What do you think of this business idea?

[lisalisa]

Message withdrawn

Message withdrawn

Great idea.

Message withdrawn

Message withdrawn

Hiya, just a thought, you will probably benefit from a CRB check, a Food Hygiene Cert and public liability Insurance (food poisening, sliping onm spills, burining down the village hall etc)

if you don't like the idea of regular classes for a whole term how about one off half day sessions during half-term/school holidays. i would definitely go for that

Oh well if you're in North London then it's a goer. I know what you mean about kids party entertainers getting repeat business (just shuddering here at the number of times I've had to sit through Mr Squash's glittering performances). I remember there was a company that used to do this and they advertises in the Families North Magazine which often does advertorials, ie they will write about you if you advertise - well they did for me a few years back.

Do a flyer drop or tuck flyers under all the MPVs parked along FitzJohn Ave any weekday morning and you should get loads of buisness

Good luck to you

oh and I reckon you would certainly have to leave no mess whatsoever in the kitchen after your visit.

ANd you do know you will have to have a certificate in basic food hygiene and form the Environmental Health department if you are working in what will be considered the Catering Industry but that is a very easy thing to achieve, but you will need it before you sart, techinically (unless you live in Harringey in which case you could probably get away with quite a lot indeed unlicensed)

This sounds like a really good idea, the sort of thing that you could franchise in the long run. And if you run them on weekedends you could continue to build the reputation when you go back to work. Once you get a name for yourself franchising can be very lucrative - look at Music with Mummy for instance.

You would most definately need public liability insurance and a basic first aid certificate might also be useful!

How about 'Mrs Bun's' Baking Parties?

Put in your description - "leave kitchen as I find it" - which gives you a get out of mopping clause in some houses.

Also leave a little something for the adults which you have made, it's this sort of nice surprise that will get you recommended.

Include everything - you will be held accountable for the quality of your products, and if someone has really old baking powder etc. the results may not be that great.

From my experience (music teaching so not that similar, but relies a lot on word of mouth) you will just be getting busy as you have to go back to work!

Maybe you could have a long term franchise type idea brewing the back of your mind and then you could make it pay, instead of going back to Law.

Get some photos taken at your next playdate cooking session, so people can see what they are getting.

Healthy food is BIG at the moment.

Can you do gluten free/diabetic/allergy cooking?

That's all my thoughts for now - I think you have a great idea.

great idea...you'll definately need public liability insurance and probably additional that covers you with working with kids...how about finding a "kitchen" to sponsor you. ie you host your parties at a kitchen (maybe at a catering college or somewehre similar", great publicity for them, great for you because their kitchens are usually a good size) you might even to co-op your marekting and PR material (split the costs) Also don't underestimate the power of netowrking with non conflicting businesses that promote their services to the smae market, you can then promote each others businesses free of charge and both benefit....Good luck to you, sounds as if there's lots of hard work ahead...maybe we shoudl set up a "working for yourself/have your own business" thread....

have been thinking about his a lot lisalisa

if you aren't available til august then that is slap bang in the school holidays and perhaps not the most active party time....
and I think you could up your age bracket to girls (and boys I guess) of up to 11

Sob... some of us are born in August.... sob....

lisalisa.... there is someone that runs cooking events / courses from their home in the Suburb. Was featured in Suburb News I think within the last month or so. Could possibly find name as I am on a mailing list for the area.

Would think that if you aren't fazed by a crowd at your place, the cooking courses /events at home might be more profitable / easier... you keep an exercise book by the phone to log names / numbers / age / bookings. A course could be structured over 4 (or more) weekends or you could simply do a fun project suitable for different ages on each Sunday: 1st Sunday every month is under 5s. 2nd Sunday is 5 -9s, 3rd Sunday is 9+, 4th Sunday is holiday !

Remember if you do kids parties you will need to cook in different kitchens, dealing with possibly faulty / weird cookers, you'll need to add a pile of ingredients to a shopping trip or do one specially... you'll have the time to set up, you'll have the time to bake / teach, you'll have the time to clean up... (ie. it might actually take more time than you realise).

With the course: you invest in your prep / advertising, then you sit back (as if) and wait for 5 - 15 bookings...

I might be tempted to charge for food against the receipt separately, and parent can keep any remaining ingredients (which they might not want )... that way people feel they're not getting ripped off on the eggs etc. or they could choose to shop themselves from their favourite supermarket. Also means that if someone wants you to cook something especially expensive (or especially cheap) you can accommodate that without affecting profit which is your hourly / daily / event rate, IYSWIM.

HTH

also, what about running holiday courses. you know, the sort of thing to entertain the kids during halfterm, summer holidays etc.

Yeah, I think the lady in the Suburb I mentioned does half-term / holidy activities stuff in particular...

Sorry, haven't read all so hope I'm not repeating. Why not offer baking classes at home for kids. That way they come to you. £4 seems to be the going rate for after school clubs (round here anyway). Or I would love someone to teach me to cook properly why not market yourself to local men and women as someone who can teach them to cook (even the basics would help me).

You'd def need PL Insurance whatever way you do it and I think if you do it at home I think Health and Safety would need to check your kitchen (don't quote me on that). I think you have a fab. idea (your're not in Herts are you?)

Such a great idea - if I could possibly afford this I would, whereas i dislike the idea of an entertainer (you can tell my ds isn't old enough yet - just watch me book one when he is )

You might need to have a backup 'no-cook' recipe or two in case of cooker disaster, power cut, lousy kitchen etc as other posters said.

Mrs Bun's Baking Parties I like. Moveable Feast is lovely but to me would suggest a general caterer.

Organic option? - charge an extra ? for that.

lisalisa, what are your thoughts on this now?

I'd book you Lisalisa - if you'd travel to Brum!

lisalisa - haven't read whole thread but I go to cooking classes with dd and she loves them. the woman who runs them also does parties - either supervised or just provides the equipment/recipes - you do need a lot of spoons/sieves/bowls/scales etc so that kids don't have to wait too long to get their turn.

She does classes for 2.5-5, at which parents have to supervise, or 5-7 where they just dump and leave.

Classes normally start with cooking something that needs baking - cakes/pies etc. Then whilst it is in the oven we do something that doesn't require cooking - last week was mud pie - broken ginger biscuits, raisins, melted choc/syrup/butter mix. And if it' something taht takes lots of cooking the kids make bracelets out of liqourice strings and Cheerios, or ice and decorate bought biscuits.

The woman who runs our class now has loads, and employs other people and seems to make quite a bit of money. Her website is here

Message withdrawn

have you seen here:

Splat cooking

LL I would love a party, I am in Herts though is that any good?

Message withdrawn

lisalisa I think she does them at clients houses or at the community centre where she does her normal classes - though it would be up to the parents to book the hall.