Tag Competitive Corporate Event

Team Building Done Right. How does it work?

TRACE3  Team BuildingTeam building events, when done right, can increase productivity and create more efficient teams by bringing individuals together, promoting team unity, improving communication skills, and strengthening trust among team members. With this list of potential perks, it’s surprising more companies don’t participate in team building activities, let alone have a team building budget. WHY does team building work, you ask? We’ve broken down a few reasons why team building with Parties That Cook is effective, and even provided some client testimonials!

1.) Successful team building events allow colleagues to take a break from work-related talk, relax and have fun!
Sometimes it’s hard to shake off the day and get out of work-mode. We’ve all been there. At Parties That Cook events, collaborating on a common goal makes it easy to get your mind off work. You’ll have so much fun, you’ll feel like the only thing you’re “working on” is your appetite. Communication is centered around the meal you create, and talking shop is not encouraged. According to Trace3 host, Theresa Chavez, “You were able to take our high stress employees who work around the clock, and get them to relax and have fun. Everyone seemed genuinely excited throughout the event.”LinkedIn Team Building
2.) Successful team building events allow you to get to know the rest of your team.
Walking into a Parties That Cook event, you may feel like a stranger among your colleagues. However, we consistently find that as the kitchen heats up, so do our guests. Ruby Lopez of LinkedIn says it best, “This event created a physical and emotional connection for our team. Our team is made up of people from different countries and various office locations, so face time is limited. Cooking together got us extremely close and gave us the opportunity to cheer each other in the midst of a project whereas with work we have to wait to see the results of a project and sit through the details in a presentation. Chef Anne was a great host and a wonderful instructor, I learned a lot from her and never felt like the novice that I am.”Bay Valley Foods Team Building
3.) Successful team building events allow teams to clearly define roles and responsibilities.
In the office, your role is likely clearly defined, and each member of your team likely has an area of expertise. At a Parties That Cook event, all assumptions at the office are thrown out the window. Sure, your group is split up and tasks are delegated, but new leaders emerge in the kitchen — and sometimes it’s the person least expected. Fresh team dynamics develop and it all comes together in a delicious gourmet meal. As Bay Valley Foods’ Jenny Hinson explains, “The best part was the team work and team building of the event and this is why it also made the event so successful because it showed that each station was in charge of one item to cook and everyone came together to meet a common goal, exactly how it is done within a company.”Aequitas Capital Management Team Building
4.) Successful team building events encourage groups to celebrate success.
“This was such a great team builder for our people. Our team members were visibly a more cohesive and collaborative group the following day. The competition element was a great motivator for the group,” says Jessica Christensen with Aequitas Capital Management. When you opt for one of Parties That Cook’s competitive cooking formats, a “winner” is determined. But official winner or not, every guest at every event is encouraged to celebrate with their team. A win can come from hitting their sales quota, a successful product launch, or even creating a crave-worthy menu together from scratch. At the core of Parties That Cook events is the sense of accomplishment our guests feel when they finally taste the fruits of their labor.

Competitive Corporate Event Recap: Yahoo! at Jeld-Wen Field

What do you get when you combine gorgeous weather, a world-class soccer stadium, and a PTC cooking competition? One awesome corporate cooking event! The event recap below was submitted by our Portland city manager, Carolyn. It’s been a while since our last guest post, so let’s just jump right in.

We were very excited to host this corporate group from Yahoo! at one of our favorite Portland venues: Jeld-Wen Field, the stadium where our beloved Portland Timbers play. (Then again, how could you not love cooking with a view of the Timbers field?) We were lucky enough to have the sun shining brightly as PTC team members Chris, Lauren, and I set up in the Key Bank Club. Oh, the perks of being a completely mobile cooking party company. I love working in new venues, transforming event spaces into the perfect Parties That Cook “kitchen”. Have I mentioned that all we need is a sink?!

Yahoo! guests arrived on schedule for an informative tour of Jeld-Wen Field. The tour ended at the Key Bank Club, where we welcomed everyone with an apron, name tag, beverages and antipasti platters. We kicked off the event with our favorite question: “When you’re at a party, where does everyone like to congregate?” Answer:The Kitchen!!! We gathered everyone around the same cooking station, and Lauren demonstrated a number of culinary tips and tricks that would help during the cooking — both at the event and at home. As soon as I explained how the competition works and covered key safety tips, the group was ready to cook!

Yahoo! host, Kevin, had organized a Sumptuous Small Plates Challenge, so we knew we had a pretty competitive group on our hands. Kevin also told us that this event was meant to celebrate the team’s achievements — how fun!  Despite being under the pressure of a timed competition, each team had a great time cooking together, adding their own creative twists to our recipes, and bonding over a hot stove.

The group prepared a mouthwatering menu including Crostini of Smashed Cannellini Beans and Feta Salsa Verde, Hosomaki Spicy Tuna Spiral Rolls, and Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Porter Frosting and Chocolate Bubbles – YUM! We chefs circulated to see how the teams were doing and give them further guidance along the way. After 60 minutes, we called for teams to present their plated creations. Each team picked a representative to tell us why their dish should win – in just 1 minute! After a few laughs and a few more theatrics, guests enjoyed the fruits of their labor, sampling each others’ dishes while the chefs tasted and judged the submissions.

The winner was decided based on taste, presentation, creativity, and display of teamwork during the cooking. It was tough to make a decision, as usual, because all the food turned out great. We loved the creativity of the Sweet, Sour and Spicy Chicken in Won Ton Cups team, who used Sriracha sauce to draw a picture of a car and wrote “Vroom!” on their platter (a representation of their Auto team back at Yahoo!). It was the Mini Skewers of Roasted Lamb with Indian Makhani Dipping Sauce, however,  who pulled ahead for first place! Congratulations!! They did a fantastic job cooking the lamb so it was still juicy. And the Makhani sauce they made was to die for! We chefs wanted more – how did they make it so good??

We awarded the winning team with bright green garlic grippers, and congratulated everyone on a job well-done. Guests continued to mingle, enjoying their food and drinks while listening to rad 80’s music and even watching the Timbers practice out on the field! Bonus!! We ended the day with a lovely group photo with the soccer field in the background.

Thank you, Kevin, for a fun day with your Yahoo! team. We hope to host your group again soon — and really hope it’s at Jeld-Wen Field!