Cooking Up Sales
Developing a strong culinary class program for your store serves two
missions. The first is that a well-designed program solidifies your
store and staff as the local resource of culinary knowledge. It also
serves to boost your bottom line as your peers will attest, beyond
just the revenue for the classes themselves.
David Freeman, owner of Savannah,
GA-based Kitchenware Outfitters,
complements his lineup of local chefs
and store personnel with celebrity chef
guest spotlights. Kitchenware Outfitters
relies mainly on demonstration-oriented
classes with specialty hands-on programs
featured on an annual or quarterly basis.
“We don’t do any series classes. Our
classes are recreational. We view them
as a night out and people bring a bottle
of wine. They treat it as a dinner with
the ability to watch a chef,” Freeman
explained. “Revenue from product sales
averages about $1,000 a class. Product
sales on a class day have rescued a bad
day on many occasions.”
A quarterly class focuses on knife sharp-
ening skills and is led by a representative
from Wüsthof Corporation. The $40 hands-
on class instructs students on basic knife
skills including how to choose, use and
care for quality cutlery. Students also
receive a Wüsthof Silverpoint paring
knife as a gift. Following the skills class
is a Sharpening Day during which guest
can have up to five knives sharpened by
Wüsthof representative for $3.00 per knife
