Calling on a foodie with flair
AFLAIR for food and fun are prerequisites for buying a stake in aWellington cookery school that’s soon to open in Auckland.
‘‘We are looking for a man or woman who’s between 28 and 54 years old, presents well and is a good cook,’’ Social Cooking’s Graham Bloxham says.
‘‘They don’t have to be a chef but they must be beyond passionate about food – they need to be food-crazy. They also need to be personable, with strong organisational and leadership skills, as they will be presenting nightly to at least 18 people and will have to be able to cook most dishes.’’
The school opened in August last year and has been a ‘‘raging success’’, Mr Bloxham says.
‘‘The school is booming. More than 50 per cent of our customers have been referred by a friend, we are booked out up to four to six weeks in advance, and corporate events are doubling each month.
‘‘Now we want to grow the rest of New Zealand and the world. We’re starting in Auckland in September and are looking to sell a major minority stake to a cook/ presenter who can come in as our Wellington manager.
‘‘We’re offering this shareholding for under $80,000, so they don’t need to break the bank to get going with us, and we will be there with them, working the sales, marketing and commercial relationships.’’
Along with being a confident communicator, the new shareholder will have to manage a staff of 13 and order supplies.
’’Our staff love working here, and our feedback says more than 95 per cent of our customers tick ‘excellent’ on the night,’’ Mr Bloxham says.
He says Social Cooking differs from other schools because it allows customers ‘‘to escape the craziness of life and take on the persona of the world’s best chefs’’.
‘‘They come in with the world’s problems on their shoulders and leave quite different people.
‘‘Our classes are entertaining, fun, dynamic. Other cook schools are about cooking – we are about making sure the people go away blown away.’’
Mr Bloxham says because the new cook/presenter will be well paid, and share in the ‘‘very good’’ profits – ‘‘they will earn out their investment before they know it’’. For more information, contact Graham Bloxham on 027 552 6335 or at: gbloxham@gmail.com.
socialcooking.co.nz