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Charity Event I am sponsoring.........................HELP!!!!!!

2K views 23 replies 7 participants last post by  chefcorleys 
#1 · (Edited)
#2 ·
Entree Vegetarian- Since it will be winter, how about a curried pumpkin pot pie for the mid?

for the app............anything with a caramelized onion...ohh! how about french onion soup shooters? a lil gruyere crostini? you can make a shizz load of it all at once too!

maybe a veggie terrine?
 
#4 ·
depends on where you live and what you want them to do

for prep people, here in Napa Valley, i'll pay 16-17 just to prep (this might be a lil high for some)

for a dishwasher 12-13

if you have any Culinary Schools in your area, I would look there for some students, they are begging to get their feet wet and would gladly come help you I'm sure.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Hi,

I'm just going to assume since there is only 20 people for a charity event, they must be high rollers. And they are having their choice of entrees?

If they are heavy hitters they are used to RSVP. I would get with the event planner and have the menu selections in the invite.

If you are going to offer 3 choices, food cost shouldn't be a concern. You'll have plenty of waste and possibly run out of something.. 

(Savory cheese and Herb w/ compound butter) split between dessert.  What does that mean?

Designed to Cook food that is new to the palate of many people............Thanks in advance

I'm confused, these people usually don't eat out? People attending a charity event probably get around and know food.

If I'm attending a function knowing I'm probably dropping a bunch of money, I'm not sure what I 

would think if I'm served a chicken leg unless there are some killer vegies. Veg/starch?
 
#7 ·
Halibut is on every menu every where you go ? 

Spilt between dessert means the same bread recipe is being used for dessert, if you read the whole thing........

And designed means it won't be the same as any where else with flavors that are being produced. 

And FYI it won't be a regular chicken leg as you would eat it off the bone.

Thanks in advance was to those who responded dedicated and gave me in site @panini
 
#8 ·
If you dint have staff what makes you think you can do this?
Are you a caterer? Cooking 3 courses for 20 can be done just you and 1 server. Where is the event? Is it legal?

Many questions should be answered before you " propose" to cook for free.

Charities drive me bonkers just give them some money. Haha.

Are you doing two seperate proposals at two price points. Dont be dissing the salmon lol.

Also, pay the staff as much as possible get the best chefs you can find; your not paying them someone else is. I still dont see how you need 3/4 cooks for 20 ppl. Maybe a few servers and someone to clean up......
 
#9 ·
@ChefboyOG this event is out in the open, where I'm cooking in front of these 20 people and have to go to them greet and talk, I would prepare the dishes the staff would be plating if I'm not in the kitchen area or in doing something else, everything would be from scratch, sauces, preparation, butchering, all of that, they are paying my staff so having more staff helps out in the long run if the money comes out my pocket or theirs it's a win win, I still have many things to learn and pick up but it can be done, one person doing breads and desserts, one on butchering and preparing it, one person doing the chicken and the vegetarian dishes, which I know can be done , nothing about it would be illegal and I'm just waiting for the orginal questions to be answered eventually, maybe 3-4 is a bit much so I'll say me and 2 others for staff [emoji]128522[/emoji] what you think about that
 
#10 ·
no need for that. I was asking valid questions in advance of maybe giving some insight. Can't read minds. You waited 8 hrs. and an received a bunch of irrelevent advice, to tell us it's outside and you've got it handled.  I must have missed something. I only saw one question in the original post about staff. Maybe my computer is acting up. Sorry in advance
 
#11 ·
1.They are willing to pay my staff( I don't work with anyone, my projects are just me) First question where to find staff?
2.How much do I pay them?
3.How many do you think would be needed? (I was thinking 3-4)
4.What's the formula on figuring it out,( I learned it way back in school but never used it so now I don't remember)
5. Food Cost so if I'm cooking for 20 people how much of each item should be factored in

Designed to Cook food that is new to the palate of many people............Thanks in advance
Heres the " questions" some of us were trying to answer.

1. Lol. Where are you? If you don't have a network of cooks........

2. Bigger LOL and K gave a better answer earlier; as much as possible!

3. 1. Maybe 2, if you really dont want to cook anything 1 cook who knows how to cook lol. Serving it is the " hard" part and keeping cleanespeckally in a clients home( mmyou didnt actuakly answer where the event is).

4. Formula for what? FC? Its a charity event shouldnt really be a factor but here I got this off these forums sonewhere cant remember the author;

Food costs + rentals/supplies + variable costs + fixed costs + helper labor + your labor (including shopping, planning,
prep, etc) + profit divided by # people == $$ per person.
Then adjust as needed for local market!

5. Enough lol. Want me to finish those recipes for you?

(6) what you are really looking for is menu ideas.

Thats what I think about that.
 
#18 ·
@ChefboyOG this event is out in the open,

must be the NY accent. Listen, you post up in a professional forum, you should expect to have a conversation just as you would if another professional walked into your kitchen.

I don't know if you're just trying to stir up shit. I personally don't have time for a pointless exercise in futility. Or you expect your peers to be all warm and fuzzy and praise a chicken leg.  There's plenty of those places around. When you

post a question in one of these professional forums, expect to conversate with hundreds of years of experience.

I'm also out
 
#20 ·
Okay I am one of those people that when I see good chefs with lots of relevant experience asking questions to clarify the information given and they get their head's chewed off it is quite bothersome however, I will refrain from making assumptions and ask some clarifying questions myself.

@ChefCorleys I applaud that you are wanting to take this charity on board. Do you know what the charity is for?? What is their benefit analysis of you working this charity?? (aka: the kickback)

I have noticed that you tend to gear towards being proposed to by charities which makes me think you are looking to expand your customer base. I would refrain from doing events like these at all as they are kind of a career/business buster. When I give back each year in charitable donations, I go to the food bank twice a year and work the kitchen and serving line. I also glean around harvest time and donate food that way. These are more economically viable options for charity giving. Makes you feel good as well as saves you on future headaches of charities knocking on your door for more events such as these. You may also approach these people with a full priced catered meal like regular customers but stipulate that on the NEXT event they cater through you and you will give them a percentage off their NEXT event. This promotes a return investment with this charitable organization that, I am sure, has tons of events per year that you can cater.

Now onto the peopling issue. There are a ton of temporary chef agencies in New York as well as great culinary schools or community colleges that I am sure has a great many people dying for experience. Just Google away and you will find them. The agencies will also be able to help you price out the wages accordingly. They would probably say it would be in the $15-18 range you do get what you pay for. I would guesstimate you will only need two others besides yourself for something like this so you were thinking along the right lines. The cooks that will be helping you can either help you serve or I would get the host of the charity to help serve. This promotes better personal interaction with you and your food and the clients the host is trying to get money out of.

I will have to agree with the others and say that chicken legs are kind of low brow. Take a good look at some of the high end culinary magazines shot at the place you are about to cook at. If your food does not look like that then you will be screwed. They will be expecting very high end stuff.

To steer you in the right direction, think about a theme to your food first. They have given you the parameters, so now get into the specifics. My particular specialties are French and British food so I start there and then put my spin on it. I see what the local farmers markets will have to offer at that time for veg and spice and drive that home in my menu selection. So you can do things like a Mediterranean-style menu, Southern-style, Jamaican-style, New Orleans-style, Asian-style......you name it. As it is a charity event, I would more focus on foods that will be cheap and in season in your neck of the woods, that way costs will be down and you can still charge for FC+.
Food costs + rentals/supplies + variable costs + fixed costs + helper labor + your labor (including shopping, planning,
prep, etc) + profit divided by # people == $$ per person.
Then adjust as needed for local market!
In your menu above, there is far too much work and food going into this event. You have a bread dinner rolls, panko or nut encrusted fish, cornbread stuffed chicken and then a bread pudding. WAAAAAAYY too much bread-stuff.

I am thinking you should try an Indian/Thai inspired menu with Garam Masala Roasted Halibut or Salmon on a Tomato Curry Sauce served with Basamti Rice; Grilled Chicken with Thai Curry Sauce served with Coconut Basmati Rice; for the veg option do a South-Indian style Vegetable Curry that is packed full of root veg. For the app start with a simple Thai Curried Pumpkin with a Coriander swirl in a shooter to get the juices flowing. For the bread item, work with Naan, Chapati and/or Papadum. To finish off in desserts, try a simple chocolate tart as dark chocolate finishes curry nicely. For the drink I would give a choice of an Indian Kingfisher beer or Classic Gin and Tonic with twist of lime or an Indian Old Monk Rum, Mango Pulp and Fresh Ginger muddled and topped with ice and club soda. This is just a look at staying within a theme without being too repetitive and heavy.

Do not worry yourself on quoting a mid to high range. This is a charity event and you are the one in charge so state what is on the menu and that is it. Nuff said as you have better things to do then give away your time to people making a pretty penny off of the dishes you are serving. Once again, I am going to say that it is in your best interest to NOT give away your time and energy to charities like this. If they really want you to "sponsor" them then they can pay in full for this event and get a discount on the next.....that is it.

I suggest politely that in the future, please do not take to task the people that are here taking the time trying to help you. They, and I, were confused by your posts so we needed some clarification. It was not ridicule it was just that some of what was typed out did not make sense when reading it. When one states that they are "out in the open" for most of us that means outside.....unless you say it is an "open kitchen" and then we realize it is inside. @panini statement was valid in that you live on the coast so YES halibut will be on a majority of menus as well as charity goers are MAJOR foodies as they have the expendable income to go out to high end restaurants and give to charities which, if you are in New York, means you better get your game face on lady cuz New York is a Michelin star-studded city! Those guys think way outside the box and far beyond chicken legs and nut-encrusted fish......just a heads up. (and not that those don't taste good....just not a high end meal is all)

I sincerely wish you al the best and I am sure you will figure out what is best for you. Cheers /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif
 
#22 · (Edited)
@Ed Buchanan I've catered before, I am a start up caterer, been out Culinary School for about 5 years now been cooking from high school stopped professionally became a kindergarten teacher and now I work cooking for juvenile delinquents

I learned all of these things I am asking about but have I done them before no that's why I am asking for insite on different things from you all

I'll never know the answer to questions if I don't ask, even if it is simple to many people and this is Chef talk right
 
#23 ·
for what its worth...

i agree.... nix the chicken leg.  I would go with a chicken en croute. Same thing more or less...but a more high end presentation.

for the veggi entrée.... wild mushroom risotto or stuff a vegetable....a roasted onion, eggplant or squash.
 
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