How to Give a Food
Demonstration
Recommended to Arkansans by Easter H Tucker
Associate Professor – Family and Consumer Sciences Specialist
Originally developed by Barbara Brown, Ph.D., R.D./L.D.
Food Specialist Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
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Keys to a Good Demonstration
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Know what you want to accomplish
Research
Demonstrate to reinforce the objective
Organize and practice
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Keys to a Good Demonstration
•
•
•
•
•
Be sure everyone 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
– Action
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Know Your Goal
• Promote
– Programs
– Products
• Combination
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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 Topic
• Topic
– Information accurate & current
– Usable by audience
– Not already known
– Builds on past meetings
– Narrowed to fit audience & time
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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
– Formal or
relaxed
• How far away
– May impact
food safety
• Get directions
• Audience
– Hear and see
presenter
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Research: Help Available
• Presentation help
– Will they need
training
• Help to unload
– Before
– After
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Research: The Equipment
• What is available &/or usable on site
– Water, refrigeration, electricity,
gas, table, oven, etc.
– Audio Visual
– Presentation Easels
• Place to hang teaching materials
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Food Demonstration
• Reinforce key points
– Choose techniques
& recipes to get
point across
(Ex: Don’t premeasure
when teaching measuring
is the goal)
• Keep it simple
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The Food
• Should smell great
– Try to let
participants
sample
• Should taste
wonderful
• Be colorful &
garnished
• Show finished
product
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Be an Example
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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
• Little or no jewelry
• Gloves (Disposable)
• Aprons (pressed &
clean)
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Organize Training Materials
• Select recipes & techniques to
demonstrate
– Done ahead
– In stages
– All at once
• Make lists of items needed
– Equipment and supplies
– Notes and handouts
– Food
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Organizing Food Items
• Buy food day before the training
• Consider the food safety factors
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Often Forgotten
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Potholders
Timer
Spoons/knives
Cutting board
Serving
equipment
• Extension cord
and adapters
• 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 clear bowls & pans when possible
• Use trays
– Notes on tray include:
• Recipes
• Talking points
• Cover table
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Demonstration Tips
• Scrape bowls &
pans clean with
rubber scrapper
• Remove any extra
pieces of equipment
& food
• Put dirty equipment
on a tray
• Keep table clean
and clear
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Demonstration Tips
• Wooden spoons are quieter than metal
• A damp cloth under bowls holds them
steady & cuts noise
• Tip bowls & pans for viewing
– Hold bowls from bottom
– Be careful not to spill
• Don’t talk while using noisy equipment
• Spill it? Don’t use it
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Demonstration Tips
• Tilt pan lids away
from face
• Place lids upside
down on table
• Have waste basket
beneath
demonstration table
• End with finished
product
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Double Check, Triple Check
• During practice
• Before you leave
• Before the demonstration
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Practice
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Frees mind to do 2 things at once
Posture
Grammar
Vocabulary
Facial expressions
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How much practice?
• As often as you can:
– With food & equipment
– Before a mirror
– Get critiqued
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Everyone Needs to See
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Tilted bowls & pans
Small groups up close
Posters
Video camera connected to monitor
Pictures on PowerPoint
Other ideas?
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The Demonstration:
Involve the Audience
• Make eye
contact
• Smile
• Talk while
working
• Ask questions
• Answer questions
• Use humor
• Ask for help:
– With timing
– Following
recipes
– Distributing
handouts
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Expect the Unexpected
• Be prepared
• Be flexible
• Enjoy the
experience
• Learn from each
demonstration
• Let your
personality show
through
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Introduce Topic &
Review Objectives
• Smile
• Prepare an
introduction
– Story or a joke
• Put audience at
ease
• No more than 23 minutes
• Tell what you
will teach
• Teach
• Tell what you
taught
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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
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Review
• Know what you
want to
accomplish
• Research
• Demonstrate to
reinforce the
objective
• Organize
• Practice
• Be sure all can
see
• Introduce the
topic
• Involve the
audience
• Review the
objectives
• Make it your own
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Any Questions??
Recommended to Arkansans by Easter H Tucker
Associate Professor – Family and Consumer Sciences Specialist
Originally developed by Barbara Brown, Ph.D., R.D./L.D.
Food Specialist Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
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