave the address of where I'm going, and call DH as soon as I'm on the road to come home.

 

[chefcharity]

This thought hadn't really crossed my mind till this weekend. I used to sell insurance also and went into some pretty iffy homes doing that but have never had much of an issue w/ PC. HOWEVER, this weekend I did a show and actually locked my doors when I pulled into the neighborhood. I texted my husband where I was at, when I should be done and told him I'd text as soon as I was done. I am not usually like that but this neighborhood made me feel really uneasy. I took my purse in with me - I usually leave it in the back floor board because we carry so much in anyhow.. and shoved the tom tom under the seat.
I want' worried about my hosts - I had met them at the previous party - but the neighborhood worried me more. I made sure I was done by dark and out of there.

Another precation you could take, if you are unsure of the enviroment you are going into, is to take a friend with you. I have trainees shadow me from time to time, but you could even just take a girl/guy friend to watch. Just say they are observing.

 

[gailz2]

Another precation you could take, if you are unsure of the enviroment you are going into, is to take a friend with you. I have trainees shadow me from time to time, but you could even just take a girl/guy friend to watch. Just say they are observing.

Excellent idea.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

I started a thread back in 2007 about this topic that, sadly, didn't have a lot of participation. The first one back in 2007:

"Tough Target: Street Smart Guide to Staying Safe"

Maybe it's time for a bump - but I still recommend that you get a copy of J.J.'s book.