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How to make Money
while COOKING
Home Shopping Chef shares secrets to making money with food
Chef Brian
Introduction
Are you always thinking about food and what to make for your next meal? Do
you like to experiment and don’t really care if it turns out right? Some of you may
just love the fact that cooking and creating is a beautiful process much like
watching a flower or plant grow. You start from nothing and then *POOF* you
end up with something marvelous.
If this sounds like you, then guess what? You are passionate about cooking and
cooking is your love. So I ask you, why are you not making money at it? I mean
lots of money! I’m not asking you to quit your job and run out to go work at your
nearby restaurant in hopes to become their chef. I’m simply talking about taking
your passion and letting the world see just how in love with cooking you are.
Wouldn’t it be incredible to get up each day and prepare something that you love
and actually make money from it. Or how about re-creating an old family recipe
that has been handed down to you from your great, great, great ancestors and you
now are making it and selling it to the world. Yes, it can happen and its easier than
you think.
Back 30 years ago when I graduated from culinary school, there was really only a
few choices I had with my degree. Today there are endless ways to become rich
and it all starts with you taking the first step. And better still, you don’t even need a
degree.
That’s me above on the right with the HSN show host. Now, even though I am a
trained chef and had a knack for the camera, landing a job on this billion dollar
network and doing cooking shows on air for 5 years was not an easy task. So how
did I do it? Well, that is what this book is all about. I am going to teach you the
simple secrets that I learned on how to become rich cooking food.
Have you ever wondered how each week a new person has their own cooking
show on the food network or cooking channel? Well, it’s not by accident. I will
teach you how you can get a shot at a big time network if that’s what you want.
However, not everyone is suited for the camera, so I will also teach you how to
make money cooking that doesn’t involve the camera.
Let me be very clear. There has never been a better time in our world’s existence
than now to be in love with food. Cooking shows, food trucks, mom and pop
shops, farmers markets, internet sales, they are all booming. We are living in a
country that is in love with food and cooking.
So are you ready? Take the time and read this book thoroughly and re-read it again
and again if you must. I promise to give you all of my 30 plus years of information
so you too can prosper and get rich while cooking.
Lets do this!
Cookbooks
OK, let’s start with recipes and cookbooks. This avenue is possibly the quickest
way to get your name out there without too much hassle and very little money.
Almost all of us have a stack of recipes that we make all the time that our friends,
family and even strangers are always asking us to fix. What if you were to compile
all of those recipes and put them into a book and then get it out for the world to
view?
Let’s get started: First, compile all of your favorite recipes that you know everyone
loves and that they can’t live without. A good cookbook needs to have a minimum
of 50 good recipes. If you don’t have that many personal recipes written down
somewhere, no worries, just go on to eBay and purchase a public domain
cookbook with lots of recipes that you can change and make your own. This will
allow you to have all of the content and more that you need. Here is a link: Most of
these books are under $10!
http://tiny.cc/sdhg1w
Now, once you have your recipes in order and table of contents all set up, you will
need to make sure that the recipes are measured perfectly. I know this is the part
that stinks, but trust me, without a working recipe your cookbook will fail
miserably.
Most of us cook without much thought as to how much of an ingredient goes into a
dish, but this is the one time when it is paramount that you measure precisely and
get it perfect. The ticket to getting rich while cooking when selling cookbooks is
good accurate recipes.
Once you have all of your recipes in order its now time to pick 5-10 different
recipes that you love and snap a good quality picture. If you’d like to add a picture
for every recipe, that would be a plus for you. Let’s face it; a good picture really
does say 1000 words. Just be sure it’s a good shot with the food looking tempting.
When it comes to cookbooks, the pictures will sell your book.
You will also need to come up with a good title for your book as well as a nice
colorful book cover. First impressions are key to maximize your sales. So, in this
case your book cover must be bright and inviting and really delicious looking.
OK, now is the time to make some money. The best and fastest way to get your
book out is to self publish. It’s easy and does not cost very much. Here is a link to
show you how.
http://tiny.cc/vntg1w
Now that you have your book ready and published … it’s time for the marketing.
There are many ways to market your book today. Of course with the addition of
social media, it makes marketing so much easier. So let’s look at what has worked
for me and get you going like crazy.
The first things you need to do are getting into your facebook account and create a
facebook page. These use to be called ‘fan pages’ but now they’re just called a
facebook page. Once that is set up, you then need to invite all of your friends to
‘like’ your page. This will get your facebook stats up and let FB know that you are
an active page. Also, remember to name your page appropriately. This is very
important, for example, if your cookbook is about desserts then name your page
‘Mary’s great desserts’ ... You get the idea.
Now its time to spend a little money, and let’s face it, in order to make money, you
need to spend some. But, I caution you to not go overboard. Here is what I do.
Once in my FB account, I go to ‘create ads’. The system is pretty easy to navigate.
You want to create an ad that will be attached to your page. Your headline for your
ad is crucial! For example: ‘The BEST Cheesecake Ever’. Now, scroll down and
target everyone you want to see your AD. It is my opinion, not to spend more than
$5.00 per day. I have had great success setting my spending limit as low as $3.00.
That’s it … you’re all set. Keep in mind that once people start to arrive at your
page, interact with them. Tease them with some of your recipes. Once they trust
you and know what you’re talking about, then you send them to where your book
is. My suggestion is to get a word-press website that has your cookbook there. You
can also attach a simple pay-pal account to the site so you can get paid. My
suggestion is to keep your book under $10.00 for optimum sales.
If you want someone to set your word-press site up as well as your pay-pal account
for a very low price here is a great service.
http://www.ZKDezigns.com/
Spices and Sauces
These were my Chef Brian Flavor Shakers that I created a few years back. It was
easy and very profitable. Most people want their food to taste like it does at their
favorite restaurant, but the #1 problem that it doesn’t is the proper seasoning.
Everyone wants a good spice or rub, and furthermore the mark-up for your profit is
huge. Each one of these shakers including the bottle cost me less than .50 cents to
make. I then sold each one for $3.00. Now that’s a great profit!
If you are not into writing and more into creating, then this is the perfect idea for
you. It’s simple and fun. First, create a spice blend that you think will be good on a
certain food or protein. You may already have one that you use at home. Whatever
the case, write down the recipe and begin to taste it on different foods. Once you
have a satisfactory result, then you are on your way to production.
Your best bet is to download a bulk food ingredient calculator; here is a link for
one. http://tiny.cc/cj0h1w
The link for this calculator will become your best friend as you begin to develop all
of your recipes. Remember, the key is to be consistent. Once people start buying
your products, you must deliver what they expect, and that should be great quality
and goodness. If you do this, then you are on your way to becoming rich while
cooking.
Let’s talk about the spice bottles. Whether you are selling spices or hot sauce the
one thing you will need is the appropriate bottle. You will also need to place the
proper label on that bottle. Follow my lead and I’ll help you navigate through
both.
Here is a link for the company I used for the best variety of bottles. I found them to
have the best bulk prices and best variety of bottles sizes and styles.
http://tiny.cc/ytdk1w
Ok, so now whether you are selling a BBQ sauce or a hot sauce or maybe a spice
it’s all up to you to get that customer wanting to pull out their credit cards to pay
you for your product. This all starts with a great visual. Your label is paramount to
your sales. If your label is bright, clear and colorful, then you have an excellent
chance of making a sale. Make sure that all of your ingredients are listed on your
product, don’t skip anything. You don’t want to get someone sick that may be
allergic to something you didn’t place on your label.
Make sure you are truthful about using any MSG or other fillers. Keep in mind;
you don’t have to reveal your recipe, just the ingredients. Make sure that your
ingredients on your label are listed from most to least. In other words, if you have
2 tablespoons of garlic and 1teaspoon black pepper, you must list the garlic first. It
is not necessary to list the amounts of each item because that would give away
your secret recipe.
Here is a picture of the BBQ mix sauce I sold on line. I had taken an original BBQ
sauce recipe that was handed down to me from my grandfather, Herman T Jones
and created a mix so you just add water and have fresh BBQ sauce every time.
Ingenious right? This is how you get rich while cooking, and I’m just getting
started.
But, let’s say that you don’t have any recipes or just don’t have the time to be that
creative. Fear not, here is the plan of action.
Go to this link here
http://www.myspicer.com/
Here you will be able to order in bulk whatever spices you need. When I was
making my spices I always ordered bulk. This will save you time and money. Just
remember to use the recipe converter to figure out your exact portions. Never
substitute once you have a good recipe figured out through testing on various
products. Always remember to file your recipes away on your computer with a
back up.
This company also has ideas for Vegan and gluten free, which are all the rage
today. Anything that you develop that can give you a hook … the more you will
sell and make big money.
This idea is a great start for someone who may not have the time to write a book or
make recipes. You can create 3 or 4 spice blends in your spare time on the
weekends. Go to the link that I provided for you in the first chapter to get your
website set up and you’re up and running. It can be great fun as well.
Catering
Starting your own catering company may be the most lucrative way to make
money other than being on TV. Simply put, you are getting paid for what you
enjoy doing which is cooking and entertaining.
My suggestion is not to compete with the big boys. You will get swallowed up.
The best way to get started and keep it stress free and fun, is to start small and let
your friends and neighbors know about your side job.Honestly though, don’t be
surprised if you start making more money at this than your 9-5 job. The reason that
catering can bring in so much is the allowable mark-up that comes within your
pricing structure. Simply put, don’t be scared to charge for your personal touch.
The next time you have people over or you are at a neighborhood party, tell the
guest that you would like to cook for their party. I am sure by the end of the night
you will have more than you can handle.
Let’s not forget, the reason you are reading this book is because you can cook, and
you are good at it. The problem is you keep giving away your gift. This is not to
say that you charge every time someone comes over for a glass of wine. But
seriously, you will be amazed at how much people will pay for a good well
delivered and incredible tasty meal.
Make sure that you stay in your lane. In other words, don’t claim to be a wedding
cake baker and you don’t even know how to sift flour. If you are great at BBQ,
then do that. If you love to bake, then do that. Maybe you are one that likes to
make appetizers and loves to decorate, so then stick with that. The point is, you can
make lots of money, just by being you and truthful to your gift.
Radio Show
Have you ever really wanted to have your own radio show? Well, I’ve got the
perfect place for you to start. Listen, this is so simple and so exciting you won’t
believe it and best of all it’s free!
Go to this link right here www.blogtalkradio.com
Now, as you can see, this is pretty easy to set up. What I love about this is, it’s not
only free, but you can create your own food show or cooking program with friends
and family.
Just pick the time that you want to do your show. The option is yours. Whether it’s
once a week five times a week or just on the weekends. You can pick a 30 minute
show or an hour show. I love the fact that you can have a real live interaction with
people and really get feedback.
This station is for real, and it’s the only station around where you can sign up for
free and have your own radio program going in minutes over the internet. Take
your time and look through the site real good. There are so many features to work
with. You can even do a test show and see how it sounds if you think you might
get nervous.
Once you’re set up, you will have an actual sound board just like in a real radio
station. Don’t worry, it’s easy to use, and the customer support from blog talk is
excellent.
Also, you can add music or even commercials to your show as well. Not everyone
is suited for TV or is a real people person face to face. This allows you to get your
message out to the world about your cakes or pies or catering company or spices.
People can call in and comment or text in their comments. It’s a fantastic way to
really launch your business. And once again it’s free.
Keep in mind that the better your show, the more people will follow it. So just
because it’s free, don’t take it lightly. Take your time and develop a real nice show
with a good theme. Make sure you tell your family and friends when you will be
airing the show and get them to call in and ask questions. The more action you get,
the better your show will rate. This in turn will allow for you to get the word out
about what you do. This will eventually equate to money and sales.
Always remember to sell yourself with confidence and integrity. Be bold but not
arrogant. This will gain you a huge following and you will start to create your
personal brand.
This is me, doing a live show on blog talk radio. I was looking up a recipe that
someone requested. After giving them the recipe I told them that I had a website
where I sold spices. After the show I noticed that I had several sales. This system
works. Trust yourself and take your time to do it correctly. You will see results!
Home Cooking School
Okay here’s another great way to use your skills as a Cook and make lots of
money. Think about it this way, what if you just didn’t make great food for all of
your friends and neighbors, but you then started inviting them over for monthly
cooking parties. Think about this, you could charge them maybe 10 or 15 or $20
per person and tell them that if they bring a friend than their initial cost would only
be half of that. What this does is it allows your friends to be your own personal
marketers.
Once these monthly parties get off the ground you will no longer have to worry
about giving anybody a break in the price. Word will spread like wildfire and you
will be making upwards of thousands of dollars per month. Obviously there is
food cost that you will have to take into account in the beginning, but trust me after
time you’ll see great income and you will also have massive fun.
Not too long ago I tried this idea out for myself. I decided I was going to have
monthly backyard barbecue cooking classes. I was amazed by the response, so
many people really only thought of barbecue as cooking hamburgers and hotdogs
and chicken on their grill every now and again. What I was able to teach them was
all of the things that most people don’t understand as it relates to barbecue. Things
like; what type of wood to use, how to soak your wood before you smoke your
meat, and how to make fresh BBQ sauce.
After about three months of doing these backyard barbecue cooking classes I had
to start turning people away. I’m still amazed by the fact that everyone is always
interested in learning something new in the kitchen. In this case people were
excited to learn something new to cook outside on their grill. I love the fact that
you can teach somebody something and then they go and do it for themselves and
it turns out perfect. You get great satisfaction, almost a high like feeling knowing
you had a hand in helping with their success. And then to top it all off you actually
can make some money. And believe me; you can make some real good money.
I want you to understand that you do not have to be a professionally trained chef to
give cooking lessons. This is what keeps many people from living their passion.
Time and time again I watch people make incredible dishes and I even asked them
for their recipes. They will look at me like I’m crazy, and say, “You’re a trained
chef but you’re asking me for my recipe?” I say, “Yes, of course ... it’s delicious.”
Once they get over the shock that a professionally trained chef wants their recipe it
starts to sink in that all of us have the ability to teach anything that we are
passionate about. So I encourage you to put out your shingle and let everyone
know that you have something to teach that you are very passionate about.
Many years ago I read about a woman who had been making a prize recipe for
creamy Lobster Bisque in Vermont. She had won so many awards for this recipe
that she decided to open up a small little restaurant. On the menu at the restaurant
was one item, that’s right you guessed it, Lobster Bisque. It was so amazing that
she just served a bowl or a cup with a side of fresh baked bread. The restaurant
only had 15 seats inside and about 10 seats out on the patio. She was only open
three days a week. Each of those three days there were lines outside of her door
and around the corner of the restaurant of people wanting to taste her famous
Lobster Bisque.
After many years of running the restaurant she got tired and decided to close it
down, but she didn’t stop there. She eventually went on and started an in home
cooking school to share her recipe with friends and others. She would invite them
over to her small apartment and teach them how to make this incredible recipe.
The moral of the story is, she was passionate about her Lobster Bisque and she felt
the need and desire to teach others. She did not want to see her recipe die with her.
She was so excited to just share it with others in hopes that the recipe would live
on for a long time.
So I ask you, what is your passion? Do you have a special recipe that you would
love to teach others? Is there a recipe that all of your friends and families are
always asking you for? So often we keep these recipes close to our vest and refuse
to share them, but keep in mind, your recipe can also be your ticket to riches.
Take some time and write down some of your favorite recipes that you could make
with your eyes closed. You don’t have to give away any old family secrets, but
I’m sure there are one or two recipes that you would not mind teaching to others.
Once you have a couple of recipes that you would not mind sharing, let others
know that you would like to start a small cooking class. One of the things I tell
people all of the time, is that you don’t have to have a full-blown curriculum in
order to have an in-home cooking school. All you really need is one or two very
passionate recipes that you are willing to share with others. Believe me, many
people will come and want to learn not only your recipes, but your technique.
These gatherings are always so much more than just cooking. Every time I hear of
someone starting an in-home cooking school, they always talk about how much fun
and interaction there is. This is what it’s all about, sharing a piece of you with
others. The more you share the more others will want more, which is exactly how
you begin to make money. More people will start to tell others about your in-home
cooking school and you will be amazed at how you will be having so much fun,
and making a nice piece of change as well.
Here is one of my classes I held last year in my home. The theme was “Generation
Y”; Teaching our young adults how to cook for themselves. It was a huge success
and I have done many since then.
HSN/QVC
Well this may be the chapter that everyone has been waiting for. How do I get on
television? Well, actually it’s not as hard as one may think, but, first things first.
Let me explain exactly all that goes into getting on TV. Now, without offending
anybody that is reading this, I must say, not every one is suited for television. It’s
okay, don’t feel bad. It’s just not for everyone. Once you understand that and
accept that, then you can go about making money while cooking in other avenues.
However if you do believe you have what it takes to be on TV, then the path to get
there is quite simple. There are a couple of avenues to take when trying to get on
television. The first is the one that I took which was representing cooking products
for other vendors and selling their product on Home Shopping Network. After I
was recognized on HSN, I was then asked to participate in several different
infomercials. What I did not realize was that when you are on television such as
HSN or QVC, the amount of stress that is attached to that on air appearance is
tremendous. Simply put when they say that the show is live let me be the first to
tell you it is truly live.
Once again I want to warn you that television is not for everyone and it should in
no way discourage you from creating a great product or idea. For example, there is
a woman that makes tremendous Maryland crab cakes. She lives in Maryland and
one day she decided that she would take her crab cake recipe and sell it to QVC.
She perseveres and finds the food buyer for the network and lets them try the crab
cake recipe. Needless to say, the rest is history. Do you know that she is now the
number one food selling item on QVC? This is what I’m talking about, it’s not
always about you being on TV to make the money, but sometimes it’s about your
product or your recipe.
Okay so let’s recap, we have figured out that there are two specific ways to get on
HSN OR QVC. The first is to create your own product and obviously your passion
is food, so it would be a food gadget or a recipe or something of that nature. Then
you would pitch that idea or invention to the proper person at HSN or QVC.
The second way to get on HSN or QVC would be to represent other peoples
products. Of course, once again, you being a foodie, it would be important that you
would represent products that pertain to food and cooking. This will translate as
you demonstrate products on air. Keep in mind, just being on television is not good
enough. It is very important to be good and passionate at what you are talking
about. If not, you won’t be on air very long.
Therefore, if you are going to set out to represent other people’s ideas and cooking
products it is extremely important that you learn how the camera works. The first
thing I suggest you do is get a camera set up in your home or apartment, and begin
to put together a demo tape. Basically just be yourself, pick up a kitchen gadget or
a box of popcorn or a box of brownie mix and sell to the camera. Once you rewind
the tape you are going to get a real good idea of whether or not you are ready for
big time television. When you rewind and look at yourself, look at your presence,
are you projecting properly? Are you making sense?
The most important thing when looking at your own demo tape is to be completely
honest with you. It doesn’t make any sense to look at yourself, and say that you
are great when you know perhaps you need lots of work. As we get towards the
middle and end of this chapter, I’m going to direct you to someone that certainly
will tell you whether or not you are good enough for live television. So, I suggest
you work on your camera skills before reaching out to this very important contact.
Okay, I truly have saved the best for last. The e-mail address that I am about to
provide to you, is one that can only help you really get to where you want to go
when it comes to Home Shopping Network. I would like to introduce to you my
good friend Bob Circosta. Bob and I go back many years, and he has been a
mentor as well as a good friend. He has allowed me to share his name and e-mail
inside of this book for you to contact him if you are serious about getting on air.
Let me just be clear, Bob Circosta is a legend when it comes to Home Shopping
Network. He was the very first on air guest ever on the network. When I say that
he is a legend believe me. The fact that he is willing to lend his e-mail address and
willing to discuss an opportunity with you for just buying this book is incredible
and shows the integrity and compassion he has for true talents.
So if by any chance you thought that this book did not give you as much as you
were expecting, well, this is a connection for you that is far more than the price of
this book. Simply put, Bob is known in many circles as the billion dollar man.
Just think for a minute what Bob could do for you, if you are serious about really
getting on TV.
I just want you to know that before contacting him, be sure that you have a clear
and concise plan, as to what you would like him to help you with. Bob Circosta is
a very busy man, and it would be wise of you to be very organized before
contacting him. With that said he is also a wonderful human being and will always
do his best to help you achieve all of your goals.
Make sure you tell Bob that Chef Brian sent you. Connections and name dropping
are always important when you are trying to break through.
Here is Bob personal email:
Bob@bobcircosta.com.
Remember to have your idea or demo tape or clear thought before contacting him.
Bob will be very helpful in getting you placed in the right direction. Please
however keep in mind, that not everybody is perfect for TV. So for any reason this
does not work out for you, don’t be discouraged. Bob may have other ideas and
connections for you.
Remember, ‘stay in your lane’… simply put, don’t just jump at anything just to get
on TV. Stay true to which one you are, a great cook, chef, recipe maker, gadget
inventor. Whatever it is, remember to be you, always. If you stay true to yourself,
then you will succeed in all that is ahead for you. Trust me…I know!
Let me share with you a fun story with me and Bob and others. Many years ago, I
had just gotten off air and I was selling some really good cookware. After my
show, Bob told me that he wanted me to meet someone who would be going on air
the next day. So I get into the green room and there is Wolfgang Puck. We had a
great conversation and really hit it off. So much that he invited my producer and
me out to dinner that evening.
What a day!
QVC
So now let’s talk a little about QVC. This network is located in Philadelphia and
has great products and a great management team. Some people will even tell you
that it is much harder to get on air at QVC then HSN. I am not sure of the validity
of that, but I will say that neither will happen without good preparation and some
inside connections.
Keep in mind, there are two ways to get on air to build your brand. One is to create
your own cooking product and sell it to the networks and then get on TV. The
other is to become an “on air guest” and sell other products that relate to your
passion. (Obviously cooking)
Some of you may have heard of the show ‘shark tank’ which is doing great in the
ratings. One of the sharks that appear on the show as a revolving guest is Lori
Greiner. Lori is a self made Millionaire who now also helps others get their big
break in the world.
What I so love and appreciate about Lori is her honesty, trust and integrity. She is a
real stand up person who truly believes in helping her fellow man. With that said, I
can’t claim to know Lori in the way that I know Bob Circosta; (although we have
met in the past) I can say that she is always willing to help others.
With that said, here is Lori’s contact information. Use this info, the exact same
way you would Bobs. Lori is a genius and great leader at QVC. She will show you
the ropes if you have what it takes.
That is Lori on the right, doing her thing on QVC.
Here is the link to her contact info.
http://www.lorigreiner.com/contact-us.html
In closing, I want to thank you so much for reading this book. Just like Lori, Bob
and others, I would not be in a position to help if it were not for so many people
who helped me.
I am truly blessed to have accomplished so much as a chef and I feel it’s my
obligation to teach and give back. With that said, I would like to leave you with my
personal contact info as well.
I would love to hear how things are going for you, and keep in touch so I can
celebrate your breakthroughs. WHO KNOWS, maybe one day we will do a
cooking show together! 
One last favor, if you have enjoyed this book and found the information valuable to
you, please leave me a one liner testimonial and if you like, a small thumbnail
picture of yourself. I would be so grateful. I promise to post it on all of my sites.
Remember, anytime that someone asks you if you would like to send a picture or a
recipe that features you, jump at it….this will help build your brand …
I’m just saying~
Good Luck with everything, and may God Bless You!
Chef Brian
chefbrian@chefbriancooks.com