Hello All, I am seriously considering making the jump from my 9-5 J O B for one of the BIG 3 automakers into the PC industry. I have been reading many of these posts and it seems as though your organiztion is dedicated to the success of the PC industry as a whole and not just in APCA.
I have a question about the Live seminar. Is there any hands on cooking training its 1.5 days. Or, is it purely about the business aspect? If there is no cooking training, where is that info found?
I have been cooking for a few years now and enjoy it very much but have no formal training. That is why i am inquiring about the cooking training.
Thanks
Dave from Detroit, MI
<whiskwizard>
Posted
I just took the live seminar, and highly recommend it. It is a very informative look at the business side of being a personal chef.
There were no hands on cooking lessons, though at our particular meeting we watched Jim Davis make a superb lunch. It is presumed that you know how to cook and enjoy cooking if you are serious about making this business your career. In my class 3/4 of the participants were not professional chefs, including myself. When you get your membership materials you get a big collection of proven recipes that work well for our type of work. I use a lot of my own recipes, and just got rave reviews from my first client, so I will continue to plug away tweaking my old favorites and experimenting with the APCA collection.
You can always take a local class if you are feeling a bit hesitant, but odds are you are set to go as is.
Thanks whiskwizard for your info about the seminar! I, too am considering an upcoming seminar, and wanted to hear from someone who's 'been there, done that' and how beneficial they thought it was. Being a visual person, I think that I would really benefit. Anyone else have anything to share about their experience at seminar?
Hi - I attended the last live seminar in DC with whiskwizard (Hi, B - Congrats on a great first cook date! ). It would have been fun to have had a hands-on cooking demo, but there is SOOOO much info being offered, there'd be NO way to take up that kind of time in the middle of a seminar. The awesome part about it being "live" is that you can address every issue, concern, fear, idea, etc...as it comes to you...with a live been-there-done-that professional. We were actually able to fire questions at three PC's the final morning. I've said this before (but cannot repeat enough) there is no better way to jump start your business than to attend a seminar. Jim, Bryan, Meredith (and Candy) are extremely passionate about this industry and their enthusiasm is so contagious you cannot wait to get your business started. I'm sure you've receieved many compliments on your cooking skills already. Keep that thought in the front of your mind and remember that APCA will more than equip you with the necessary armor to plunge ahead is the business battle. Best of luck... I'm sure you'll be victorious!
We concentrate on the running the business end --how to get it set up, how to market, how to go through a day -- mainly because the backgrounds of new personal chefs are so diverse. Does an experienced restaurant chef want to sit through a half hour of knife skills? A recent culinary grad through a half day on sauces? Even a self-taught cook like me was not interested in a review of the saute. Ho-hum, yawn. Yet, maybe the knife skills would've been a good idea...or,..
There are so many resources for culinary education that APCA doesn't want to duplicate them. I'll be you have local culinary schools, cooking classes, etc. that can help you fill in the blanks -- take classes that you feel weak in -- unless you would feel better taking a whole program.
Not a "Take a class" person? (I'm not!) Fill in the blanks -- or help pinpoint your weaknesses by using a book like the CIA's New Professional Chef. Add in Corriher's Cookwise, Anderson's How to Cook without a Book, Dornenburg & Page's culinary Artistry. Use them like textbooks -- read front to back, do practice recipes -- you'll be a much better cook and you may find areas that you're struggling with -- and want further in person instruction.
And, remember that there are all sorts of personal chefs out there serving all sorts of niche markets -- some clients want to reproduce a fine restaurant meal in their home, others want a meatloaf and mashed potatoes just like Mom used to make it, others want a meatloaf that's low-fat or low-carb...continuing education is an important part (and often neglected) of any business, but don't let a lack of formal training make you feel inadequate.
Just wanted to share both here and the Members forum about the seminar that was given by Chef Dane Mechlin. Dane is a FANTASTIC individual and a absolute gentleman and host. He made all if us VERY comfortable and made us feel at home. Dane is extremely knowledgable and fun. I HIGHLY recommend attending a seminar if you are able. Thank you Dane I had an awesome time!
Dave, you may want to check out the home page for the Cooks Street school in Denver (I believe). Or simply call Candy...she will be able to give you all the info you need on "hands on" training.
). It would have been fun to have had a hands-on cooking demo, but there is SOOOO much info being offered, there'd be NO way to take up that kind of time in the middle of a seminar. The awesome part about it being "live" is that you can address every issue, concern, fear, idea, etc...as it comes to you...with a live been-there-done-that professional. We were actually able to fire questions at three PC's the final morning. I've said this before (but cannot repeat enough) there is no better way to jump start your business than to attend a seminar. Jim, Bryan, Meredith (and Candy) are extremely passionate about this industry and their enthusiasm is so contagious you cannot wait to get your business started. 
