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Get Rid of the Dreaded Summer Slump: Try the Amazing Kitchen Race

Amazing Kitchen Race

Want to change the atmosphere in your office and get rid of the summer slump that creeps in every afternoon? It seems your colleagues crave the sun. They need a break from the corporate mindset to recharge their work ethic… and get rid of the Dracula eyes that come from staring at a computer screen for too long.

So you hit the interwebs and search for outdoor corporate team building events. As in any fairy tale, you find Parties That Cook — lucky you! We certainly have THE perfect event for your office: the Amazing Kitchen Race.

What’s so amazing about a “kitchen race”? Two words: Scavenger Hunt. This fast-paced, four hour competition has two components. First, we send your crew to gather clues planted around the city. Depending on what they find, they might just receive advantages in the kitchen cook-off to come.

[The best part is that, like the TV show, success requires team work. If a team fails to communicate and work together, they will be penalized during the cooking portion.]

With the scavenger hunt complete, teams head back to the kitchen for appetizers and drinks (because winning makes you thirsty). After a quick sorting of treasures, aka cache, each team is awarded advantages to use during the cooking session. With these in mind, the group tunes into a lively cooking demonstration by one of our lead chefs.

High Five!Let the cooking begin! Each team works together to create a dish from a tantalizing menu of international appetizers. As the clock winds down, the pressure mounts. Discombobulated teams may start to stress, while organized team players are cruising to the finish line.

Each team then presents its culinary masterpiece to the judges. Pull out all the stops; monologues, group cheers, interpretive dances, and poems are all great ways to prove your team deserves the “W” and let loose while you’re at it.

Mission AccomplishedAs the judges taste and deliberate, guests mingle and enjoy the variety of dishes. No matter who made the winning dish, every team strengthens their bond, feels accomplished, and remembers that work can be fun. Attendees thank us, thank their company, and thank the organizer (you!) for a perfectly executed event. Mission accomplished.

Saying Goodbye to Family: Sausalito Jazz & Blues by the Bay

Sausalito Jazz FestParties That Cook believes that the magic of food can and does create connections; it creates family. Not every company is as tightly knit as Parties That Cook. When you join our team, you join our family. Each member is unquestionably valuable, and the Founder & CEO, Bibby Gignilliat, has crafted a really unique culture of support.

So when Chef Jen informed us of her need to move across the country, we were a little heartbroken to say goodbye. To cope with the on-setting depression, we decided to close the office early and head out to Sausalito for their Friday night jazz concert. How better to say goodbye than with a casual company picnic on a sunny afternoon near the water?!

Walking up to the group, this intern was introduced to a number of “family members” she previously knew only by name. We all settled down on our blankets and devoured Bibby’s delicious curried tuna in mini pita pockets. (Picnic finger food in true PTC fashion.) Perfectly savory with a slight sweetness, I couldn’t get enough of these. But let me tell you, the raspberry bars were even more incredible. The mild tartness of the raspberries and the sweet, crumbly almond crust come together to just melt in your mouth. I didn’t even realize they were a PTC recipe, but I’m still dreaming about these bars.

Sausalito Jazz FestThe big band jazz later serenaded us as we caught up on everyone’s plans. Laughter rose and a few of our crew stood up and danced. Music creates family in a similar way to food, and I think this was the perfect way to spend a Friday night. Dusk began to fall and the temperature began to drop as I watched everyone in our party embrace Jen and tell her how much her energy, skills, and laughter would be missed. If that isn’t family, I don’t know what is.

Goodbye Jen! Best of luck on all your ventures and we hope you stay in touch!