For food and beverage brands, a live cooking demo is an excellent way to showcase your products, especially when launching a new menu or limited-time offering.
In a previous post, we explored the process of creating a general booking memo for media opportunities. However, when your media opportunity involves a cooking demo there are additional considerations to keep in mind in addition to the booking memo.
Here are some key tips and reminders to help you prepare your client for a successful cooking demo experience:
Leading Up to the Segment
One of the most crucial elements of a cooking demo booking memo is the packing list. While your client is focusing on perfecting their talking points and tone, it’s easy to overlook the essential items that need to be brought to the station.
A few of the crucial items that will needed for the cooking demo include:
- All of the ingredients required to prepare the dish (Tip: Prepare a finished dish ahead of time to showcase to the camera during the segment!)
- Utensils and serving dishes for preparation and serving
- Branded clothing or apron
- Gloves for both the cook and the anchor
- Branded signage to display
- Cleaning supplies to tidy up the station before you leave
Depending on the station, you may need to bring your own cooking equipment, like a griddle or hot plate. Be sure to ask the producer at the station in advance to clarify which equipment will be provided.
In addition to the packing list, ensuring your client can confidently cover their talking points is key. Keeping these key points in mind while cooking can be challenging, so the more confident your client is going in to the media opportunity, the smoother the demo will go.
If the person preparing the dish feels overwhelmed at the thought of doing both (or if the dish being prepared is exceptionally complex), consider having a second spokesperson from your client’s organization on-air to cover talking points while the cook is focusing on the dish.
Once You Arrive at the Station
Once your client has checked everything off their packing list and arrived at the station, it’s time to think about how to prepare in the moments leading up to the live shot.
When setting up the display for the cooking demo, make sure all ingredients are within easy reach to avoid scrambling during the on-air segment. Keep ingredients organized and visible to the audience for a polished look. Placing them in a branded bowl is a simple yet effective way to capture the audience’s attention!
As previously mentioned, having a finished/fully prepared dish ahead of time is a great idea so that the camera can show the end result while the cooking process is being demonstrated. (Just before to tidy up any crumbs or mess created when making the prepared dish before the live shot!)
Remember, the segment will likely be only two to four minutes long, and you’ll need to fit both the demo and all the necessary information within that time. With this in mind, be sure to account for cooking times. For example, if the dish includes a meat that takes six minutes to cook, start cooking it five minutes before going on-air to ensure it’s ready within the live segment.
TIP: If your client is able to prepare enough of the dish to leave behind at the station, the anchors and staff are always greatly appreciative! Plus, this thoughtful gesture could help you secure more segments in the future.
Proper preparation is key to a successful cooking demo. By taking the time to plan ahead, you’ll ensure your cooking demonstration is a hit and leaves a tasty impression on your audience.
For more helpful media relations resources, take a look at our other blog posts:
