2003 Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service

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How to Give a Food Demonstration

Barbara Brown, Ph.D., R.D./L.D.

Food SpecialistOklahoma Cooperative

Extension Service

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Keys to a good demonstration

• Know what you want to accomplish

• Research • Demonstrate to reinforce the

objective• Organize• Practice

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Keys to a good demonstration

• Be sure all can see

• Introduce the topic

• Involve the audience

• Review objective(s)

• Make it your own

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Know your goal

• Educate– Awareness – Knowledge– ActionEat better

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Know your goal

• Promote– Programs– Products

• Combination

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Research

• Topic– Information accurate & current–Usable by audience–Not already known–Builds on past meetings–Narrowed to fit audience &

time

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Number of points to cover• Time available• Audience–Age–Background

• Your own knowledge level–Research–Experience

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Research: the audience

• The more you know the better• Age, gender, skill & knowledge

level, economic status

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Research: location

• Type of setting– Intimate, formal, relaxed,

etc.

Food Food

DemoDemo

TodayToday

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Location

• How far away–May impact

food safety• Get directions–mapquest.co

m

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Location

• Help to unload?

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Location

• Can audience see, hear?

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Location

• Where are the lights?

• How do they work?

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Research: equipment

• What is available &/or usable on site–Water, refrigeration,

electricity, gas, table, oven, etc.

–Mirror, microphone•Limits movement

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Equipment

• Audio-visual–Operate &

demonstrate?

–Place to hang poster

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Research: help available

• Before, during, after–What will they

do?–Do they need

training?

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The demonstration

• Reinforce key point–Choose techniques, recipes to

get across point•Example: don’t premeasure when teaching measuring is the goal

• Keep it simple–Especially when beginning

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The food

• Should smell great & taste wonderful–Try to let at least

one person sample

• Colorful & garnished

• Show finished product

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You are now a model

• At least a role model

• Consider all actions

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What what you don’t say says

• Safe food handling behavior• Good nutrition choices• Good posture• Speak clearly & slowly• Use good grammar• Avoid nervous twitches, habits• How you eat

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How to dress

• Look professional• Comfortable, neat,

clean• Finger nails clean &

natural• Quiet makeup• No jewelry

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How to dress

• Hair nets• Gloves• Aprons–Yes, but not

this one–Keep it

clean, pressed

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Organize equipment & food

•What recipe/technique to demo?

•Done ahead, in stages, all at once?

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Organize the food

• When do you need to buy it?–Time to ripen–Avoid

spoilage• Food safety

factors

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Organize equipment & supplies

• What will you need & how many

• Make lists–Food–Equipment–Supplies–Notes, handouts

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Often forgotten

• Potholders, timer, spoons/knives, cutting board, serving equipment, extension cord, appliance cords, sampling utensils/plates/cups, tablecloth, trays, paper towels

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Equipment

• Know how to use it• Will audience have

access to same equipment at home?–Suggest

substitutions

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Demonstration tips

• Use correct equipment for each task

• Use transparent bowls & pans when possible

• Cover table

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Tips

• Use trays & bring forward when needed–Notes on tray include:•Recipe•Chatter points

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Tips

• Scrape bowls & pans clean with rubber scrapper

• Take extra pieces of equipment & food if possible

• Put dirty equipment on a tray• Keep table clean, clear

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Tips

• A damp cloth under bowls holds them steady & cuts noise

• Wooden spoons are quieter than metal

• Tip bowls & pans for viewing–Care not to spill

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Tips

• Hold bowls from bottom, not lip

• Don’t talk while using very noisy equipment

• Spill it? Don’t use it.

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Tips

• Tilt pan lids away from face• Place lids upside down on table

or range• Have waste basket beneath

demonstration table

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Tip

• End with finished product on cleared table

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Double check, triple check

• During practice• Before you leave• Before the

demonstration

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Practice

• Frees mind to do 2 things at once

• Consider posture, grammar, vocabulary, facial expressions

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How much practice?

• As often as you can–With food &

equipment–As pantomime–Before a mirror–Get critiqued

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Everyone needs to see

• Mirrors• Tilted bowls, pans• Small groups up close• Posters• Video camera connected to

monitor• Pictures on PowerPoint• Other ideas?

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Introduce the topic

• Smile• Prepare an introduction–Story, joke

• Put audience at ease• No more than 2-3 minutes

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The Demonstration:Involve the audience

• Make eye contact

• Smile• Talk while

working• Ask questions• Answer

questions

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Involve the audience

• Use humor• Ask for help –With timing, following recipes,

distributing handouts, sampling

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Review the objective(s)

• Use Barney’s method–Tell what you’ll

teach–Teach–Tell what you

taught

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Make it your own

• Let your personality show through

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Expect the unexpected

• Be prepared • Be flexible• Enjoy the experience• Learn from each demonstration

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Sample demonstration

Canned Tomato Salsa

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Canned Tomato Salsa

• 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 juice

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Review

• Know what you want to accomplish

• Research • Demonstrate to reinforce the

objective• Organize • Practice

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Review

• Be sure all can see• Introduce the topic• Involve the audience• Review the objective(s)• Make it your own

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