Gerald first came up with the idea to start “What’s Cooking?” from Martha Stewart’s book, The Martha Rules. “I was stuck at home after breaking several ribs, and I read Martha Stewart’s book.”
She said that her book simplified the basic outlook of how to reach your goals. “I took extensive notes, and using these notes I wrote a mission statement for my business. Several weeks ago, I reread my notes and my mission statement, and was very proud that I was able to accomplish more than I had anticipated.”
Gerald admits that the most perplexing aspect of running “What’s Cooking?” is finding and maintaining a competent staff. “I can only pay them for part-time hours and wages,” Gerald explained. “I do have an office manager that works thirty hours a week and a marketing manager, but other than that all my other staff members work part-time.”
In fact, Lynne Gerald will be featured on the “Martha Stewart Show” in August.
But the road to cooking success has been long and arduous. “Starting a children’s party place is something I’ve wanted to do for over ten years,” said Gerald. “However, at that time I had family commitments and the job I had at a local nursery school gave me hours that were inconvenient,” she added: “Several years ago, I wanted to open my own store, but I couldn’t financially leave my job at the nursery school.”
Then one day, Gerald took the plunge. “I began working as a culinary enrichment teacher,” she said. “And many of my students began asking me to do cooking parties out of a kid’s home.” When her oldest son finally decided to attended college, Gerald faced economic hardship. “I knew I needed to pay his tuition,” she explained. “I knew I loved cooking and working with children.”
So Gerald pulled her financial together and launched her business. Now she has been garnered some good business prospects. “The most recent event at ‘What’s Cooking?’ was the Father’s Day picnic. At this picnic children learned how to cook hamburger sliders, oven-baked steak fries, sports-themed sugar cookies, corn bread, root beer floats and tie-shaped dessert tortillas with great speed and skill,” she said with a smile. “The entire event was completed in two hours, including a twenty minute eating period. All of the children at the Father’s Day picnic were more than satisfied.”
In fact, some of the young ones at the Father’s Day event were ebullient and excited by the party. “This is the best food I ever had!” said Logan, a student at the “What’s Cooking?” extravaganza.
Amira, a young graduate of the cooking class shouted with jubilee, “I love coming here,” as she showed off her cooking talents to her mother. Amira’s mother beamed with joy, “I can’t believe the kids were able to accomplish all this in such a short period of time,” the mother said. “She loves coming here. It’s a place where she feels comfortable.”
As a premier new business, “What’s Cooking?” has already proven itself to be at the forefront of the children’s cooking industry. Although Gerald has already surpassed her initial expectations for her cooking class. “I’m always trying to come up with creative ideas and elements that tie in with my business,” said Gerald. “It’s making it new, making it pop, making it special; that’s what I’m trying to do at ‘What’s Cooking?’”
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