Culinary courses of a new generation are now in fashion. The idea came to us, as always from the West. Three countries are leading: the USA, Italy and, of course, France. The fact is that, as it turned out, the generation of 30-40-year-olds is almost completely unable to cook, but really wants to learn.
Previously, Western housewives literally did not detach themselves from the blue screens, watching various culinary talk shows and master classes, now TV is not in fashion, and only very lazy people did not laugh at television culinary shows. Somehow the idea arose by itself that it would be nice not to look at all this through the box, but to come to a specialized place and in a professional kitchen to try our hand. It’s like putting on a pack, pointe shoes, a white swan costume yourself and ... going out onto the Bolshoi’s real scene, instead of watching Swan Lake sitting on the couch and remembering the 1991 coup.
The difference between kitchen aerobatics and ballet in the Bolshoi lies in the fact that you will be allowed into the holy of holies of the restaurant and sometimes even for free!
What is it, when a chef takes an embarrassing maiden under the elbow and teaches how to chop onions, our people, in principle, already know. And he wants to try it himself. As always, a foreign chip alien to us leaked somehow imperceptibly and by itself through a television advertisement of completely different goods. So dear businessmen, who decided to expand the range of their services due to this so far exotic product, hurry to thank the advertisers of all the mayonnaises Mr. Ricco! They gave you free advertising, and now you don’t have to spend your budget on cultural and educational programs for educating an ordinary man who does not know how to read and write.
I will give an example so that you understand how lucky you are. Once the Russian owners of coffee houses were afraid of the arrival of Western network colleagues and their aggressive advertising on the Russian market. But then they laughed and rejoiced for a long time, because it turned out that foreign coffee pots did their service, which was worth a lot. Tightening the entire metro with streamers in which words such as “cappuccino”, “espresso”, “latte” flickered - they simply aroused the interest of the Russian consumer in coffee as such. And the Russian reached out to drink coffee, having learned clever words, but not to the Western networkers, but to the place where it had long been open, just was not in demand ...
What, whom and for what can you teach?
Where and when to train?
What along the way?
So, we will try to clearly and competently answer the stated questions.
The first one. We teach children aged 5 to 12 years
(Approximately. Some have been teaching since the age of three, but it seems to me that this is some kind of science fiction about indigo children).
Children of this age are very fond of sculpting from dough. In addition to the fact that it develops fine motor skills of the hand well, parents get an additional opportunity to arrange a boring and developing weekend for the child. Typically, these classes start early on Saturday morning. The idea that children should work with the test is justified by the fact that it is in childhood that the craving for sweets and biscuits is so great. The existing author's course “Guest at the doorstep” is very popular, where children are taught to cook something homely and tasty when guests unexpectedly came to the house. This essay on the theme “There Must Always Be Flour in the House” ...
Second We train office staff
mix trendy cocktails during lunch break
Right, what else can you teach in fifteen minutes? Practice has shown that this format is very successful and is very popular. If you also arrange a contest with prizes (a good shaker, a bottle of expensive liquor), then the people will double the inflow.
Third Teach coffee lovers and steakhouse visitors
how, accordingly, to blend monosorta coffee and properly roast meat. It is no coincidence that we combined these two categories of consumers into one heading. The goal of such classes is common - to increase the culture of consumption, to make the guest know more about the product and, therefore, make more choices when ordering. In addition, meat-eaters generally have a master class - this is perhaps the only way to exist on the market without giving up their niche to barbecue. The fact is that in the civilized world there are 5 degrees of roasting steak. Our people, which are not used to meat, to put it mildly, do not know how to fry and cook it. Therefore, it is practically impossible to work with our client until they have taken him through unobtrusive educational courses. He complains either that the meat is raw, or that it is under-cooked. Our client is used to eating meat, either boiled or char. So the steakhouses conduct master classes in non-stop meat cooking as part of the struggle for their survival.
The Fourth Pathos Event for Housewives and Status Persons of the City
Such events are held as advertising campaigns, and are beneficial to everyone. A restaurant that advertises its walls, photographers who advertise their last name in photographs, a chef and status people who advertise their identities, to suppliers who “shine” their appliances, products, knives and plates on cameras. Such actions are usually prepared immediately in collaboration with local glossy magazines, which give a detailed and beautiful report on the event. In addition, such a social gathering promotes and most importantly - the prepared menu.
Trainings on self-cooking skills can be carried out both by the restaurant itself and by someone based on the restaurant by agreement. At the time of the “matinee” either the entire room or one of its rooms is rented, and the kitchen is also involved. Some will argue that this restaurant is a direct loss, because it stops its work with ordinary guests. But practice shows that no.
Firstly, some of these actions are carried out infrequently - 4-5 times a year, but they advertise them noisily and gather people for a long time.
Secondly, some often organize promotions, almost every week, but on Saturday morning, when the influx of guests is already small.
Thirdly, even if you do not take money for this master class, practice shows that after such strategic moves the customer flow increases significantly.
Along the way, it’s nice to have a photo shoot with the training, and best of all, a full-fledged video of what is happening. The fact is that many parents would like to see a beautiful video about how their child purposefully makes dumplings.
How to attract
Culinary master classes are fundamentally divided into paid and free. But you can and alternate charitable ardor with a thirst for extortion. In any case, this project has a positive effect on the image of the institution. If a master class is given by an eminent chef (or a gastronomic journalist, which is not uncommon in Western countries, and we probably only have Stalik Khankishiyev with his pilaf), then don’t take the money just silly, the guest himself will not understand you.
So, in the Moscow cafe "Landrin" a lesson in working with a test for children costs 450 rubles. The price includes all consumables.
A cycle of four classes in the Novosibirsk “Sushi Pit” costs 2000 rubles.
A fancy cocktail lesson costs 15 euros.
In addition to promoting the epic word of mouth, you can come up with something else. For example, laminated flyers on tables in a restaurant inviting you to take part in promotions, advertising on the Internet and much more.
“Now I will drop everything, and I will play boats with you!”
In the West it is customary to go to a restaurant and ask the chef to teach them how to cook any dish they like. Of course, any normal chef can be busy at this particular moment, so practicing recording for a personal lesson. In general, when planning a room for a cafe or restaurant, you need to take into account the current trend towards open kitchens. Otherwise, you will burn. Because this trend is not a momentary fleeting fashion, it seems to be serious and for a long time. Today, cooking is at home, at the restaurant it is meditation, relaxation, psychological relaxation, art therapy, creative expression, club leisure, or, if you like, a show. The cook is a magician, and the guests are enthusiastic children who themselves want to be magicians.
Potions Lesson or The Birth of a New Restaurant Format
Immediately make a reservation that before launching exactly such a project, Russia still has to wait ... a few years. But not for decades! So you need to start right now. This format is called like this: "Atelier of the Chefs" and he came to us (not yet to us) from France. This format of the restaurant appeared in 2005, but has already established itself as a successful one.
Under the control of real experts: one chef in the state and one by invitation, depending on the topic, the guests create a menu and then eat it all in the restaurant department. The monthly turnover of such an institution is about 70 thousand euros. Very reminiscent of a Russian bachelorette party or bachelor party. That is, they gathered, cooked and then eaten. The only trick is that they are not gathering at the girlfriend’s apartment, not at Petya’s dacha, and not at the river with live fish for fish soup. They are assembled in a professional restaurant kitchen and put on a professional cap. This unique concept was created by people, which is funny, not at all from the restaurant business, which proves once again: a “blurred” eye will not create anything creative, “clowns” need it from the outside, only they can invent a viable project. Suppliers will help save on investments - those who are engaged in kitchen equipment and products.
Who will advertise you?
Do not be afraid, you have already been advertised. Is free. Recently, European cinema and thinners are only engaged in harnessing culinary and philosophy into one cart. And here’s the idea: organize a screening of a film corresponding to the subject, and the people will fall to you with a vengeance. Special thanks to the authors of such films as “Scorched by Passion”, “Notes of a Culinary Enamored in Love”, writer Joan Harris, who drowned everyone in Chocolate and other sticky substances, and many others whom I will not name now, and others will immediately name dozens.
In addition, these cooking classes can serve as an excellent platform for solving psychological and other personal problems. The goal of such courses is often transparent: they are organized so that single middle-aged people can get to know each other. If you want to create a club atmosphere in your restaurant, then there is nothing better than organizing such events. And if you want to do PR ...
Nazarenko Elena
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