Team Chef

The answer to this question depends upon your goal for the session. Sometimes, participants are comprised of several teams from one department. In these cases, our clients tend to like to preset the teams so that people can interact with people they don’t work with on a regular basis. Other times, groups are comprised of a single team or department and randomly assigning teams works fine.

We can randomize small groups on the spot, but for groups larger than 20 people, we recommend you form the teams ahead of time. If you are preselecting the teams, we suggest you disseminate this information to the participants either at the program or prior to the event. We do not recommend reading off of a list at the beginning of the program.

A typical program runs 2.5-3 hours. Half hour flexibility is easy in either direction. The program can be shortened to a minimum run time of 1.5 hours.

2.5 hours for most groups. We need to set up an entire dinner spread.

No. The set up is intricate and extensive.

I’m sorry, this really doesn’t work. The materials are too easily messed up in the moving process.

The ideal setup is 1 60” round table with linens and chairs for each team, 3 8’ rectangular tables for program supplies at the front of the room (for up to 5 teams), a sound system (for music), and microphone (if more than 30 people), and trash cans in each corner of the room.

We typically play for secret ingredients for the winning teams. We can judge the overall presentation of each team at the end of the program if you like. There is not enough time or stomach space to do a taste test. Most people are stuffed by the end. If you choose to provide a small prize for the best presentation, we suggest keeping it small.

Conference room attire is just fine. We provide aprons and rubber gloves.

While this is typically not very messy, we do have a wide variety of cleaning supplies on hand just in case. Also, see above.

People are using knives. Please make this decision wisely.

Due to bugs and/or heat, we strongly discourage this.

The facilitator announces the winner of each event and they get a secret ingredient from the chef. If you choose to select a winning presentation at the end of the event, it can be judged by applause, you can have VIPs select a winner, or our chef can decide.

That’s a different program.

Possibly. It depends on what you have in mind. There may be an additional charge.

We will have all of our supplies out within a half hour of the end of the program. If you can give us more time, we appreciate it.

Each person can make their own version of any dish. It’s very easy to leave meat out and still have something tasty and substantial.

Please let us know and we will make the appropriate substitutions. There are no nuts or seafood in the program.

Most people leave stuffed and can’t get through all 5 courses.

Even if you have the world’s pickiest eaters, there are wraps and enough ingredients from the program that they can make themselves the perfect custom sandwich with anything they want on it.

We’ve always left with bags of leftovers.

You can keep anything you like. We throw it all out after each program for sanitary purposes.