Cooking Schools and Teachers Teleforum

May 21st, 2002: Connect for Success: An Open Forum On Your Most Difficult Issues As A Cooking Teacher and As A Cooking School

Hosted by Robyn Webb, Section Chair
Notes by Jamie Bundul
Attendees: Dorothy Bates, Jamie Bundul, Tina Ball, Vicki J. Caparulo, Robyn Webb, Susan Miller, Donna Douglas, Carol Dearth, Beth Cole, Mike and Virginia Dupenthaler, Joan Brett, Una Madison, Suzanne Carreira, Loretta Paganini, Natanya Seigel, Monica Gould Patrice Dionot, Maria Springer, Karen Adler, Mike Packard.

Nine (9) issues were identified and discussed:

1) How do we deliver a similar overall experience with different teachers?

Beth Cole: Put together orientation program for new teachers and require them to come to a class by regular teachers and go over expectations.

Joan Brett: Great idea but hard to do with local chefs because they are so busy. How could you do it with a visiting chef?

Joan Brett: If there is a teacher that doesn't work out we don't invite them back. If it is really a disaster they have given out gift certificates to come back.

Susan Miller: We have people send them their lesson plans so they can corroborate on the class. Regular instructors assist guest instructors.

Virginia: If they have a teacher that is struggling they (as owners) prompt with questions.

Susan: Hand out evaluations and share them with the instructors. Have a host that stays at the whole class and helps the instructors

2) How as a school can you convince chefs to send their information on time? Photos, menus, etc?

Karen Adler: likes receiving the information from the school at the booking

Loretta: Pester the chefs and teachers early

Jamie: Tell them that their fee also covers their prep

Joan: Send a contract, and pester. Tell them when their class is, copy of description, food budget, all expectations, what they are going to expect. Send it through the mail so they get the signature.

Robyn: Seems that you need to formalize and pester the chefs

Mike Dupenthaler: Faxes are becoming more represent vie of legal docs. Finds that emailing gets replies quicker.

Joan: Has an administrative penalty: if they are late they take $40 off their pay. If they get within 3 or 4 days within class they will need to do their own shopping.

Beth: If it is not in they have to do their own shopping.

3) How do you sell out scheduled classes that you need to fill?

Patrice: Develop email list that shows what people want. Local paper.

Maria: Email. Most bookings through email

Una: Relationship with newspaper, email

Jamie: Paper, flyers in classes, discounts

Joan: Email, flyers, puts them in receipts, discounts, postcards in restaurants,

Loretta: tell students of upcoming classes in current classes

Karen Adler: As an instructor, she lists classes on her web site

Mike Dupenthaler: Develops a flyer to give to the guest chefs to hand out. Then sends it to all of their mailing list.

Joan: Sends a mass email to the people that have taken classes from that instructor before

Mike Packard: Enroll software does that. Cost is negotiable.

Donna Douglas: Use your evaluation sheets to see what people want to take.

Beth: Enforcing refund policy and keeps a list of people that are upset about not getting money back from class, they will invite people to come as their guests. Invite press.

4) What classes sell?

Jamie: Cooking for 1, Sushi, anything Hands on, Restaurant

Maria (Baltimore): Pastry classes, Saturday group classes

Joan: Kids, Pizza, Sushi, Hand on for Couples

Beth: Vegetarian, Southwest, Fish

Una: How much do you charge for hands on?

(Seems like $55 to $65 for hand on classes was the majority response.)

5) How many do series classes?

Joan and Jamie: They do many subjects. Basics, Ethnic, Baking, etc. Need to charge a lot to cover the cost

Mike Packard: Do day or night sell better?

There was a mixed response.

6) How do you balance the needs of basic students with more advanced students in the same class?

It's a Marketing issue. Make sure they know if it is basic class or advanced class to even out the population.

Mike Packard: Make sure you have good handouts

Una: Gauge group when you are teaching.

Joan: In a demo class with more advanced students they seem to ask more in-depth questions so she had not found it to be a huge issue.

Maria: In hands on she has found people think they are advanced and they are not. There is a fine line.

Susan: Assistants move in to help with students that are having trouble.

Natayna: Get students to help each other.

Mike Packard: Watch how Emeril does it

7) How do teachers ensure they get paid in time?

Patrice: It works both ways. Some teachers send you an invoice and they pay right away. Probably best for a teacher to give them an invoice.

8) If you do have to cancel and the chef has already made flight arrangements what is the fair solution?

Joan: There is a $100 fee to change nonrefundable tickets ~ we split that with the teacher. Some schools pay the instructor back. Some feel that if they can reuse the ticket they should not be reimbursed

9) What do you do with leftovers after class? Can students take them home?

Patrice: If they take something savory home you lose control of the refrigeration and can risk liability if someone gets sick. It also helps the coordinators see how many leftovers they have.

Vicki: (Travels a lot) Has found that most schools no longer allow students to take food home due to insurance restrictions, Schools can mention this at the beginning of class and encourage students to enjoy their food there.

Thanks for attending! Next time is June 18th.