What would you do?

[chefpeon]

So suppose you were contacted by a production company for the Food Network and you were asked if you wanted to participate in one of their "Cake Challenges". $10,000 goes to the winner. You're allowed to bring one assistant. The contest is in Denver, and they will pay your plane fare and hotel, but all other expenses are up to you. They provide kitchen space and some equipment, but you have to pre-bake your cakes and bring all your tools, and other ingredients like buttercream, fondant, chocolate, molds, rolling pins, etc. So that either means shipping it all out ahead, or making a really long drive.

The contest goes as such:
You have no idea what kind of cake you will be creating. You are told the theme and requirements only a half hour before you have to start decorating it. You get a half hour to do any design work, then you have either 6 or 8 hours to complete the cake. I get conflicting info on how much time you actually get. Then a group of judges determine the winner.
Oh boy.

So you've probably figured I've been offered this opportunity. It entails everything that I can't stand.....decorating in front of an audience, judges and cameras. Being under a time limit. Given no time to research the design and think out the architecture of it. These are all things that would lead me to tell any client that asked this of me to take a walk. I mean geez, I consider a week to be short notice in some instances. It's all crazy.

As I see it, the likelihood of me winning such an event is pretty close to zero. I don't do well under pressure. If I did participate I would have no expectations about winning.....it would be about the personal challenge of doing things I absolutely fear and dread to the core of my being. Does that sound fun to me? Not really. I'm 99% sure I'm going to turn this offer down.

So here's a question for you all......what would YOU do?

[RAS1187]

We are often our own worse critics. The fact that food network contacted you for such an event means you must be a true master of your craft. I have seen similar "Challenge" episodes, and every one of the participants (including the ones that dont win), are true artists.

If you were good enough to be asked, that means you must have some serious talent. I would talk to whomever you would select to be your assistant, get their perspective, throw away all negativity, and seriously decide on whether this is feasible or not. Even if you don't win, you could definitely prove to yourself that you can work under pressure, in front of an audience and judges.

I've seen some really nasty messups on these challenges, the most disastrous being a sugar sculpture that collapsed and turned into to a mess of shards.

If you do make it to the show, let us all know here so we can root for ya. Best of luck!

[thedessertdiva]

Oh My Gosh, are you kidding me?? I would jump at it in a heartbeat.
And since I know what you are able to do, I have NO DOUBT!, you would make your presence known!
It isn't like you are interviewed non stop, and once you get in the zone I am certain you would be spectacular!!!!
And not that there aren't a million options for you, but if you want someone to assist you that thrives on chaos, and enjoys the spotlight, I am available and 5 hours down the road.

Go get em!!
thedessertdiva

[thedessertdiva]

P.S.
If you turn this opportunity down, you will KILL ME!

[castironchef]

Me? I would suck at it.

You? Heck, if they're asking YOU, that means that you've got the chops for it.

Consider the time and expense an investment in your and your business' future. That's an investment that's sure to pay immediate dividends. Even the "losers" get great exposure and the ability to market themselves and their products "as seen on Food Network."

Go for it! (Oh. And practice with your assistant under as close a time and pressure situation as you can simulate.)

Good luck and DON'T LET THIS OPPORTUNITY PASS YOU BY.

[firiki03]

I would say go for it! If not for the award at least for the experience, exposure, and personal challenge. Like you, I do not like to be pushed into the limelight but somehow it was inescapable and after appearing on television and radio shows some of them live, you tend to get used to it eventually. So don't miss this golden opportunity. I have full confidence in you!!

[Salliem]

Go for it...and good luck to you if you do...congrats on being asked!!

[momoreg]

I understand the dread that you would feel, but if you can remind yourself that ALL the participants are under the same pressure, with the same rules constraining them, then you know that you are not at a disadvantage.

Yes, go for it! Remember the exposure you'll get, but more importantly, think of the feeling of accomplishment you'll gain, just by confronting this opportunity. You are a talented cake designer, and I see no reason why you can't win. If it were me, I'd feel the same way, but I'd DO IT.

Maybe you can take some yoga or light hypnosis to relax yourself in the days leading up to it. And watch the show, so you have a full understanding of it beforehand.

[ducky]

Go for it! You have the talent! Just go in there and do what ya' do! You'll be great. I agree with Momoreg on the feeling of accomplishment you'll get just by rising to the challenge. Let us know what you decide.

[chrose]

Originally Posted by castironchef

Consider the time and expense an investment in your and your business' future. That's an investment that's sure to pay immediate dividends. Even the "losers" get great exposure and the ability to market themselves and their products "as seen on Food Network."
Good luck and DON'T LET THIS OPPORTUNITY PASS YOU BY.

If for no other reason than this, you should do it. You really can't buy this type of exposure. Not to mention the fact that it will be good for you in terms of bulking up your confidence in pressure situations, someday you can look back at it and show the kids, the grandkids etc. Who knows what kind of business and other things it can lead to. Remember the old adage "The squeaky wheel gets the grease" paraphrase it to make it fit your situation.
Just getting your name out there means you have won.
Let us know, we'll be pulling for you!

[Erik]

I suppose the correct response is:

If you've got it, flaunt it.

I've seen your site. you've got it. Go out there and help establish the puget sound as the cake epicenter of the WORLD!!!

(ok, so that last part may have been pushing it)

Erik

[jessiquina]

if they asked me.. .i would take it up as a personal challenge... i am not competitive at all . i would expect to do my best and at the very least- advertise my company.. i suggest you do it.. make it a fun thing, not a scary challenge!

[chefpeon]

Go out there and help establish the puget sound as the cake epicenter of the WORLD!!!

(ok, so that last part may have been pushing it)

Actually, since Mike McCarey is established in Redmond, I think the Puget Sound already IS the cake epicenter of the world!

I'm still waiting to hear if I'm one of the candidates to go. The production co. compiles a list of possibilities, then "pitches" them to FN. Then decisions are made and we're all contacted about whether we go or don't go. I'm thinking a decision will come this week or next. A friend of mine in Philadelphia is also one of the candidates and we've been back and forth on the phone and email mutually "freaking out".

The part that freaks me out the most is that I have so little time to give the cake some thought before I have to dive into it. Usually when I design a cake, I think about it a while....especially if it's a new thing I've never done before (which is usually the case-I rarely do the same cake twice).
Only having a half hour to design and think is insanely crazy to me.
Then, not knowing what you actually will need when it comes down to making the cake, so you really have to guess what you might use....then there's the hassle of getting it all there.....bleah!

The comforting thing however, was watching the sample show DVD the production company sent me. It was a similar challenge where the chefs did not know what they would be making. In that tiny design time period, they came up with ok designs, but nothing with much "flow" or focus. You could certainly tell the pressure was a big effect on what they came up with. Then some of the problems that ensued in the building of the cakes was fairly horrifying, but I'll tell you, it made for some pretty good (although heart-wrenching) television. If I did as poorly as one chef did, it certainly wouldn't be the worst thing.....and hey, THEY lived through it.....I think.

My husband says I have to do it (if they choose me). If I don't, he'll probably drag me to the airport kicking and screaming with an offset spatula and a piping bag......

[Erik]

Originally Posted by chefpeon

Actually, since Mike McCarey is established in Redmond, I think the Puget Sound already IS the cake epicenter of the world!

I know - what better reason to prove our dominance unquestionable!
You would probably know better than I, but I think I remember hearing when I was in school that Mike McCarey did one of these shows himself?

[DMT]

I know I'm not a pastry chef, nor a professional cook, nor many of the other "qualifiers" to butt in here, but...

Okay here goes.

If the opportunity presents itself, go and do.

To help get past the "imagineering" hurdle, I would consider taking a set of "cheat cards" which would basically be 3X5 pictures/skeches of your most successful designs or concepts to have as a back pocket reference.

If you get stuck in the design phase quickly thumb through your "good stuff" to see if there is a technique that will make the transition to what the "theme" is.

If you can incorporate it, great, if it only gives you a little inspiration, that's more than you had 45 seconds ago. If you're still at a huge loss, beat your assitant silly. That's what they are there for, isn't it??

In the engineering world, we have fall back positions that we keep as reference in a little thing called a "Lessons Learned" file. The things that work well are treasures, and the failures are, well they're there too, but as ghosts of past mistakes.

Take your "A-Game" ideas, a big helping of confidence, and an open enough mind to adapt to the spur of the moment theme, and you should have a wonderful time!!