After a day on the bay in San Francisco, our tour guide promised us a surprise dinner. Then she told us we had to cook it ourselves for the whole tour group there were 23 of us. We were taken to a warehouse which had been converted into offices, showrooms and an huge kitchen. The company running the kitchen was called, "Hands on Gourmet". They ran these special dinners, where groups came in and they had to cook their own meal with help from a number of chefs. It is a way for people to get to know each other. I can tell you I was nervous as I am the world's worst cook. However, I'm always in for some fun and adventure.
We were divided into 4 groups and we were given a choice of 'Appetisers', 'Starters', 'Mains' (called Entree in USA) and 'Desserts'. Unfortunately I can't remember all of the menu and somehow I didn't get a menu to keep.
(All the photos were taken in a hurry with our phones so the quality is poor but hopefully you'll get the idea of what we had to do and what fun it was.)
Each group had a chef to explain what had to be done.
They showed us how.
They gave us wine to drink while we worked.
Then the fun started. Everybody had something to do. It was an exercise in bonding with strangers. It was loads of fun.
Bill enjoyed making tartlets.
I was deep frying doughnuts.
They turned out well with the help of a new found friend. Then we coated them with sugar and cinnamon served with a special sauce, which I can't remember the name.
Well, what a lot of fun that was! I'd love to do that. And I cannot cook. Not I have to go to SF and take that tour. (Yeah, right). :)
ReplyDeleteI think I saw some leafy greens, but oh dear. Tartlets, doughnuts, sugar, deep frying. How sensible to have wine while you cooked.
ReplyDeleteI never heard of that idea before. Sounds fun.
ReplyDeleteI also did this once in a cooking factory, the problem is that I have never prepared anything. So for me it was stress instead of fun.
ReplyDeleteGreetings,
Filip
What a great way to get to know your fellow travellers. For someone who says they can't cook those doughnuts looked really appetising.
ReplyDeleteHa ha - very funny. Made to work for your dinner!
ReplyDeleteI noticed that lady who featured in Bill's report
was shown and "that knife" in close proximity!!!
Thankfully her hands were lovingly clutching her red
vino.
Certainly a novel way to get everyone to meet. I guess
a lot of fun.
Cheers
Colin
the group looks like super fun and you are lucky to have been part of it !
ReplyDeleteWhat a brilliant idea! I love that they gave you some wine to enjoy whilst creating!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful way for fellow travelers to bond. This is a new one for me but it sounds like fun. A glass or two of wine during the preparation wouldn't hurt either.
ReplyDeleteThat is certainly a good way to get to know people! What a great idea; and I'm glad you had fun doing it. Wine helps, of course! And lots of friendly people also.
ReplyDeleteGreat way to get to know one another... Bet everything tasted good also... Your do-nuts look yummy!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThat's called "Working for your dinner"... ha ha
Hugs,
Betsy
Now that looked like a lot of fun. I'm coveting those doughnuts you made ;)
ReplyDeleteYour group cooking experience sounds like great fun! I would LOVE to do that. The menu sounds like it was tasty and getting to know one another and sharing the experience must have been the "salt" that seasoned the experience.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure you really liked it when I see your face. I had the same expierence once with my colleagues. We had our annual outing and were with only women. As working moms, we had cooked for our families at home and looked forward to a surprise evening. Guess what, in the touringcar we were told we were going to cook our own meal!
ReplyDeleteWe all fell silent and just a few colleagues liked it. We knew each other alraedy for years so the "getting to know you better" idea didn't work either. We had to do the dishes as well! It was a real surprise evening.....
That's an excellent activity and a terrific idea for dinner. Did everything taste good...?
ReplyDeleteGotta love a man in an apron! (Bill you sexy thing!)
ReplyDeleteYou all look like you had a great time, and no washing up - what bliss!
This sounds like a great way to have fun and dinner at the same time. I especially like the part about not having to clean up!
ReplyDeleteSounds and looks wonderful, Diane!
ReplyDeleteThought I would visit your blog via Darlenes and glad I did. Mmmm those Jam donuts look so yummy. I always have some when I visit the Vic Market in Melbourne.
ReplyDeleteOh what a surprise and what a feast to cook a dinner together.
ReplyDeleteThe goodies look a bit like our oliebolls
What a fantastic way to get to know others, brilliant I'd say! It sounds and looks like so much fun.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend! Or what's left of it on your end of the world, mine is just about to start here, it's almost 5pm Friday night.
What an original idea - and what great photographs to illustrate it.
ReplyDeleteSomething a bit different and it sounded like fun!
ReplyDeleteAlways good having a glass of wine while cooking - I like doing that when cooking for more than just us ;D)
Your doughnuts looked yummy and with no washing up afterwards that's just the best!
This looked like so much fun, Diane! It would be a nice way to begin a tour as everyone would get to know each other from the start.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun way to do dinner.
ReplyDeleteOne more vote for 'that looked like fun!"
ReplyDeleteIt would make an interesting corporate team building exercise.
ReplyDeleteHow fun! The wine would have helped, as I would be a bit nervous for the same reason you were). I've heard of kitchens like this, but never thought of doing it as a bonding exercise for a group such as yours -- it's usually advertised as for a group of friends (book club or dinner club or whatever)... this was a good idea on the part of your tour guide!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice thing to do.
ReplyDelete