What!?!?! How Many Recipes Do You Do?

[Usafwife10]

I just got an email back from an upcoming host saying she was disappointed in the number of recipes I gave her to choose from for her show. (I gave 3 choices; all included a main dish and dessert)

This is what she said “at parties I have attended/hosted in the past, there were always at least 4 food items? Something that whips up quickly for everyone to eat while the other stuff is cooking like a dip, fruit pizza, then the main item, and a dessert."

That seems like a lot to me!! I’ve always done a main dish and a dessert and never had a complaint. To me the show would take forever to make 4 dishes and then get through the catalog, games etc. What do you all do?

 

[wadesgirl]

I do ONE! You are not a caterer. Let her know that while that is how the other customer may have ran her business it's not how you do it.

 

[ahinchey]

I do one recipe, and IF they really, really want a dessert, I'll do the easy caramel rolls -- because they are so quick and easy.
I just explain that people don't want to be there forever... the quicker the demo, the happier people are.... or so I've found.

 

[DebbieJ]

oh my, I do just one recipe. I'll do two if people are really whiny about it and have a lot of people coming.

 

[urbnk8]

I used to always do two, but now I give them the option of one or two. They are the ones buying the ingredients, so I don't want to force them to buy too much. The idea is to get stuff for FREE! But if you are spending a ton on ingredients, you don't end up getting much for free.And like Alana said, quicker is sometimes better...I remember going to shows before I became a consultant and felt like it dragged on forever! Of course, I had been to the same consultants show many times, so it was quite repetitive.

 

[Usafwife10]

Thats what i thought!! I though i was being nice offering 2 dishes. I just received another email from her since i posted this saying
" I would like to see the recipe for all of the choices you gave me if possible. I don't really want to pick something and not know what's in it."

Do you guys send the whole recipe for your selections too?

I don't know if its because i was up all night with a sick 2 year old or what but im just completly caught off guard by this lady today!!

I thought my choices where pretty self explanatory on the basic ingridents....easy chicken fajitas, oaded Baked Potato Chowder w/ Garlic Parmesan biscuit bites, Deluxe Cheeseburger Salad.

 

[baychef]

ONE ONLY!

My back breaks from carrying all of the dishes.
If I wash them between recipes, I lose my "rythem" and my crowd
I have had just as crappy sales no matter how many recipes I have done.
I am exhausted and have a hard time feeling "up" to the next party
And finally...as much as the host thinks the more recipes you do the better..let her know that other consultants have done this and the guests do not like to sit through more than one recipe. They like to socialize, order, snack and go home within an hour. They don't have time to be away from the house that long.

Truly, my sales did not suffer one bit and people enjoy the shorter party.

Offer to give her 2 extra recipes or if she really insists, tell her you have to have a minimum of 15 guests show up (purchasing guests...children do not count)

Good luck and try not to buckle in to her!:chef:

And, I do send a grocery list for them too. Instead of 3 fresh garlic cloves, I list 1 bulb of fresh garlic. Also...8 oz. cream cheese, softened (so she knows to get it out for you)

 

[raebates]

I do only one. If they insist that their guests need more than that I tell them I'll be glad to provide them with simple PC recipes they can whip up themselves. On the rare occasion that I'm making a recipe at the show I provide only a list of ingredients.

 

[susanr613]

oh my, I do just one recipe. I'll do two if people are really whiny about it and have a lot of people coming.

me too. however, i give my hosts at least two choices in each category apps, main dish, dessert and ask him/her to choose ONE recipe, and i mention that "you can serve whaever else you want" it seems to give the impression that i'm offering more.

 

[chefjeanine]

Only one! It’s about the tools . . . not the food.

Deciding on what recipe to make is my least favorite part of being a Consultant. I don’t really enjoy cooking so I find that I’m not trying new recipes. I’m going to have to come up with some new ones. Of course, they must show high end tools (hopefully the DCB or 12” skillet) and go quickly.

The last thing I discuss with my host is what recipe will be prepared and it might not be until a week before the party. Most of the time I’m bringing the ingredients (one of my perks is free recipe with a guest list of 45 names, addresses and phone numbers) so they don’t need to know very far ahead.

I’ve been doing interactive shows for many months. I LOVE getting the guests to make the food. Whether they cook or I do, I’m pretty slow so two recipes just would not work.

 

[Liquid Sky]

I focus on ONE recipe...well sorta..lol

Most of the time I am doing the 30 min. chicken, garlic bites and cake. Those are done and onto the table in 30 mins flat. People are impressed with that.

If they want something other than the chicken...I offer one recipe choice and w/o fail always do a cake in the DCB. It takes nothing to stir 4 ingredients together in the DCB, dollop frosting over the top, top with the lid then microwave for 10 mins. 2 mins of prep..the rest is cooking. Simple and a has a "wow" factor.

 

[smarteez2]

I just got an email back from an upcoming host saying she was disappointed in the number of recipes I gave her to choose from for her show. (I gave 3 choices; all included a main dish and dessert)

This is what she said “at parties I have attended/hosted in the past, there were always at least 4 food items? Something that whips up quickly for everyone to eat while the other stuff is cooking like a dip, fruit pizza, then the main item, and a dessert."

That seems like a lot to me!! I’ve always done a main dish and a dessert and never had a complaint. To me the show would take forever to make 4 dishes and then get through the catalog, games etc. What do you all do?

Kindly tell her that those extra recipes were provided by the host and not you. You only do 1 maybe 2 recipes.

Me myself usually have a recipe made and then I make a recipe for the show. Tha's just the way I do it, but the majority of my hosts usually have a buttload of food there as well. Yes I said buttload. LOL!!

 

[cmdtrgd]

Heck, I don't give them a choice! I do explain both at my shows and in host coaching that I have one recipe I do each month (and I have had a host book do a show in the first few days of the month and three shows for that same month were booked from hers - she went to all three and was basically doing the show by the time the month was over! And, she didn't get bored with the recipe). Now, I focus on the DCB and 12" Skillet. I tell them that I also focus on the next month's host special to help THEM continue with their 60% off savings, which usually gets them on board. I do offer to bring the ingredients for dessert when they give me a guest list of over 40 people - I do invites and reminders no matter what. The guest list confirms their date. At the show I have been doing two recipes that work well together timewise, don't use the same products, and show off the two main pieces. This month, however, I am focusing totally on the DCB because I'm using it as an incentive for new recruits. I'm making the Loaded Baked Potato Chowder and the LITE Molten Chocolate Lava Cake. So, when bringing ingredients for the dessert, I'm bringing one cake mix, 12 oz can/bottle diet soda and a can of frosting (use half) which makes it EASY!

 

[pampchefsarah]

I do two, and both as easy as possible! For example, my last show was a Margarita & Fajita show. Slap Yo Mama Margaritas, and Chicken Fajitas in the microwave. Even I was impressed how quick and easy it was. All that, while training my new consultant on P3!!

Everyone else is correct. Do what is comfortable for you, and remind your host this is how your do your business. I'm wondering, though, if the previous consultant did ONLY the demos, and no games, etc. Hopefully, once the party is over, your host will realize how much more she enjoyed your format.

 

[Chef Kearns]

I provide my hosts this document by email during our host coaching, usually about a week before their party unless they are super anxious. I only do 1 recipe!!

 

[lisasfuncooking]

I do 1 main dish and a dessert. I give the host different options for each. I won't do 2 recipes that both take alot of time. I focus more on 1 recipe.
I had a host insist that she have 3 recipes. I never did this and tried to discourage her. I explained that the guests get tired and may not have the time, not to mention the extra work for me. But she insisted. And of course I could tell everyone was getting antsy and lost interest. As soon as I was about done, everyone was in a big rush to check out. Which, unfortunately took away from the full service checkout. The sales were OK, but it seemed like so much extra work on my end.

 

[PamperedchefDaly]

I usually do one main recipe, and then the molten lava cake in the rice cooker. Sometimes, I will start out with fresh salsa using the salad choppers in the classic batter bowl, and I have the guests pass around the bowl and chop the salsa.

 

[nikked]

As far as providing the host with the recipe, here is the letter I use for my hosts. In my recipe options, I provide them with the shopping list, so I don't have to resent anything. I find that it works well for me, and let's the host make an informed decision.

I am a die hard two recipe gal, and I like to give options (because I myself like options), so this is what I have come up. I was using this basic format before I "left" TPC before, and found it successful for me.

HTH!

 

[Symara]

I would reply back saying that sometimes Hosts take it upon themselves to make extra dishes to feed their guests, but that consultants usually only do two or less recipes. I'm sure she thought the Consultant made them all but the host actually did.

 

[raebates]

Good point, Symara. That's one reason I make sure to mention which recipe I brought to a show. I also say that, while Helen Host made lots of yummy extra stuff, that's not a requirement.

 

[chefheidi2003]

I do one..however..sometimes I do as a bonus a rice cooker microwave cake.

 

[JAE]

I think it works great to do ONE recipe and then cut a pineapple for a second recipe if the hosts wants to provide the pineapple. The Pineapple Wedger is in my top 10 products since it came out. I love it! (That doesn't include the night I just couldn't get it to work, and I was so embarrassed. Oh well. I still sold two.)

 

[chefann]

If your host still gives you a stink about only doing one (or two, if you add an easy second one for high attendance), let her know that you won't have time to make additional ones before the show, and her guests won't want to sit through 3-4 recipe demos. Her sales and bookings will be higher with 1 recipe.