Dealing with the request for multiple recipes

[DebbieJ]

So I have a show next Friday and the hosts are being a little bit difficult. It requires some back story.

I did a show in Sept for Jenni and made the 10 min pork tenderloin. Then in March I get an email from a guest at that show (Dana) saying her sister is getting married and they want to do a show for her and we MUST make the pork tenderloin because she's been raving about it to everyone.

So we scheduled the show in April and Dana hosted a show in honor of her sister. It wasn't a bridal show--we just did it as a regular show and then Ryan (the sister) was given the majority of the host benefits. I was trying to make it a special occassion and I also knew Dana from around town (we went to the same gym). She had 15+ people there so we made the Strawberry Cream Trifle with those who came early and then the pork tenderloin salad as the main demo. That was it.

Apparently there was some disagreements amongst the sisters and this is where sister #3, Kelley, comes in. Dana tells me that Kelley will book a party from hers and will do it the same way (give Ryan the benefits). Kelley came late to the party at Dana's and was just a sourpuss--she just seems to be one of those people who are crabby all the time.

Party #2 is being co-hosted by Kelley and her mom and is being held at mom's house. Kelley gave me the guest list and that is all good and then I was supposed to talk to mom about recipes. Well, since I was asked to present a cooking show at conference and was assigned to make the Greek Cheese Torta, I am telling all my June hosts that is what I'd like to make (so I can get some practice).

I called mom yesterday and talked to her, agreed on the Torta and also agreed on the Red White and Blueberry Trifle as our "early prep" recipe. I explained to her that I can't demo more than one because of the time and fun factor. They have 20ish people coming and I will NOT go interactive with this--it just gets too out of control for me. Anyway, I was trying to figure out how to get the ingredient list to mom since she doesn't have email and it came up that she is going to have Kelley shop for ingredients anyway, so I will email it to her.

A few hours later my phone rings and it's Kelley. They don't want the Torta. :confused::confused: She said when they used to do PC shows they had a list of recipes to choose from, blah blah blah. So I shared our theme shows with her and she about poo-poo'd every one. Surprise surprise.

Later that night I emailed her and suggested Aloha Pizza because it is good and it was one I hadn't mentioned before. This is her response: "Ok...we're going to stick with the strata. My mom
would like to have another appetizer, and if the Aloha
Pizza is or can be considered and appetizer, I think
that would work fine. She would like to still do a
dessert also...what else is available in the chocolate
section besides the choc. cake w/strawberries?"

HELLO?!?!?! I'm not doing a THIRD recipe!! Are these people crazy? And even the Aloha pizza is a bit much as a "pre" recipe.

What have I gotten myself into???? I suggested the Trifle as a dessert because i know they have a large crowd coming and it will feed everyone. Now they want chocolate????

I know they will have lots of other food and aren't expecting me to provide it all, but I need to figure out how to draw the line. Give me words!!!!

[tupachef]

Deb,

Sounds like these folks have put you in a real pickle! What I tell hosts is that I would be more than happy to provide them with the recipes for things other than the one we agreed as demo. Then, if they want to have it at their party, they can make it themselves! So far, noone has pooh-poohed it because I, as it sounds like you have, explain that I would have to be at their home for a considerably longer period of time. I've even taken it to the point with a host that I told her (she wasn't a jerk about it, just inquisitive as to why), that I chose this business b/c I am able to tailor it around my family's needs. If I were to agree to multiple recipes, I'd be setting myself up to spend way more time at hosts' houses than I bargained for. Hope that helps!! Keep us posted! :)

[DebbieJ]

Thanks Emily, that helps.

[wdpmap]

I say something similar to that too. If I have a host that tells me that her past consultant let her choose the recipe I just explain that the beauty of owning my own business is that I can decide how I run. it. I do it this way and this is why it works for me.

I do the same recipe all month, even if my host doesn't like the recipe, I don't change. I tell her that this is a great time to try something new, maybe she will like it. She is not stuck with an entire recipe that her family won't eat, everyone gets a sample.

Sounds like she wants you to be her caterer!

Michelle