Cooking for strangers... in their own house!

[Tri2Cook]

I did a 26 person dinner last night (local Lion's Club annual District Governor's meeting, a good friend is a Lion's member and approached me about doing the job) which went very well. After the dinner I was approached by my friend and a couple other members and she asked me if I'd be willing to be an auction item for their charity fundraiser event (the local chapter works with research dealing with vision disorders and blindness). Apparently a few of the women were joking that they wanted to take me home to cook for them and the idea light lit up for somebody. Now they want to auction off me doing a dinner (4 people max) for the winning bidder. I don't have a problem with charity work, happy to do it, it's the private dinner thing I'm not so sure about. In this situation I'd have to do the charming host thing along with the cooking and I'm not sure I can pull that off. I love the buffer provided by my servers 'cause then I just have to cook, no schmoozing required, but that's not what they have in mind for this. They want a "chef's table" type situation. The venue for last night had me in an open kitchen area which I'm not used to but I adjusted so maybe I need to just relax and have fun with this. Suggestions, ideas, smart-arse comments all welcome. Thanks.

[andrewB]

I did a 26 person dinner last night (local Lion's Club annual District Governor's meeting, a good friend is a Lion's member and approached me about doing the job) which went very well. After the dinner I was approached by my friend and a couple other members and she asked me if I'd be willing to be an auction item for their charity fundraiser event (the local chapter works with research dealing with vision disorders and blindness). Apparently a few of the women were joking that they wanted to take me home to cook for them and the idea light lit up for somebody. Now they want to auction off me doing a dinner (4 people max) for the winning bidder. I don't have a problem with charity work, happy to do it, it's the private dinner thing I'm not so sure about. In this situation I'd have to do the charming host thing along with the cooking and I'm not sure I can pull that off. I love the buffer provided by my servers 'cause then I just have to cook, no schmoozing required, but that's not what they have in mind for this. They want a "chef's table" type situation. The venue for last night had me in an open kitchen area which I'm not used to but I adjusted so maybe I need to just relax and have fun with this. Suggestions, ideas, smart-arse comments all welcome. Thanks.

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its a fundraiser for a vision disorder charity. don't worry i don't think people will see you anyway...

[rooftop1000]

[Pallee]

I've done this several times. I've found I only enjoy it if I like the people I'm cooking for. That's a hard thing to tell in advance. The worst time was when the Dacor oven refused to get much above 300' and of course I needed much more than that. The people had lived in the house 2 years and had only used the oven once, and wondered why their turkey took so long to cook, but never looked into why.

So, if you do it, check out the equipment real well ahead of time. Since it's an auction, you won't have the luxury of checking out the people.

Good luck!

[prasantrin]

I think you need to do it. Not because it's for charity, but because it gives you an opportunity to learn something about yourself. You'll either learn that you love it, and it will be something you can develop, or you'll learn that you hate it, and you should channel your professional energies away from it.

Either way, you're getting something out of it.

[FistFullaRoux]

In my experience, people who join organizations like that tend to be the more outgoing type, and usually aren't afraid to talk to a "stranger". Don't worry so much about the character you think you should be playing. Be yourself. It's not Iron Chef.

I've done 2 of these cooking expos through the Jaycees here in Birmingham. You'd be surprised how much a pot of gumbo will raise outside of south Louisiana. The food is almost secondary. These folks would pay good money for grilled cheese sandwiches. It's the donation they are going for. I've also donated my services as a DJ for the Jaycees as a moneymaker.

It's a great opportunity for you. Even if you are uncomfortable talking to people you don't know, it should be easy to handle. Just plan a menu that gives you some wiggle room, and never let them see you sweat. Remember, whatever you put out there is what you meant to do.

Also, teach yourself a few mixed drinks that you can throw together if you hit a lull waiting for something to finish. More booze equals happy guests. You could also do some quick appetizer things for the same reason. Bring a cantaloupe and some prosciutto. That will fill a couple minutes.

[Abra]

I've done several of those "gift certificate" dinners, and my solution was to make the cooking part of the event. Chat while rolling out pie dough (you'd be amazed how many people don't even know that a human can make pie dough), see if they want to help thread the skewers or some equally easy task. In my experience people love that, and after a couple of glasses of wine, i.e. right when you're really ready to push out the major food, they all feel like chatting and relaxing and are happy to get out of your way.

[Tri2Cook]

Thanks for the encouragement folks. I think I'm going to do it. The problem isn't really a shyness thing, I'm usually pretty good with people. Even people I don't know. The problem is I don't like to be bothered when I'm working. You can watch if you have to but, no, you can't help and I'd prefer not to discuss it right now. Ask all of your questions when I'm done. It's not a "grumpy cook" thing either, I just like to surprise people when I have the opportunity. I don't want them to see it or have it explained while I'm working on it. I know that's kinda weird but it's fun to me.

But all of that aside, I'm going to do it anyway. It's for a good cause and it should be fun. Now I just have to worry about who wins, a couple of the women were asking my friend if I'm married...

Edited May 13, 2007 by Tri2Cook (log)

[Lindacakes]

I'm not sure I get the celebrity cook, let's sit in the kitchen, let's watch them compete sort of thing that is happening . . .

Can someone tell me why people want to do this?

I can completely understand the concept of having an excellent cook prepare dinner for you and your friends at your house, it's the watching and talking to the cook thing I don't understand.

It's not as though someone is creating a smoking volcano out of a pile of onion rings or flipping shrimp tails into their hat like at Benihana's . . .

I'm not a professional cook, but if anyone wanted to watch me in the kitchen, they'd better stand back and shut up.

[Busboy]

Thanks for the encouragement folks. I think I'm going to do it. The problem isn't really a shyness thing, I'm usually pretty good with people. Even people I don't know. The problem is I don't like to be bothered when I'm working. You can watch if you have to but, no, you can't help and I'd prefer not to discuss it right now. Ask all of your questions when I'm done. It's not a "grumpy cook" thing either, I just like to surprise people when I have the opportunity. I don't want them to see it or have it explained while I'm working on it. I know that's kinda weird but it's fun to me.

But all of that aside, I'm going to do it anyway. It's for a good cause and it should be fun. Now I just have to worry about who wins, a couple of the women were asking my friend if I'm married...

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My wife and I are not professional chefs (though we do have cool looking jackets that my father-in-law bought us and can pass if not actually expected to cook ) but we have put ourselves up for auction every year for the last six years in support of our kids' school. We've never had to worry about people butting in during our cooking, they're usually too busy doing what people normally do during a social occasion, socializing with one another. It also helps to get hors d'oeuvres out early, to, as people generally prefer eating to watching.

[Abra]

I think people want to watch and talk and help because high-end cooking has become fashionable, and people who don't cook much themselves find it exciting and unusual to be surrounded by cooking.

[BryanZ]

Here's what I do for private dinners. Do all your prep off-site, finish up the fabrication of the various components to your dishes on site a couple hours before, then plate in the dining room. If the hosts have a large enough dining room a 5' table with folding legs is the perfect size for plating for up to 8 people. That way you can do the important stuff in the kitchen, away from distractions, and do all the pretty plating while everyone oooohhhs and aahhhhs.

[GTO]

I'd be slightly afraid of a "Now, promise you won't get mad, but..." moment.

[Anna N]

I am not a professional chef but I do cook dinners as a way to repay special things that people have been kind enough to do for me. I will be doing another soon for a couple who provided a Towne car and chauffeur to take hubby for a special app't. I do most of my prep at home and pull it all together at meal time. I load up my car with the food and all the necessary cooking gear and so far, all have gone off very well. I also do my son-in-law's annual BBQ for his staff and the accolades have always made it well worthwhile. Perhaps because they know I am not a professional, the expectations are not so high but I do try to do a "professional" job.

[jgm]

I'm not sure I get the celebrity cook, let's sit in the kitchen, let's watch them compete sort of thing that is happening . . .

Can someone tell me why people want to do this?

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I'd attend one of these in a heartbeat. One, I might pick up some new techniques or recipes. Two, none of my friends are foodies, and I love to talk about food with anyone else who'll talk about it. Chefs usually will. Three, every time I talk to a "real" chef, I learn so much. Sort of like reading eGullet, where several "real" chefs (and a few unreal ones ) lurk.

Four, I'm a shameless groupie. There. It's out. No apologies!

[Lindacakes]

OK, I am willing to sit in anyone's kitchen who will cook for me, including my own, and I promise I will talk about food.

[Tri2Cook]

Here's what I do for private dinners.  Do all your prep off-site, finish up the fabrication of the various components to your dishes on site a couple hours before, then plate in the dining room.  If the hosts have a large enough dining room a 5' table with folding legs is the perfect size for plating for up to 8 people.  That way you can do the important stuff in the kitchen, away from distractions, and do all the pretty plating while everyone oooohhhs and aahhhhs.

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Now that sounds like a game plan I can live with. That fits my "don't bother me, I'm working" personality and still allows me to be the "charming" (been called a lot of things in my life but I don't recall charming being one of them) host that they deserve for their money.

Thanks to everybody, I'm feeling pretty good about this now. I'm used to being in my nice closed kitchen at the restaurant but I've recently started venturing into some catering and private dinner jobs with a business partner (the owner of the restaurant but we're doing the other stuff seperately as a partnership, not an employee/employer extension of the restaurant situation) and they're starting to roll in more often than we anticipated so I guess I'm going to have to get used to it.

[Fat Guy]

I've done this for my wife's elementary school's fundraisers. It's scary how much money people have paid to have me cook for them, given that I can't cook at anything near a professional level.

I agree with BryanZ, and would emphasize that the unfamiliar kitchen is the main stress point -- not the people. I assure you, the people won't be a bother. What will be a bother is the fact that the stove sucks. My biggest issue was that I once had to jettison a potato side dish because it took like an hour for a pot of water to boil on the crappy stove.

[Jmahl]

My wife and I have also done this several times for a Rotary Club auction. When we cooked at our house it was no problem. --- But as Shaw says, when cooking away you have to haul your gear. Great fun though and we have raised money for a good cause.

Jmahl

[Tri2Cook]

Yeah, I already learned my lesson about unfamiliar kitchens. Sometimes it's the simple things that get you in trouble. At one of our earlier jobs where I was cooking onsite I completely forgot to check the oven. When things started taking too long I realized what was going on and what I forgot to do and tossed a thermometer in the oven. Yep, it was off by almost 125 F. Required a bit of improvising to stay close to on time. That was a blusher I'd prefer not to repeat so I'm doing the Santa thing for all onsite jobs now, I'm takin' a list and checkin' it twice.

[KarenDW]

I love small dinner parties!

Since it's an Auction-fundraiser situation, you will want to have a few menu options/suggestions as part of the auction display. Sometimes people need a little encouragement. I would set the "suggested retail value" at about $400+, depending on your menu and whether or not you are providing wine.

OR

your service could be a dinner planned to pair with the "winner's" favorite wines.

Most likely you will have ample opportunity to meet the host, and also to check out the kitchen. It's not like you're being "surprised". Unless you want to up the ante and make it a Black Box dinner party.

I agree w/ the suggestion to do your prep off-site as much as possible. You may want to invest in some "nice" containers for transporting all your ingredients. A bunch of clear, matching stuff. Also, take copies of the menu and recipes for the guests. Maybe even small containers of special condiments or spice combinations which you have used, as "take home favors".

Relax, have fun, share.

[Busboy]

I've done this for my wife's elementary school's fundraisers. It's scary how much money people have paid to have me cook for them, given that I can't cook at anything near a professional level.

I agree with BryanZ, and would emphasize that the unfamiliar kitchen is the main stress point -- not the people. I assure you, the people won't be a bother. What will be a bother is the fact that the stove sucks. My biggest issue was that I once had to jettison a potato side dish because it took like an hour for a pot of water to boil on the crappy stove.

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Good lord -- you have to cook in other people's kitchens in New York City. You must have sinned in a past life.

The one thing that killed me most cooking in someone else's kitchen was one that had been modernized with all the latest bells and whistles, including a slate floor that absolutely wrecked my feet by the time service had finished, and a lovely sink stuck picturesquely in a corner of the granite counter top, where it was almost impossible to use quickly and efficiently.

But at least the water boiled. What's the line from David Brooks' Bobo's in Paradise? a stove that puts out as many BTU’s as “the space shuttle rocket booster turned upside-down and a freezer so cold it approaches absolute zero..."