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Hi all
I am conducting some research into what would motivate you to attend/ sign up for cookery lessons, learning from a professional.
Any comments would be appreciated along with any experiences you have had whilst attending cookery demo's/ instructions.
My questions are as follows:
a. What would be your primary motivation?
b. What kind of food would you like/ love to learn how to cook?
c. What is the amount you're willing to pay for lessons?
d. Have you ever attended cookery lessons/ school?
e. Would you prefer 'hands on' or 'demonstration' type of lessons?
f. Can your other half cook?
g. Would you be interested in doing 'couple's cooking'?
h. Would you be interested in learning just a few dishes and mastering them or a wider selection?
i. Do you panic at the thought of hosting dinner parties?
I'm sure there'll be follow up questions along the way but feel free to make any other suggestions.
G
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Joined: Jan 2004
a. What would be your primary motivation?
Primary motivation - perfect techniques picked up out of books and watching others cook.
b. What kind of food would you like/ love to learn how to cook?
Italian (to include desserts and pastries) and Asian cooking.
c. What is the amount you're willing to pay for lessons?
Variable - if it includes all ingredients and accommodation quite a bit.
d. Have you ever attended cookery lessons/ school?
No, only a cookery demonstration.
e. Would you prefer 'hands on' or 'demonstration' type of lessons?
Hands on definitely - only by 'doing' do you remember what you learn.
f. Can your other half cook?
Have no other half...
g. Would you be interested in doing 'couple's cooking'?
If had a partner, actually no - potentially another source of conflict...
h. Would you be interested in learning just a few dishes and mastering them or a wider selection?
Would like to learn the basics for a wide selection then perhaps focus on a few specific dishes to do them well - really, the best would be to learn how to prepare a full meal from starter to dessert.
i. Do you panic at the thought of hosting dinner parties?
Yes, I have a mortal fear of not arranging courses properly...
Posts: 2,030
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Joined: Jan 2004
Thanks BB
Out of interest for the others as well, some further questions:
j. Do you cook on gas or electricity mainly?
k. Do you own a professional set of knives (no matter how humble your kitchen is)?
l. Would 'knife skills' interest you as a demo/ hands-on?
m. Would 4 hours per course be sufficient time to learn?
n. Does the 'celebrity' factor influence you when choosing ingredients to cook?
o. Do you find cookbooks/ recipes easy to follow?
p. Have you ever spent any time in a professional kitchen/ eaten at the restaurant's 'Chefs Table'?
Keep the comments/ replies coming.
G
Posts: 408
Threads: 86
Joined: Jan 2004
j. Do you cook on gas or electricity mainly?
At the moment gas only, though do prefer an electric oven over a gas one...
k. Do you own a professional set of knives (no matter how humble your kitchen is)?
Yes, actually I own two sets.
l. Would 'knife skills' interest you as a demo/ hands-on?
Most definitely and as a hands on skill in particular. Other things I am keen to learn are how to debone a fowl (be that chicken or turkey).
m. Would 4 hours per course be sufficient time to learn?
Four hours would be enough per day for a five day course. Would not think a one off of four hours would achieve much (but could be wrong).
n. Does the 'celebrity' factor influence you when choosing ingredients to
cook?
No.
o. Do you find cookbooks/ recipes easy to follow?
Mostly yes, though sometimes terms are used that I am unfamiliar with.
p. Have you ever spent any time in a professional kitchen/ eaten at the restaurant's 'Chefs Table'?
Worked in a hotel so did see how the kitchen/chefs functioned but exposure has been limited. Never been to a restaurant fancy enough to have a 'Chefs Table'.
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Thanks again BB.
Out of interest what make of knife did you purchase? What did you look for when making the purchase ITO quality/ price/ functionality etc?
I'm surprised you prefer an electric oven to the gas - afterall gas is 'immediate' in it's functionality.
Some further questions:
q. Do you have a particular strength in the kitchen?
r. What scares you most about cooking?
s. What excites you most about cooking?
t. Do you rely on tried and trusted recipes or do you experiment with abandon?
u. In general do you find it easy to cook ITO 'Eat to live' or 'Live to eat'?
v. How much of your budget do you devote to cooking?
w. Do you prefer convenience or 'prepare from scratch' cooking?
x. What kind of shops do you source your food from eg: Specialist/ super stores/ farmer's markets/ online/ etc?
Keep the answers coming
G
Posts: 408
Threads: 86
Joined: Jan 2004
Out of interest what make of knife did you purchase?
Actually, I don't know - both sets were gifts from the same person who is a happy eater of my cooking and thought to help me out a bit by buying things I would not normally be able to afford. Will have to check and get back to you.
What did you look for when making the purchase ITO quality/ price/ functionality etc?
See above.
I'm surprised you prefer an electric oven to the gas - afterall gas is 'immediate' in it's functionality.
I prefer the electric largely because I have found gas to be inconsistent - product perhaps of having lived in rented accommodation but I find baking is more 'even' in an electric oven.
Some further questions:
q. Do you have a particular strength in the kitchen?
Baking really - can turn my hand to most things but I love baking and am pretty good at it (or so I am told). In savoury dishes my most successful food it Italian, with particular emphasis on risottos and home-made pasta dishes.
r. What scares you most about cooking?
Meat, plain and simple - I am intimidated by things like roasts, and inevitably get them wrong as a result.
s. What excites you most about cooking?
The 'alchemy' of putting together essentially inert things and coming out with something mouthwatering and beautiful.
t. Do you rely on tried and trusted recipes or do you experiment with abandon?
I experiment a lot. When I left SA I had a book with handwritten family recipes, and have added to that over the years. There are core staples, but most of the dishes I prepare are experimental.
u. In general do you find it easy to cook ITO 'Eat to live' or 'Live to eat'?
I live to eat...and love cooking.
v. How much of your budget do you devote to cooking?
budget? what's that? I generally eat minimally during the week and splash out at weekends, so am prepared to spend.
w. Do you prefer convenience or 'prepare from scratch' cooking?
Prepare from scratch definitely. You do not often find microwave meals in my house. I tend to prefer doing things from scratch - especially blending spices - as the end result tastes much better.
x. What kind of shops do you source your food from eg: Specialist/ super stores/ farmer's markets/ online/ etc?
Dublin being Dublin it is very hard to find 'ethnic' food outside of the Eastern European/Asian range, so I source food via speciality shops and online agents.
Posts: 2,030
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Thanks BB. Interesting so far for a male's perspective.
I wonder if there are any females who are willing to contribute? :innocent:
some further questions:
y. Rank in order of importance the course you'd most like to attend and reasons therefore.
· Knife skills
· Easy cooking methods eg roasting/ braising/ grilling etc
· Tips for cooks
· Sauces and stocks
· Meat and poultry
· Fish and shellfish
· Seafood master class – white fish/ game fish cookery
· Seasonal/ regional
· Restaurant/ Haute cuisine plating and service
· Basics to exotic
· BBQ/ potjiekos
· Vegetarian
· Kiddies cooking eg pasta/ pizza, fun and healthy
· Entertaining at home
· Purchasing points – what to look for, how to prepare
· Basic cookery – German/ Italian/ Portuguese/ South African/ Classic French/ British
· Pastries and desserts, sugar work
· Bread making
· Venison and game
· Canapes and cocktails
· Equipment to be used/ purchased by domestic cooks
· ‘Spend night in the kitchen’ - professional kitchen, service etc
· Smoking – trout/ game fish/ meats
z. What cookery programmes do you watch and the reasons thereof?
Keep the answers coming - so far quite informative
G
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,486
Threads: 180
Joined: Jan 2004
Cheffie Wrote:Hi all
I am conducting some research into what would motivate you to attend/ sign up for cookery lessons, learning from a professional.
Any comments would be appreciated along with any experiences you have had whilst attending cookery demo's/ instructions.
My questions are as follows:
a. What would be your primary motivation?
b. What kind of food would you like/ love to learn how to cook?
c. What is the amount you're willing to pay for lessons?
d. Have you ever attended cookery lessons/ school?
e. Would you prefer 'hands on' or 'demonstration' type of lessons?
f. Can your other half cook?
g. Would you be interested in doing 'couple's cooking'?
h. Would you be interested in learning just a few dishes and mastering them or a wider selection?
i. Do you panic at the thought of hosting dinner parties?
I'm sure there'll be follow up questions along the way but feel free to make any other suggestions.
G
Firstly, cooking is not really my favourite activity, alhough I do ok and haven't poisoned the family yet! So probably woulnd't attend any cooking classes. Perhaps when I'm older and my focus in life has shifted from cooking to nourish my family to cooking for pleasure...
a. to learn the Proper way of doing things
b. cooking for special occasions like dinner parties and such
c. I woulnd't pay more than £10 per session of an hour long
d. I did Home economics for a year ... does that count?
e. Demonsration
f. He doesn't burn the water, if that's what you mean...
g. No
h. Wider selection
i. YES YES YES!! :haha:
Posts: 2,486
Threads: 180
Joined: Jan 2004
Cheffie Wrote:Thanks BB
Out of interest for the others as well, some further questions:
j. Do you cook on gas or electricity mainly?
k. Do you own a professional set of knives (no matter how humble your kitchen is)?
l. Would 'knife skills' interest you as a demo/ hands-on?
m. Would 4 hours per course be sufficient time to learn?
n. Does the 'celebrity' factor influence you when choosing ingredients to cook?
o. Do you find cookbooks/ recipes easy to follow?
p. Have you ever spent any time in a professional kitchen/ eaten at the restaurant's 'Chefs Table'?
Keep the comments/ replies coming.
G
j. electricity
K. Professional? does a set of knives with its knife block count?
l. I it were part of teh course, why not? But wouldn't specifically sign up to one... I'd prefer a demo
m.no, I expect a course to take around 8 hours
n.no
o. yes
p.never
