How to organize a cooking class: the complete guide for chefs

Many chefs wonder how they can organize a successful cooking course. If you have often asked yourself this question, below are some tips for success.

tickets. If you have a neighborhood association or a working group, promote yourself there as well.
Then turn to advertisements to expand your reach. You can generate traffic to a landing page on your website, to a temporary landing page or to an event page.
Make sure that this page allows payments and that it is linked to PayPal, PayFast, Stripe or any payment method you prefer.
If this is not possible, add the payment details to the ad and content and provide an e-mail address to which people can send proof of payment.
Then create posters with Canva or hire a designer to create them for you. This is not the time to skimp and economize, because the first impression matters.
Finally, don't forget about ads on Facebook and Instagram or hire a digital marketing agent or a social media manager to help you with the campaign.

Analyze the results

Beyond food, finances and friends, cooking courses offer you information that will help you in organizing future events and in brand strategy. After the cooking class, try to answer the following questions:
- How many people showed up compared to the number of registrations? Through this answer you will be able to adjust your expectations in the future.
– How difficult were the recipes for the participants? Depending on the answer, you will be able to change the difficulty level of the following courses.
– What kind of food did the participants like to cook and eat? In this way, you will get ideas to focus on at the next cooking class.
– What types of participants did you have? You might discover completely new audiences.

How to teach a cooking class?

Throughout the class, maintain a positive and engaging atmosphere. Encourage students to ask questions and share their own cooking experiences.
Each class and group of students will have their own unique dynamic, so be adaptable. For example, high-profile clients need fast and efficient solutions for quite limited programs.

International clients need schedule adjustments for different time zones, and small business clients need customized solutions due to budget constraints or specific needs.

The choice of teaching style for your cooking class depends on the type of event, the size of the group, the skill level of the students and the objectives of the class.

Demonstration. In this type of class, you will demonstrate each step of creating a complex dish, such as a souffle, and the students will follow along and take notes. This style works well for large groups and can be useful for beginners.
Practically. The students cook the dishes themselves, under the guidance of the teacher. This method is excellent for small groups and for those who prefer a more immersive learning experience.
Collaboration. You will work together with the students to create a dish. This is a fun and interactive way to learn and encourages teamwork and communication.
Lecture. In this type of course you will present information about the recipe and cooking techniques. This option is suitable for larger groups and for those who prefer a more traditional learning experience.
Hosting a cooking class requires a relaxed environment, because cooking can be stressful and difficult, especially for beginners. Everything in the kitchen is a teaching moment.

6-step guide for teaching a cooking class

1. Plan the structure of the cooking course

Determine the topics you want to address and organize them in a logical sequence. Take into account the level of qualification and the interest of the students.
Balance the recipes for each group, in a way that keeps everyone busy with one task at a time. For example, if a group has a dish that requires a longer cooking time, give them tasks that they can complete in stages, or tasks that they can do while the dish is cooking.

2. Collect materials and ingredients

Make a list ahead of time of all the equipment and ingredients you will need for the course. Make sure you have enough for each student.
Depending on the number of students and the recipe, you can already portion the ingredients for convenience.

3. Prepare the kitchen

On the day of the course, come to the location early (3-4 hours earlier) to settle in and do last minute checks. It is advisable to have an assistant with you for the cooking class, because in this way you will be able to supervise the event, instead of taking care of the administration.
Prepare a clean and organized work space and cooking stations before class begins. Learners should have easy access to tools and ingredients.

4. Present the lesson

Greet the guests with a drink and make them feel welcome. Make the presentations and allow them to discuss among themselves, because in this way you will build a rapport between the students.
You begin the course by presenting the aims and objectives of the lesson and explaining what you will cover.

5. Teach using the chosen approach

If you are using the demonstration style approach, show the students how to perform the techniques they will use. Give clear, step-by-step instructions and allow time for questions. Divide the students into pairs or small groups and assign them each a recipe and a cooking station.
If you use a hands-on approach, give students time to practice the techniques they have learned. Divide them into pairs or small groups and give them each a recipe and a cooking station.
For a collaborative approach, encourage learners to work together and share ideas. Facilitates group discussions and provides guidance as needed.
As they cook, evaluate their progress. This could involve advice on quantities, explaining ingredients and tasting the finished dishes.

6. Taste and evaluate

At the end, gather all the dishes on a central table and let everyone take photos. User-generated content generates FOMO, creates memories and increases the reach of your brand.
Food photography largely depends on good lighting, so don't forget to put this aspect on the list of conditions when looking for locations.
Finally, enjoy the dishes! This is the best part of taking a cooking class and the part that people will remember most fondly.
Conclude the course with a recap of the lesson and key conclusions. It offers resources and suggestions for further learning or practice.

Virtual cooking courses

You are probably wondering if it is better to organize a face-to-face cooking course or a live online course. Everyone has their arguments for and against.
Face-to-face cooking classes have several advantages:
– You can evaluate the qualification level of each student.
– You can offer a personal cooking demonstration.
- You can organize a cooking competition.
– You have the possibility to standardize the kit of ingredients for all participants.
– You can help the students to master the right technique, the skills of cutting with a knife, etc., to create a delicious meal.
- You will be able to give the participants the chance to taste delicious food.
However, you will be limited by the space you have and, in addition, a face-to-face course involves a lot of initial costs.

A virtual cooking event also has its advantages.

– You don't pay for space, pest control, cooking equipment, ingredient kits, etc.
- It allows you to have more participants in the course.
- Allows participants to cook together with their families, from the comfort of their own home.
- Zero shipping costs for everyone.

There are, however, disadvantages in organizing a virtual cooking course. In a virtual course, you will not be able to accurately assess the qualification level of each student, the interaction between students is limited, and the ingredients and cooking equipment used may vary.
A cooking class on Zoom and a live cooking lesson offer culinary education through a professional chef. Choose the format that works best for you, depending on the time, money and available resources.

Conclusion

A cooking class requires careful planning to be successful. First of all, measuring interest allows you to plan the event correctly and profitably.
Finding the right venue and delivering a great experience ensures repeat attendance at future courses. Data collection improves future planning and helps you set the right expectations.

Source: https://goodfoodstudioza.com/how-to-host-a-cooking-class

Why organize a cooking class?

A cooking class brings people together, teaches them to cook, helps you build a brand, sell related products and prosper financially.

Meetings between people

Rule 1. A cooking class is about the people, not the food. This makes your cooking class or class primarily a networking and relaxation event, not an educational event.
This difference is the whole secret. The chefs who organized such courses over time initially focused too much on food, but through people's feedback they learned over time that people meet at such courses to learn cooking skills, to- and make friends for fun, not to become the next Gordon Ramsey.
A cooking class can teach you essential skills:
- how to plan and host an event;
- how to organize various food recipes;
- how to structure a pleasant learning experience.

These skills will teach you to expand your brand and create more memorable experiences.

Brand building

The more cooking classes you host, the faster your brand will grow, and after a certain point, the brand will become the advantage you have over the competition. Anyone can cook, but not everyone has a strong enough brand to convert new customers into superfans, with a higher profit margin.

Training people

Training is an important skill, and people are willing to pay to learn gastronomy skills. The fact that you become a very good teacher or a chef-instructor will help you increase the income of your business in the area of ​​gastronomy.
The more classes you host, the better you will be at sharing knowledge about recipes, ingredients, wine pairings and cooking equipment - and the easier it will be to sell these products later.

Selling products

Cooking classes provide an opportunity to sell associated products. For example, you can sell wines associated with the dishes, cooking assortments, cookbooks, pot sets, t-shirts and even tickets to the next cooking class.

The financial advantage

As more and more people learn about your cooking classes, they will attend more events, invite their friends, buy your products, request you for private cooking classes, hire you for corporate events and so on.
Consider each cooking event an opportunity that helps you sell other products, and thus you will be able to set and manage your expectations.

9 types of clients for cooking classes

Based on the experience of participating in various cooking classes so far, it can be said that there are the following types of people who pay for cooking classes:

– Gourmets who like to cook.
– Companies that want a team building event.
– Bachelors and bachelorettes who have had enough of ordered food.
– Pregnant women who want to eat healthier for two.
– Professional chefs who want to become better at cooking.
– Couples who want a fun and romantic activity together.
– Moms who want to prepare healthier meals for their families.
- Pupils and students in the culinary field who want additional training outside the classroom.
– Busy professionals who want to learn how to easily cook quick meals.

Each of these types of audience offers a potential theme for the cooking class you will be hosting. A mix of the above groups will probably take part in your classes, and it is possible that you will even meet unexpected categories of people, who have their own reasons for wanting to learn to cook.
Most people think that cooking is a long and complicated process. This is the reason why he avoids the kitchen and uses delivery applications instead. A large part of your food content plan should focus on changing this misconception in order to generate more signups.

9 types of cooking classes you can host

What type of cooking class should you host? Well, the right theme attracts people who are particularly interested in that style of cooking and who hope to meet other people like them. Don't forget, cooking classes are about relationships and relaxation, not about food.
A cooking class that teaches people how to cook ten extremely different types of food is not going to appeal to anyone. In addition, it will be more difficult for you to sell products, because not all participants have the same interests.
Conversely, a course that promises to teach participants ten plant-based dishes or ten meat dishes will attract far more enthusiastic people. You will be able to sell more vegan recipe books or more discount coupons for barbecues.
The food is diverse, so you have a lot of themes to choose from. Below are seven cooking themes that you can try.

1. Cooking classes by frying.
2. Pastry and confectionery courses (chocolate, cakes, etc.).
3. Plant-based cooking classes.
4. Meat-based cooking courses.
5. Barbecue courses with charcoal, gas, etc.
6. Cooking courses with cultural themes - Italian, Greek, Mexican cuisine, etc.
7. Spices and drinks - a course that teaches people to use various spices and their applications.

You can go even deeper and offer cooking classes for people with certain diseases. For example, for patients with hypertension, diabetes, indigestion or ulcers, who have special diets and who would do well to learn to manage these diseases through nutrition.
You can also organize cooking classes by age category, such as cooking classes for children or the elderly. Creativity is limited only by imagination.

The best time to organize a cooking class

The best time to host a cooking class is in the warmer months, and especially towards the end of the month, when people have more money.
Theoretically, you can organize a cooking class at any time of the year, but in certain periods it will be more difficult for you to have a large number of registrations.
For example, January is generally a harder month for most people, and their budgets might not allow for a cooking class. Likewise, December is busy with holiday planning. Winter is also more difficult to host cooking classes, because most people are reluctant to leave the house more than necessary.
Limit yourself to the summer months and the weekends at the end of the month to benefit from maximum participation and good profits.

Locations for cooking classes: 9 essential requirements

A cooking class involves a face-to-face meeting, so you will have to reserve a space close enough to the target audience and accessible enough for your budget. The most important requirements for any location are:
1. Space
2. The chairs
3. Ventilation
4. Pest control
5. Cleaning utensils
6. Crockery and cutlery
7. Energy (gas or electricity)
8. A sufficient number of stoves, hobs, ovens or grills
9. A friendly host or point of contact who is easy to work with

space

Depending on how many people participate in your cooking class, they will need space to move around and place their ingredients, utensils and cookbooks or lists. Cramped spaces limit movement.

The chairs and tables

Students and staff must sit down to work or eat. The more chairs and tables the location has, the more everyone can enjoy the event with more comfort. Make sure you have enough chairs, tables or couches.

The ventilation

Ventilation reduces strong food smells, smoke from stoves or grills, and sweat from you and the course participants. People will enjoy classes more when they can breathe easier.

Pest control

Disinfectants in the kitchen keep flies, mice, cockroaches and other disease carriers at bay. Nobody wants to cook and walk among cockroaches.
Check if the chosen location has enough pest control equipment and chemicals and that there are no cracks or holes through which they can enter.

Cleaning utensils

The cleaning tools help your students clean up on the go, and they help you clean everything perfectly after the event. Check if the location has a cleaning team and pay the fee for them, so that you save time.

Crockery and cutlery

You will need enough pots, pans, spoons, spatulas, forks, cups, bowls and plates - and in general it is better to have more than you need. Check the location in advance and bring additional crockery and cutlery if necessary.

Energy: gas or electricity

Gas ovens cook food faster and gas is relatively cheap. Electricity is easier to use, but may not be reliable if you are in an area where power outages are common. Our advice is to go with gas.

Cooking equipment

The more stoves, plates, grills and ovens you have, the more you can divide your participants into small groups and the more recipes you can try. Two participants per cooking station is fine, but if the equipment you have is limited, you can use three. More than three people at a cooking station is already too little.

The location manager

The location manager should do quality checks, offer transparent prices and help you make informed decisions. Above all, he should be an easy person to work with.
Before booking a location, get references from other chefs, check online reviews and ask as many questions as possible. All this will save you from headaches.

6 types of locations to host a cooking class

Consider these six location options for your next cooking class:

– Cooking studios
– Gastronomy schools
– Local restaurants
– Hotels and cottages
– Local school canteens
– Parks and recreational areas

Cooking studios

These locations are specially designed to host cooking classes and product launches, so they already come with a solution for most of your requirements. A quick Google search for cooking studios should give you a few options, especially if you live in a metropolitan area.

Gastronomy schools

A cooking school is already equipped with sorting, equipment, cleaning staff and even instructors you can hire. And many of them also have spaces for rent.
In addition, it is even possible to obtain a long-term contract as a staff member or internal instructor at the gastronomy school.

Local restaurants

A restaurant is basically a cooking studio. Search among contacts of restaurant owners who are willing to rent their kitchens on days off (for example, Sundays and Mondays) or out of season. You will thus have space, equipment, seats and a bar for drinks.

Hotels and cottages

Hotels and cabins are excellent locations, because they address a large number of people at the same time. Although it will probably be more difficult for you to book more crowded places, you can easily find a cabin outside the city or one that operates outside the peak season.

Canteens in schools

Just like hotels and cabins, primary schools and high schools must serve several people at the same time, so they will have the necessary equipment and chairs. It is easier to book a school for a cooking class during the holidays, for example, or on weekends.

Parks and recreational areas

Local parks are great for meat or barbecue cooking classes. You can also use a golf course in the area or a barbecue area in an apartment complex.

These places have included natural ventilation (open air) and seats (benches). However, it is possible that they are not so good in terms of disinsection and deratization, because they are outdoors and they may not even offer cooking surfaces for everyone.

You can solve these problems by bringing pest control stations and renting tables from a catering or event organization company. But this option will increase your costs.

How long should a cooking class last?

Limit cooking classes to a maximum of two hours. The purpose of a cooking class is to learn how to cook certain types of food quickly and easily. A course that is too long contradicts this expectation. Here's how you can structure the program of a cooking course:
– 20 minutes for arrival, presentations and welcome drinks;
– 20-30 minutes for food preparation;
– 20-30 minutes for cooking;
– 20-30 minutes to eat;
– A few minutes for pictures.

How to plan and promote a cooking course?

Hosting a cooking class can be stressful, but preparing ahead of time eliminates much of that stress. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to plan your next cooking class:
- Evaluates the demand and interest.
- Reserve a place and a date.
- Promote your course.
– Host the course.
- Analyze the results.

Evaluate the demand and interest

The first step is to assess the demand and interest for your cooking class. This evaluation will tell you if it is worth investing time and money in such a course.
You can announce the idea of ​​a cooking class to your contacts or on social networks and you can offer an email address or a phone number where people can announce their interest or make a deposit.
You can return the money if you decide not to take the course, but you cannot get your money back if you reserve locations, hire assistants and buy ingredients.
It starts from the assumption that half of those who announce their interest will not come and that the other half will pay only at the last moment. This will set your expectations regarding the participation figure and profit margins.
The more specific the cooking theme, the greater the interest and the more likely people will pay in advance.

Reserve a location and a date

After you have determined whether you benefit from sufficient interest from the public, reserve the location and make sure you also have a reserve option.
The chosen location may cancel your reservation at the last moment, may not have a specific function or specific equipment, or may close. A reserve location protects your event and minimizes the degree of damage to the brand.

Promote your course

After you reserve your location, it's time to promote the event through content and ads. Post the next course on your social media channels and among your mobile contacts.
Discuss the categories to whom it is addressed, what they will learn, how it will help them and what they can expect. The more details you provide, the better.
You can also collaborate with local restaurants and chefs to spread the word and sell more