Tag holiday party

Corporate Team Building Event Flashback: Reflections by Parties That Cook Staff

This post is Confessions of a Parties That Cook Dishwasher, Part II. One of our tenured staff members reflects on one of her favorite corporate team building events from way back when…

Holiday Event

The party that I remember with great fondness was the last party in the Glory Month of the Glory Year: December 2007. We had 60 events that month, a phenomenal record. My last event of the month was at Thomas Fogarty Winery. The guests were a corporate group that was disbanding after completing a major project. After 5 years as a team, this Parties That Cook event was the last time they would all be together.

After the meal was made, they sat down to eat, drink and be merry. When the meal ended, each person at the table reflected on what the past five years had meant to them. Finally, as the sun was setting, Dr. Suess’ book, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” was passed from person to person. Each one read a passage from the book starting with, “You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away!” and concluding with,”Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!” I teared up as I heard each person read from the perfect book to end a chapter in one’s life before moving on to the next. I felt honored to be part of this last team effort.

Holiday Dinner PartyAs 2013 comes to an end, I have finally achieved what I’ve waited six years to do: break my old record of 17 events in December 2007 with 18 events this December. I feel very grateful to live in the Bay Area. The strong economy from which we derive much of our business is due largely in part to the thriving tech industry, and I look forward to an even more robust 2014 with Parties That Cook.

Corporate Event Recap: The Amazing Amazon Holiday Party

Amazon Holiday PartyThe holidays are meant for getting together with friends, family, and loved ones — usually over a delicious meal. We spend so much time with colleagues at work, why shouldn’t we take some time to celebrate with them? That’s exactly what Kristen Joy was thinking when she set out to plan a holiday party for her Customer Experience team at Amazon.

Kristen considered many team building activities her colleagues might enjoy: whirlyball, bowling, an in-home cocktail party, and even a fancy dinner out. She was less than impressed. Having experienced one of our events with Amazon in 2012, Kristen remembered how fun it was to cook and dine together. She soon reached out to Parties That Cook to plan a hands-on cooking event for her team.

Fun with Kitchen Utensils

PTC Event Planner, Kelle, helped Kristen hone in on our Chef’s Table Family Style. In this format, the group cooks a delicious meal of several dishes under the guidance of professional chefs. Then, guests sit down together and serve themselves from bountiful platters of delicious food. Team bonding can be found in every stage of the Chef’s Table Family Style, from the collaborative cooking to the helpful passing of platters from guest to guest. According to Kristen, “Planning was easy, and I appreciated Kelle’s patience in working with my schedule. The recipes were simple enough that the cooking was not stressful, but fun and achievable. The dinner was amazing!”

Kristen’s Amazon group brought a fun lightness as they joked about which team was going to make the best dish and got silly in front of the camera. FYI, cooking utensils make fantastic props! Oh, and we can’t forget the White Elephant gift exchange…

White Elephant GiftWhite Elephant Exchange
Kristen had organized a White Elephant gift exchange for after the meal. With relaxed guests and amusing gifts, this low-pressure gift exchange resulted in lots of laughter. What a great way to end a fun evening! Given that this was Amazon’s Customer Experience team, we were especially thrilled to learn that we had exceeded their expectations. Kristen noted having “liked the small group size, intimacy, and the ability to get great direction and attention from the chef.” She also “loved the Seattle Wine Outlet, and the family style sit down meal after cooking,” and has already recommended us to friends and family! Thank you, Kristen, for choosing Parties That Cook to help your group celebrate and bond this holiday season.