My Host Forget to Buy the Ingredients!

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Discussion Overview

This thread discusses experiences related to hosts forgetting to provide ingredients for cooking demonstrations during shows. Participants share personal anecdotes about how they managed these situations and the outcomes of their improvisations.

Discussion Character

  • Anecdotal
  • Opinion-based
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • One participant, identifying as a consultant, shared a positive experience where they improvised a cooking demo using only a potato, onion, and cheddar cheese after the host forgot the ingredients, resulting in a successful show.
  • Another participant recounted a similar situation where they had to substitute French salad dressing for ketchup, highlighting the importance of adaptability.
  • Several users mentioned their own experiences with forgetting ingredients and the quick thinking required to resolve these issues, often leading to unexpected successes.
  • One participant noted that they started buying ingredients themselves and asking hosts for reimbursement, which they found made hosting easier and more reliable.
  • Another participant expressed admiration for the original poster's ability to think on their feet and handle the situation gracefully.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the value of adaptability in cooking demonstrations and share a sense of camaraderie in facing similar challenges. However, there is no clear consensus on whether to rely on hosts for ingredients or to take responsibility for bringing them.

Contextual Notes

The experiences shared reflect the unpredictable nature of cooking shows and the importance of being prepared for unexpected situations. Participants emphasize the need for flexibility and creativity in these scenarios.

Who May Find This Useful

Consultants who conduct cooking demonstrations may find these shared experiences helpful in navigating similar situations with hosts and managing ingredient-related challenges.

jrstephens
jrstephens
Messages
7,085
I have been meaning to post this!:D

I got to my show Tuesday night and after I got all set up I asked the host for the ingredients. Everyone was already there. We were in the kitchen. She looked at me like she could've died and said she forgot to get them while she was getting the other food. She told me to get started and she would run to the store. I told her no, let me look in the frig and I can just do a demo without a recipe.

Well, I got a potato, onion and cheddar cheese out of the frig. Did my demo and no one every knew the difference! What products that could not be demo'd with these three I talked about them.

She was so embarassed and kept apologizing when the show was over.

It was actually fun!!! And we closed her show that night with $574 in sales! Maybe more hosts need to forget the ingredients!:chef:
 
What a way to think on your feet.
 
Great job! I think it really shows how practical our products are when you can use them on anything in the frig. Way to step up to the challenge.
 
Way to go Jennifer!

I took my ingredients to my power cooking show last week, and didn't bring the mustard and ketchup for the Deluxe Cheeseburger Salad. (Figured EVERYONE has these ingredients in the frig!!)

She had both...but only had about 1/8 of a cup of ketchup. (She said her kids dip everything in Ranch...so hardly ever buys ketchup!) Well...we used French salad dressing instead! It came out REALLY good.

I will NOT assume about any other ingredients!! Yes...I know what happens when you ASSUME...and it happened to me in front of a ton of guests!!

You certainly thought quickly...and helped your host to not be embarrassed in front of her friends!!
 
Last week I brought the ingredients to make the molten brownie skillet cake with me to the hosts house, complete w/ eggs, oil, etc..when I got the eggs out, the host laughed and said "well of course you didn't have to bring eggs, I have THOSE!" I said "hey, I never know, the one time I think you have eggs will be when you used your last of them this morning! She thought that was funny!

Way to go Jennifer on making something out of it! Sounds like you did GREAT!
 
Thanks for posting that great outcome. Way to roll with the punches!
 
Great thinking on your feet, Jennifer. I'm not sure what I would have done - I think I almost would have taken her up on running to the store while I did introductions, but I would have been pretty discombobulated!

Great job!
 
chefsteph07 said:
Last week I brought the ingredients to make the molten brownie skillet cake with me to the hosts house, complete w/ eggs, oil, etc..when I got the eggs out, the host laughed and said "well of course you didn't have to bring eggs, I have THOSE!" I said "hey, I never know, the one time I think you have eggs will be when you used your last of them this morning! She thought that was funny!

Way to go Jennifer on making something out of it! Sounds like you did GREAT!
Click to expand...

I had the same thing happen with milk, I just buy the ingredients, I don't try to worry if the host will have an item at her house or not.
 
That happened to me last year - my host was so excited about making the lime berry mousse trifle - I had emailed her the ingredients complete with which should be thawed, etc. Well I get to her house - figured I'd start prepping the fruit - go to her frig and ask her where's the strawberries - she says I don't know - where did you put them? I said did you get the ingredients for the recipe? She says OMG I completely forgot! Mind you this is 15 minutes before the start time. (And she's a past host - so she knows she needs to get the ingredients) - I tell her don't worry - we flip through the SB - the chocolate pecan lattice tart - she has most of the ingredients for this on hand and we send her MIL quickly to get the rest. The recipe turned out great - she still wanted to do the trifle so she booked another show 4 months later. And told me she would definitely get the ingredients this time! I told her don't worry - as long as there's something to eat - people generally don't care what it is! It's good to have to think on your feet sometime!
 
Great thinking... and with "pregnancy-brain" to boot!!! You go girl!!!
 
Way to go!!! Did you use that as a recruiting line - this job is flexible with time AND ingredients!
 
Way to improvise Jennifer!!!!!!
 
You are amazing to have pulled that off like that.
This is one of the reasons I do the shopping for my shows and have my hosts reimburse me the night of the show. They appreciate the time I save them and I never have to wonder whether or not we have the right ingredients.

QUOTE=jrstephens]I have been meaning to post this!:D

I got to my show Tuesday night and after I got all set up I asked the host for the ingredients. Everyone was already there. We were in the kitchen. She looked at me like she could've died and said she forgot to get them while she was getting the other food. She told me to get started and she would run to the store. I told her no, let me look in the frig and I can just do a demo without a recipe.

Well, I got a potato, onion and cheddar cheese out of the frig. Did my demo and no one every knew the difference! What products that could not be demo'd with these three I talked about them.

She was so embarassed and kept apologizing when the show was over.

It was actually fun!!! And we closed her show that night with $574 in sales! Maybe more hosts need to forget the ingredients!:chef:[/QUOTE]
 
So impressive that you were able to think like that!

I have had several instances of similar problems as those listed here. So, about 2-3 years ago I started buying the ingredients and asking to be reimbursed. THe hosts LOVE that I do this, and it's something they don't have to worry about. And, I know that I have exactly what I need (a BLOCK of cheese, a firm tomato, an onion that fits the mandoline, I can go on and on). It makes hosting look easier in my opinion.

Way to go though! I'll have to remember that if I ever forget something important (the one drawback to buying the ingredients = when I forget something, I look really bad, but thankfully, it's rare and the host bails me out then!:)

Jane :)
 
That's awesome! Glad you could go with it! I would have died myself! LOL
 
I don't know what I would have done if that had happened to me!! I know I wouldn't have been so quick on my feet :)
 
Way to go Jennifer!
 
Good going Jennifer! I would have been so po'd that I probably wouldn't have thought about looking in the fridge. LOL. Way to think on your toes.
 
So proud of the way you dealt with this Jennifer! Like everyone else said we don't think we would have thougtht that fast about improvising with what she had!
 
Rock on, Jennifer! Thanks so much for sharing this. If it ever happens to me, I'll know what to do! :)

I did "The Incredible 30-Minute Chicken" show and decided to put together the seasoning for the chicken, just in case. It was a good thing I did because the host didn't bring anything at all except the chicken!

I really loved your idea of looking for regular items like a potato, an onion, and cheese. Most people have at least two of these items on hand.
 
this is cool i am glad you posted this because this does happen and it is good to se how someone else deals with it before this ever happens to us!!!! thanks!!
 

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if my host forgot to buy the ingredients for the recipe?

If your host forgot to buy the ingredients, don’t worry! You can either suggest a simpler recipe that requires fewer or more common ingredients, or you can work together to find a way to get the ingredients quickly, such as a quick trip to the grocery store or using substitutes if possible.

Can we still have the party if we don’t have all the ingredients?

Yes, you can still have the party! You can focus on demonstrating the tools and techniques without cooking the actual recipe. You can also engage guests by discussing the recipe and sharing tips, or even preparing a different dish with available ingredients.

Is it okay to change the recipe last minute?

Absolutely! Flexibility is key in direct sales. If the ingredients are missing, feel free to adapt the recipe or choose a new one that can be made with what you have on hand. This can also showcase your creativity and problem-solving skills.

How can I help my host remember to buy the ingredients next time?

To help your host remember, consider sending a reminder message a few days before the party with a list of ingredients needed. You can also offer to create a shopping list that they can easily refer to when shopping.

What if the host is unable to get the ingredients before the party?

If the host is unable to get the ingredients, you can still proceed with the party by demonstrating the cooking tools and techniques. Additionally, you can provide a virtual or printed recipe card for guests to take home, so they can try making the dish later on their own.

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