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Original poster

Pampered Chef

26 replies

Judd · 17/05/2006 21:55

Has anybody been to a Pampered Chef party? My friend is hosting one tomorrow evening and I don't know what it entails. Is there a cookery demonstration?

Also, just on party etiquette, would it be OK to attend but not buy? Obviously there may be something there that I cannot live without, but we really don't have oodles of money for me to splash out.
Thanks for any help!

OP posts:
Blossomhill · 17/05/2006 21:59

i avoid these like the plague to be honest

last one i went to i didn't buy as the products are so expensive. £40 for a clay tray!

hana · 17/05/2006 22:00

I@ve been to some in Canada. Usually there is a demo ( so you get to have the food afterwords!)
I think it's ok to attend but not buy - host shouldn't expect everyone to fork out

MrsMuddle · 17/05/2006 22:00

No, but I'd be interested to know how you get on and what the format is. I've got the website saved on my favourites as something I MAY look into doing. (along with about a dozen other part selling opportunities!) The stuff looks good, but dearer than J Lewis and Lakeland, both of which are nearby. Please let me know how you get on. And, yes, if it's a good friend it's ok to go and not buy, I think. Sorry I can't be of more help.

MrsMuddle · 17/05/2006 22:00

No, but I'd be interested to know how you get on and what the format is. I've got the website saved on my favourites as something I MAY look into doing. (along with about a dozen other part selling opportunities!) The stuff looks good, but dearer than J Lewis and Lakeland, both of which are nearby. Please let me know how you get on. And, yes, if it's a good friend it's ok to go and not buy, I think. Sorry I can't be of more help.

Aero · 17/05/2006 22:04

Yes - have been and got talked into hosting one myself. I really like the products I've bought. There is no pressure to buy at all and if you want to buy something small just for politeness, may I recommend the £2 bamboo tongs!

There is a cookery demonstration and it's usually something easy and tasty. You'll probably enjoy yourself. The stoneware stuff is verrrrrrrrrrrry expensive. Said to be brilliant, but I wasn't convinced as you can't drop it in a sink of fairy liquid and water, neither can it go in the dishwasher, but lots of other lovely stuff. Could do with a new pair of bamboo tongs myself - mine have been used so much, they need replacing. Go along and enjoy yourself.
When I hosted, most people I asked turned up and over £200 of stuff was bought, meaning I got around £40 worth of freebies.

Original poster
Judd · 17/05/2006 22:05

Will report back if I go. Same friend had an Anne Summers one a couple of years ago and I felt an immense pressure to buy as everybody else did. Wouldn't really want to feel like that again, but am hoping that it will be a completely different experience!

OP posts:
mrsdarcy · 17/05/2006 22:12

I've been to a couple and didn't feel under any pressure to buy anything. At one I bought nothing and at the other I bought a big glass jug with a lid (which I use a lot) Just by adding to the numbers you are helping to create a positive atmosphere which is what the host and the Pampered Chef rep want.

Heclare · 17/05/2006 22:15

There will be a lovely cookery demonstration, which you then get to eat! There will be lots of things that by the end of the evening you will wonder how you have ever lived without, but don't get carried away, when you get them home you will probably have forgotten what you are supposed to do with the gadget and it will collect dust! There are some very reasonable items that are good, so I would just take a small amount of cash £10-20, so as not to be tempted, I always feel obliged to buy something, but like you money doesn't grow on trees in our house!

Caligula · 17/05/2006 22:19

The cookery demo is small though, just a dip or something, so eat first.

There is a great children's knife, which is sharp enough to cut vegetables, but cerrated so it can't cut you - perfect for when the kids want to help you in the kitchen and it's less than £3.

There was no pressure to buy

sobernow · 17/05/2006 22:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Judd · 17/05/2006 22:21

Fab! I've already decided I definitely NEED bamboo tongs and a children's knife and I'm not even there yet Blush

OP posts:
Caligula · 17/05/2006 22:22

sobernow I bought a pizza stone as a present for someone, but I keep looking at it and wanting to use it. Should I?

ks · 17/05/2006 22:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Aero · 17/05/2006 22:26

Think you will def enjoy. I must say, I'd have been disappointed if people said they'd come, then didn't. Most of mine turned up and we enjoyed a really pleasant evening. I agree though just to take a small amount of cash as it is easy to get carried away. My favourite 'gadget' is the suds pump. Makes your liquid soap go miles, but not cheap of course. Am sure most products can be bought elsewhere for less, but once in a while I think it's ok to spend a little extra if you like what you're buying and it'll be delivered to your door. They also have a no quibble returns policy.

Do you reckon I could sell this stuff??!! Grin

sobernow · 17/05/2006 22:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Caligula · 17/05/2006 22:34

And do they actually clean all the grease off, that little plastic thing with them? Because you just use them with water, don't you, no detergent?

sobernow · 18/05/2006 14:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Aero · 18/05/2006 14:24

Isn't it 'seasoned', rather than discoloured sobernow? ie, meant to look like that.

sobernow · 19/05/2006 18:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

saltire · 19/05/2006 18:48

When i lived near some Americans, they used to host these all the time, and we used to cheat, cos our hostess would get things for us in dollars - the stoneware worked out about about £20 cheaper than uk prices, and it was all delivered to her equivelant of BFPO.
They used to have these huge parties, the whole estate would turn up.
I wouldn't go to a UK one though, i went once and found them almost double the price. Maybe i'm just mean though!

Norah · 19/05/2006 18:51

Hello - I'm Norah - I am a Pampered Chef addict !

mistlethrush · 05/07/2006 15:11

Anyone interested, I am a PC consultant! I went along to a party and thought most of the stuff looked great, bought 4 things for less than £15 which I've used ever since and loved. As a result I got interested in doing it myself - a great way to get a bit of extra cash, meet lots of new people, cook with brilliant cookware and have a good excuse to abandon ds with dh. If anyone wants any recipies for items they have bought, let me know. Also if you might be interested in having a party yourself (its a good way of getting lots of free and cut-price cookware) or even becoming a consultant, contact me and I'll tell you what I know... if you're in Yorkshire, I might even be able to come and do a party for you!

Twiglett · 05/07/2006 16:12

get the plastic cake mixing spoon / spatula thing

its marvellous .. and you can use it in hot non-stick pans too

very expensive though .. but so worth it .. gets every last scrap of cake mixture out of the bowl

amazing

oooo I do like my kitchen gadgets

Twiglett · 05/07/2006 16:13

ooo and bamboo spoons

get this ... they're like wooden spoons right .. but .. they go in the dishwasher

awesome

TinyGang · 05/07/2006 16:45

I bought a baking tray for a scary amount of money and it cracked in half the first time I used it. Got a refund then went back to my el-cheapo rusty old faithful trays which cost next to nothing.