How to Give a Food Demonstration

1. How to Give a Food Demonstration Recommended to Arkansans by Easter H Tucker Associate Professor – Family and Consumer Sciences Specialist Originally developed by Barbara Brown, Ph.D., R.D./L.D. Food Specialist Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service

2. Keys to a Good Demonstration • Know what you want to accomplish • Research • Demonstrate to reinforce the objective • Organize and practice

3. Keys to a Good Demonstration • Be sure everyone can see • Introduce the topic • Involve the audience • Review objective(s) • Make it your own

4. Know Your Goal • Educate • Awareness • Knowledge • Action

5. Know Your Goal • Promote • Programs • Products • Combination

6. Number of Points to Cover • Time available • Audience • Age • Background • Your own knowledge level • Research • Experience

7. Research: The Topic • Topic • Information accurate & current • Usable by audience • Not already known • Builds on past meetings • Narrowed to fit audience & time

8. Research: The Audience • The more you know the better • Age, gender, skill & knowledge level, economic status

9. Food Demo Today Research: Location • Type of setting • Formal or relaxed • How far away • May impact food safety • Get directions • Audience • Hear and see presenter

10. Research: Help Available • Presentation help • Will they need training • Help to unload • Before • After

11. Research: The Equipment • What is available &/or usable on site • Water, refrigeration, electricity, gas, table, oven, etc. • Audio Visual • Presentation Easels • Place to hang teaching materials

12. Food Demonstration • Reinforce key points • Choose techniques & recipes to get point across(Ex: Don’t premeasure when teaching measuring is the goal) • Keep it simple

13. The Food • Should smell great • Try to let participants sample • Should taste wonderful • Be colorful & garnished • Show finished product

14. Be an Example • Safe food handling behavior • Good nutrition choices • Good posture • Speak clearly & slowly • Use good grammar • Avoid nervous twitches & habits • How you eat

15. How to Dress • Look professional • Comfortable, neat, & clean • Finger nails clean & natural • Quiet makeup • Little or no jewelry • Gloves (Disposable) • Aprons (pressed & clean)

16. Organize Training Materials • Select recipes & techniques to demonstrate • Done ahead • In stages • All at once • Make lists of items needed • Equipment and supplies • Notes and handouts • Food

17. Organizing Food Items • Buy food day before the training • Consider the food safety factors

18. Potholders Timer Spoons/knives Cutting board Serving equipment Extension cord and adapters Appliance cords Sampling utensils/plates/ cups Tablecloth Trays Paper towels Often Forgotten

19. Equipment • Know how to use it • Will audience have access to same equipment at home • Suggest substitutions

20. Demonstration Tips • Use correct equipment for each task • Use clear bowls & pans when possible • Use trays • Notes on tray include: • Recipes • Talking points • Cover table

21. Demonstration Tips • Scrape bowls & pans clean with rubber scrapper • Remove any extra pieces of equipment & food • Put dirty equipment on a tray • Keep table clean and clear

22. Demonstration Tips • Wooden spoons are quieter than metal • A damp cloth under bowls holds them steady & cuts noise • Tip bowls & pans for viewing • Hold bowls from bottom • Be careful not to spill • Don’t talk while using noisy equipment • Spill it? Don’t use it

23. Demonstration Tips • Tilt pan lids away from face • Place lids upside down on table • Have waste basket beneath demonstration table • End with finished product

24. Double Check, Triple Check • During practice • Before you leave • Before the demonstration

25. Practice • Frees mind to do 2 things at once • Posture • Grammar • Vocabulary • Facial expressions

26. How much practice? • As often as you can: • With food & equipment • Before a mirror • Get critiqued

27. Everyone Needs to See • Tilted bowls & pans • Small groups up close • Posters • Video camera connected to monitor • Pictures on PowerPoint • Other ideas?

28. Make eye contact Smile Talk while working Ask questions Answer questions Use humor Ask for help: With timing Following recipes Distributing handouts The Demonstration:Involve the Audience

29. Expect the Unexpected • Be prepared • Be flexible • Enjoy the experience • Learn from each demonstration • Let your personality show through

30. Introduce Topic &Review Objectives • Smile • Prepare an introduction • Story or a joke • Put audience at ease • No more than 2-3 minutes • Tell what you will teach • Teach • Tell what you taught

31. Sample Demonstration Canned Tomato Salsa

32. 15-ounce can diced tomatoes drain & reserve liquid 1/2 onion, finely chopped 1 pepper, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped 1/2 teaspoon cumin Juice of 1/2 lime Canned Tomato Salsa

33. Know what you want to accomplish Research Demonstrate to reinforce the objective Organize Practice Be sure all can see Introduce the topic Involve the audience Review the objectives Make it your own Review

34. Any Questions?? Recommended to Arkansans by Easter H Tucker Associate Professor – Family and Consumer Sciences Specialist Originally developed by Barbara Brown, Ph.D., R.D./L.D. Food Specialist Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service