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To: Team Building Consultants & Human Resources Managers
Re: Team Cooking/Team Building
The pricing ranges from $75 to $110 per person, depending on the complexity of the menu and whether or not both lunch and dinner are included. As a counterpoint to these simple menus look at our class schedule or Sample menus for additional ideas. With 12 people on a team I would suggest a more complex menu, in order to provide a real challenge, not to mention an incredible meal. BYOB or Wine tasting-included are optional. Please call me at your convenience at La Bonne Table 603-620-1473 or e-mail chef@labonnetable.com. I hope to talk to you soon.
QUESTIONNAIRE:
MENU OPTIONS:
COOKING:
Team Cooking, a recent innovation in the field of team building activities, provides a unique challenge and a substantial opportunity for your organization. The expert staff at La Bonne Table leads the group step by step into a realm of new and unusual cuisine. Participants learn to work together to produce exotic and unfamiliar gourmet meals, using techniques and ingredients entirely new to most. Think of it as "Outward Bound in the Kitchen", much easier on the knees, but just as tough on the ego. No prior experience necessary (in fact the less the better for team building). For those with little or no cooking experience this can be daunting. For those who think they know how to cook, even more so! It's true if you can't stand the heat.............., but if you do stay the course, it is very rewarding. Forging a team around the cookstove (or campfire) is fun, natural, effective, intuitive and essential to our nature (cooking is probably one of humankind's first group activities, after hunting and gathering.) Cooking a gourmet meal for 10 to 20 people requires and builds teamwork. Cooking as a team develops service to others, close cooperation, planning skills, good communication, harmonious give and take, attention to detail, quality performance and leadership. New techniques, ingredients and tools present opportunities for learning and innovation. For both the uninitiated and the experienced cook, it is a challenge requiring full focus, openness to constructive criticism, constant learning, and most importantly, teamwork.
Each course is designed specifically to meet the needs and objectives of the team.
The first task is for the group to choose the menu from the options provided. The group decides by consensus. Individual tastes and habits are balanced against the need to find common ground (The Menu) and to take the risk of the unknown. The menus offered are based on the degree of cooking experience of the group, to provide a challenging learning experience, to take the group into new territory, to stretch whatever culinary skills they may have; and to teach the fundamental truth: the team won't get through this unless it works together. There is no room for "prima donnas" in this kitchen. Secondly, the strategy for the meal will be developed and documented by the group. This will cover the resources, labor, and schedule required. Each member will receive the selected menu and instructions the day before cooking. The group will study the material, and begin to understand the process and how best to distribute and perform tasks. An evaluation of each member's cooking experience (questionnaires will be completed a week in advance) will be used by the team as part of its resource evaluation and planning. Thirdly, trust and confidence in the ability of the team to accomplish the task is essential. After all, you are all going to eat what your team has prepared. Concerns, uncertainties, and any questions will be shared openly and dealt with throughout the course.
The goal is for the group to become a team, to discover new facets and ways of working together; to establish a team in an environment where everyone starts out at zero, as equals, i.e., no one knows how to do this. The end result is a sumptuous meal for everyone's enjoyment, the fulfillment of a new and challenging task completed, and a chance to evaluate the meal, the process and the learning that has taken place. At its best, this experience can affect and improve the daily work of the team. It depends on the group to take all that it can from this learning environment.
Cooking is performance art, where finite time, labor, and resources are tightly choreographed to produce an excellent result on time. The group will learn to work as a team, set aside normal roles, plan carefully, cooperate closely, ask for and give help as needed, deal with mistakes and adjust quickly, and follow the strategy, the recipes and instructions. If they are successful in these tasks, the result will be good. We are not going to make production chefs out of the team, but we are going to lead the team through the process, and instruct, support and guide them to produce an excellent gourmet dinner. They will experience the fact that in this environment, no leader or manager can succeed without the full support of the team. Each group member will have to set aside individual aspirations for "culinary stardom". Those who do have culinary skills may be selected by the team to lead team sections. Inevitably problems arise in cooking, no matter how good the team. A moments inattention can ruin a dish. Misunderstanding and emotions can disturb the group. Breakdowns happen and are opportunities for learning, for innovating and redesigning. The benefits of preparing a delicious meal are obvious. In this case many other benefits accrue, such as the ability to evaluate the team's performance on the spot, throughout the process and after enjoying the results. We are also serving each other. We will rely on a thorough commentary of the dinner , and on the process and what has been learned. The convivial mood of cooking and dining together is very rewarding for the team.
Morning Schedule 9-12 Lunch Demonstration The first stage of the program is to demonstrate to the team the various prep and cooking methods, ingredients, timing, and presentation which will be used during the dinner preparation. It is essential to show the process in advance and allow the team to understand the work and how it will have to organize for the task ahead. This involves the team in the first steps of hands on cooking, such as learning new ingredients and flavors, preparation of food, measuring, proper cutting and chopping, and cooking methods (such as steaming, boiling, braising, frying, grilling, roasting and baking ). After lunch the team will clean up and prepare the kitchen for the dinner production.
6-8pm Dinner and Discussion The team will have preassigned tasks detailed in the strategy. Everyone will have ample opportunity for hands on cooking, to experience the detail of each dish as well as understand how the entire meal is prepped, cooked and presented. At every step La Bonne Table staff will be guiding the process. For more information, and a program designed for your group, please contact Victor Béguin at La Bonne Table 603-620-1473 or e-mail us at chef@labonnetable.com.
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Thank you for visiting La Bonne Table. Attached is outline for our team cooking program for your review. The program is flexible and can be tailored to your requirements. The menus attached are for discussion purposes only and I would be please to send additional suggestions from our extensive repertoire.