Disappointed with Festive Cooking Class

[wombleydoo]

Hi everyone,

I attended the Festive Cooking Class/Demo in Brisbane last night with 3 friends and we were rather disappointed in it. I enjoyed the recipes, but I thought at $30 it was way overpriced for what we got! Two small tasting plates, a little gift of some cooking and a little bundle of gift cards. No recipes! We had to go and buy the festive cookbook for $10.

I've been to a couple of cooking classes and one of them was a festive one in 2008 and I got a recipe booklet with all the recipes in it and it only cost me $15. I liked having the recipe book to follow along with as they cooked.

Has anyone else been to any of the festive demos?

[brazen20au]

i haven't been to a festive class but i've never got any recipes at any of the other classes i've been to.

[judydawn]

My feeling is that you should always get the recipes for what is cooked on the night included in your entry fee.  Otherwise it is a rip-off and someone is getting very greedy.

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

Yes for $30 you should get the recipes. 

[stacelee]

I went to the Cyndi O'Meara class in Brisbane a couple of weeks ago and have sworn that I won't go to another class again.  I felt it was a waste of money with the class being grossly overbooked, crowded and uncomfortable.  You couldn't see anything and the food that was cooked was basically the same as what is done in a demo.  Cyndi was very interesting but the entire thing was very much a hard sell for the machine and Cyndi's products.  I was hoping to learn something new about my machine...but instead came away very disappointed.  Between the class and the inability to purchase some cookbooks without a demo, I am feeling very negative towards Thermomix.....its just a shame that their machine is so damn good.  It will be interesting to see if the new Kenwood Cooking Chef has any effect on their sales given that it will be much more widely and easily available....and no demo required!

[brazen20au]

i won't bother going to another class myself either (or at least it's very unlikely) i felt it wasn't value for money and i didn't really learn all that much. (not that i couldn't, but it was too hard to see, they really need to do it in a teaching kitchen, not just anywhere they can get)

[virgo9]

Yes, I agree too Wombleydoo, it is a bit steep! I went to one in Perth last week and while I enjoyed watching the recipes being cooked, I didn't think it was anything special - given the price. I bought the book at the reduced price of $10 on the night. It was the first cooking class that I have been to, and I'm not sure if I would go to any more if that is the format. My friend and I weren't even sure what was on the 'sweets' plate as some things were baked before the class, and we weren't told what they were. I think I would be more inclined to just buy the book for $15 and cook recipes on the recommendations of friends and members of the forum (saving myself $25  )

[gertbysea]

Ditto stacylee.

Gretchen

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

Yes I agree too Stacelee.

[wombleydoo]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks its a rip off. I've been to a couple of classes (are they classes?).. one with Nico and the other festive one. Both times it was crowded and the speakers don't have microphones so its hard to hear. Both times I got recipes. We had them before the class so we could follow along.

I went this time because my bro and sil and friend are all new thermomix owners. I think we all got more out of the demo and the varoma demo's we've been to.

I did like the Arabian Lemonade and the Chicken and Potato Salad. The rest was ho hum.

[stacelee]

I think where I was so disappointed is that I thought I would learn something.  I haven't heard from the consultant who sold me the machine since the night it was dropped off.  I work fulltime and have two teenagers so time is something that is limited for me....which is why the thermomix attracted me.  I object to the fact that to get the full steam ahead cookbook, I have to host a demo....I don't have time to entertain friends at this point in my life, let alone trying to bribe those friends to attend a demo and be "sold" a machine just so I can buy a book.  I thought that the "cooking classes" would be designed to help people use their machines more fully....not to sell more machines.

This forum is a wonderful resource with fantastic people who have taught me an enormous amount about using the Thermomix.....it still amazes me that there is not an active presence from the company that manufactures the machine.  After a lifetime (as much as I hate to admit it...I have been involved in the catering equipment industry for 40 years....my parents started our business when I was 2) I have never seen a catering equipment appliance supplier with such an "interesting" method of interacting with the end user. I wonder what will happen if more competitors appear on the market.....Kenwood are definately setting themselves up as a possible competitor.

[I love my TM]

I didn't go because I thought $30 was too much.  If it had been the regular price I would have gone.  Glad I didn't miss anything.

Thanks for the feedback.

[quirkycooking]

Sorry to hear some bad feedback about the Festive class    I thought ours was really good, and we all had lots of fun - everyone I talked to said they really enjoyed it - but we made up our own menu and charged less, and had a cookbook with the recipes we made.  (The recipe book did cost $10, but it was printed with a colour cover and all, and heaps of recipes (not just the ones we made) so I think it was good value.)  How many people are usually at those classes, Stacelee?  We had our biggest class ever (70 people) and had to turn people away, but we're not going to go that big again - it was just too many.  Next time we'll stop at 40-50.  Our second class was about 40, and much easier, and great atmosphere.  Any of my customers out there that have some feedback about our Christmas cooking classes???

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

Your classes sound really great Jo and good value for money. Perhaps you should do a Christmas road show and tour the country next year. 

Stacelee I think you have hit the nail on the head.  It doesn't work to combine "classes" with "selling".  We are all sick of seeing the basics over and over again in "classes".  In my opinion "Introduction to Thermomix" evenings should be held regularly but also 3-4 actual "Cooking Classes" throughout the year for thermomix users.  Even if we had to pay $50 (or more) per ticket to cover the costs involved (including the consultants time) I am sure there would be many people keen to attend.  Classes in Delicious Desserts, Beyond the Basics in Bread, Scrumptious Starters!!!  Now that would appeal to me!

[JaneeZee]

It's all interesting feedback......

I haven't been to a festive class yet this year.  Our group decided against holding one & calling it a festive class because we thought it was a bit cheeky to ask that much for it.  We discussed options that would make things potentially festive & had brilliant feedback about how much people learned from the hints & tips we gave.  

I hope you put your comments on the feedback forms for the event?  I know that HO Australia watch this site & what is said so it should get back to them.

Is the consultant you bought off still active Stacelee - coz if so, ring them & ask for some help.

As far as numbers blowing out, despite requests for pre-bookings for eg Cyndi classes, people still turn up at the door & we hate to turn them away so we squeeze them in - within safe boundaries!!

If anyone knows of places set up better to hold cooking classes we'd love better venues.  The issue is finding somewhere we can hire that will let us use the facilities after hours & not charge us a fortune.  We rarely cover costs as it is with inexpensive venues.  This is particularly challenging in the metropolitan areas.

Any venue suggestions for SE Melbourne would be much appreciated.