Restaurant Marketing with Cooking Classes

Updated September 27th 2013

Share your cooking knowledge and let people engage with your kitchen and learn from your professionalism.

In an era of “do it yourself,” many people today are looking for ways to create something of their own. These same people are looking to understand how something is made in order to place special value on it. In short, they want to cultivate a better appreciation for the things they spend money on. Combine this desire for creation and value by providing a new and interactive experience for your customers, host educational cooking classes. That’s right, cooking classes. The best about it is, it goes viral and people like to talk about you, the business, the Chef and the experiences or know-how gained.

Organization

Pick an item from your menu that is commonly ordered and even more commonly prepared incorrectly at home. Learn the history of that item, its ingredients, the origins of the recipe and possible variations to accommodate allergies or dietary restrictions.

Popular kitchen workshop themes are:

• Sauces
• Stews
• Special meat or fish dishes
• Holiday Dishes

 

Who to Invite

Make sure to create an interesting crowd. Invite maybe another entertaining Chef, celebrities and other personalities to add spice to the event. From your customers make sure to ask your regulars first to show appreciation for their business and friends of theirs. Also offer your workshops through gift vouchers which people can buy for others. Make sure you know how many you can invite.

Pairing opportunities of menus and demographics:

• Teaching families how to make a pasta party with 4 sauces
• Entice couples to learn about wines and aphrodisiac dishes.
• Mix with the single crowd in a wine and fondue event.
• Cater to the advanced home foodie with creative tapas and sophisticated baked dishes.
• Celebrate 2 weeks before a public holiday with all ages and teach guests about the history of popular holiday dishes and how to prepare them.

 

How to Market Your Event

Viral online marketing increases the ability for your event information to be shared. The information can then be shared among friends and social forums. For in-house marketing tactics, program your point of sales system to include a small blurb about the upcoming event. Keep it short and direct. Consider using menu inserts or table tents, to advertise the event as well.

Consider the following time slot ideas:

• Pick a slow business night and close the restaurant to the general public.
• Plan a Sunday afternoon workshop for people planning weekly home menus.
• Choose Saturday afternoons to cater to the “dining at home” crowd.
• Host a Wednesday “live” soiree to decorate the cooking with life music so your guests know you really care about the entire event.

 

Such events should be fun where participants gain knowledge, have fun and feel appreciated to be part of it. It is not meant to be a show with a wannabe Gordon Ramsey.

Written by Daniel Grossmann