What interest might there be from locals in a group as described in the link below?
http://taste-online.com.au/cookingclub.html
"It's not a cooking class and it's not targeted at either amateurs or professionals, it's just for those who want to share their favourite recipes, pick up some hot tips and have plenty of laughs along the way. The unique concept will be based on a different cooking theme each month and will see participants in groups of 10 to 20 bring pre-made home-cooked meals featuring a unique ingredient which they will share their recipe for with the rest of their group members."
Rita had a meeting with a fellow food blogger in Hobart about this yesterday, and the end decision was to write about it here and see what, if any, reaction to this idea might be.
So - I would love it if you would read what the Brisbane Taste Wine and Cooking Club does, and tell us what your thoughts are.
Wednesday, 22 April 2009
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20 comments:
I'd be interested. The photos are very pro, I don't think this is a cheap back yard operation. If organised properly I don't see why a cooking club wouldn't be popular. People who love to read go to book clubs. Why shouldn't people who love to cook have a monthly cooking club as well.
I personally would love a big group of people to try and impress with my kitchen expertise (like a parading peacock) every month. I would think of nothing else!
I like it!
TJ
Does sound interesting - not that I think I could impress anyone with my cooking, but I'd come to be impressed by others.
Like it... a bit like that BBC cooking show where two teams compete with a mystery basket of goodies.
Where would it meet, Rita?
Don't they have one at Princes Wharf called Taste of Tasmania?
But seriously, a little club is a good idea if you get enough interested.
Logistics is the pain.
Nobody would want my chips and pickled onion night anyway.
This is a fantastic concept - I really love the idea of something that a diverse range of people, with differing levels of cooking experience, can partake in together.
I think its a fabulous idea. However, I must confess, I would feel somewhat intimitdated but thats why we do these things isn't it, to grow and learn? Thats code for all those with professional cooking experience to be kind to those less experienced!!
Nice idea, but like SGBF said, where would it meet?
Cartouche
I love this idea.
I fancy myself to be a decent cook but I too would feel a bit intimidated.
Once everyone got to know each other I suppose it would be easier.
I can think of nothing better than meeting with like minded people and talking food and wine for an evening.
Bring it on I say!
I love chips and pickled onions!!!
so Rita... are you going to initiate the next steps ;-) ??
TJ
Glad you asked the salient question, TJ! Which also addresses Cartouches, and Sir G's queries of where!
At our meeting the other day, we discussed various options then decided it would be best to suss out what/who/how many might be interested in participating, then following it up.
I spoke earlier this week to someone at Elizabeth College about the possibility of using their Hospitality area (thinking that a comercially approved kitchen was the go), then after speaking with them, thought we don't really need a kitchen, just a dining room but with a stove, for cooktop and oven usage. So basically, I'm trying to think of somewhere:
reasonably central
comfortable
accessible for anyone
good, easy parking
not too expensive
seats around 20
got chairs, tables, crockery, cutlery etc for 20-odd
Any ideas?
If I had a house that would accomodate numbers, I'd use it. I'll investigate another idea I've had but if anyone has an inspired thought, please don't hesitate to share it.
Meanwhile I envision a monthly evening meal (or weekend lunch if that was more popular with people generally), with a theme for each month - ie Indian, or Zulu, or whatever. People select ahead of time what they will cook to bring along, then email me the recipe. I assemble the recipes into a monthly cookbook to be issued to all at the dinner/lunch.
Everyone pays an annual fee of $75 to be a member, plus pays $10 on the night which covers their share of the cost of participating in the banquet.
An email listing the proposed menu/dinners would be sent out to all members, so you could select which dinners you attended, and plan accordingly.
You bring along your plate of food, and we all share and chat about it. We can match wines too - I leave that to others who are way more knowledgeable than I on this topic. I hope people don't feel as Christina and others have said, too intimidated. It's not about who is the best cook in town. It's just a group of people who genuinely love talking about food, and eating it, to actually do it and not feel like a dork as I usually do when I get really into a conversation about some aspect of food or restaurants, then notice the person I'm talking to hasn't got a clue what I'm talking about, and actually don't care!
As with everyone else in the world, there are some things you do well, and other things you don't do so well. If you ask the person I made the Golden Syrup Dumplings for a few years ago what they were like, she'll be more than happy to embarrass the hell out of me and tell you in great detail about the 'bullets' I managed to produce!
I'm sure we've all been there.
I forgot to mention it would be good to have a guest person there each month - so I'm sure I could twist someone, like, say, Steve's arm, to come along one time to chat, and maybe others in the industry who would be happy to share their opinions, thoughts, recipes etc with us.
The Qld people were planning on assembling the total of their years recipes into a book. Depending on what it looked like, that too could be an option.
The $75 annual fee would cover associated costs like the hire of the rooms we use for meetings, printing and binding costs etc. You'd have to trust me that I wasn't intending running off to the US Stock Exchange to run some sort of scam with the accumulated profits!
thanks for assuring us about your intentions (or lack there of) for the accumulated profits! When the club is famous people will probably pay thousands (okay hundreds) for our cook book... then we can run off to the US Stock Market...
The only problem I have with the above proposal is that it would require all dishes to be preprepared (i know this is what happens in brisvegas) but perhaps there could be another option....
I will put my thinking cap on too?
An option for venue is a restaurant that is closed for the night... often Mondays...
TJ
Thanks TJ - I thought of that too - I mean the unused restaurant thing! Mmm. Take your point about the pre-preparing too, except it WOULD be hard, if you had, say, 20 people present one evening, all fighting to get at the cooktop or Kitchen Whizz or whatever, to get their various dishes cooked. Also the varying amounts of times and temperatures of foods needing cooking would be a nightmare.
I really think that pre-preparing would be the best way to go, except for if you were planning a souffle - then you will definitely get precedence!
Sounds fabulous.
What a great way to experience a variety of foods and company. My friends and I have regualar dinner parties that we get to show (off) our prowess in the kitchen. Would be a fun way to spend an evening with like-minded people, and get to try their fab foods.
I'll be emailing the links to Rita's blog around my foodie friends.
Good on you Anon 6.22. We might get our own Savouring Tasmania happening here, eh TJ?
hee hee hee... TJ
I was speaking with a friend not to long ago about this and we were looking into starting a samll breakfast club, as people can join us once a month to go to a local cafe, for a good kick start to the weekend. This didnt go any further than us throwing a few ideas around!! This group sounds great! and i do have an idea for a location. Grub Cafe in Newtown is closed of an evening. Just big enough to seat 20 or so, has the kitchen with the two ovens and is fairly central! Oh its also licensed with BYO options i think! Just an idea!
T - great lateral thinking! I love it.
I am still pursuing another lead as well, but will chat to the Grub Cafe owner and see what they think about that.
So - it would be good to have a show of hands about who is seriously interested in actually carrying this forward from an Expression of Interest to a firm commitment.
I'll continue the discussion via my Hotmail email address. If you want to receive ongoing info on the progress of discussions, and the where/when of the next step in this Taste of Hobart group - please email me via the Contact Me facility at the top of this site, and I'll assemble an email listing of food lovers, and keep you in touch with everything.
Thanks to everyone for their response to this fun event.
(It may be possible to involve a sponsor or two, like Hotel & Club or Habitat, or a wine seller, or Hill St Grocers, so I'm looking at that as well.)
great idea...have wanted to do this for 5 years since leaving brisbane for here.
there is a perfect place for it and i dont know if it was mentioned in previous comments, but...the kitchen at Tassal next to Smolt (the demonstration kitchen). i know of a very good wine buff, that would be very keen to assist in that department too.
Jus
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