by Chef Mick Brown
Courtesy of http://www.BBQRescues.com
Did you know that a small portion of the cash that you spend every week on Fast Food could make a big difference in your Community? The Netherlands just had an 81% Voter Turn Out! That’s a huge number for any group of people to participate in anything. Could you imagine if only 20% of the what we spent in the McDrive Thru went to our favorite Causes? What if you invested 50% of the Eating budget into your biggest asset- Your Good Health? What does this have to do with BBQ? Or Food Event Fundraising? Read on.
First, let me Thank the National Barbecue and Grilling Association (NBBQA) for inviting BBQ RESCUES! to cover their Annual “I Am BBQ” Conference in Fort Worth, TX from March 29th thru April 1st, 2017. The Conference is open to the Public in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. You can attend individual events, or buy an Annual Membership (starting at $50), which includes Discounts and other awesome Goodies all year long. There will also be Educational Seminars for anyone who may be thinking about starting a BBQ related Business. They will cover topics from Budgeting, Menu Planning to “How Do You Waygu?”
For those around the rest of the country, BBQ RESCUES! will try to share as many Tips as possible. I also am honored to have been invited to headline a Children’s Charity benefit BBQ Cookout in Houston, TX. on Sunday March 26th, 2017. This will be the first run of a new program where we will travel the country teaching BBQ Food Fundraiser Bootcamps to Charities, Schools, and other worthy Organizations. The first part will be teaching Recipes and Fo0d Safety Tips to Volunteers. Then invited Guests will arrive later to dine on the foods we prepare as they receive a Cooking Demo on how to prepare the dishes at home.
Here are BBQ RESCUES!’ 7 Tips for How to Prepare a Charity Food Fundraiser:
1. Check Local Laws regarding Food Fundraising Events. One time, Non-Profit events usually do not require paying for the permit, but may still need to register the responsible Certified Food Professional involved and required Proof of Insurance. Laws may vary depending on whether food is served privately to invited Guests, or advertised and sold to the General Public. Some Jurisdictions also make distinctions between Baked Goods, Prepared Ready to Eat Products, and serving Potentially Hazardous Foods.
2. Set Date, Time, Budget and locate an appropriate Venue. Once again, most jurisdictions simply require the supervision of a Food Professional and Potable Hands Washing facilities. So consider whether you need to rent a Church or Commercial Kitchen venue or can do it in the Park and in a volunteer’s Backyard.
3. Plan to keep the Menu Simple, the simpler the better. For Meals- it is good to have Vegetarian, Gluten Free, as well as Meat Options to appeal to the widest pool of possible Participants. [Some jurisdictions require filing HAACP* procedures for each Menu Item.]
4. Pre-Planning is Crucial. Whether you meet by Phone, Skype, In Person or stay in contact via Email, it is important to think through each step of the Event, and assign who is responsible for completing it. First timers, be careful of piling too many tasks on one person. Good Intentions are not enough when it comes to Serving Food Safely. Try to prepare all Volunteers well in advance, so everyone is not starting from scratch getting instructions during event. It is always helpful to prepare detailed Itinerary .
5.Day of Event- Start Early. Do not underestimate how much time it will take to get from Preparing All Food, Doing Set-Up and Coordinating Event Staff prior to receiving Visitors. Remember you always want to bring your “A” Game, when it comes to serving Delicious Food. Most potentially Hazardous Pre-prepared Foods have a 4 Hour Window to be held and served at proper temperatures.
6. Try to Have Fun! Nothing stresses Customers out more than seeing frantic, disorganized conflicts going on with the Cooking Staff. That is why people are regularly walking on the TV Show- Hell’s Kitchen. Everyone is at the Event to support your Charity so make sure they have a Good Time. They will request you to do it again and again, and you will see your Following grow, along with your Club Finances.
7. GOOD LUCK!
Join us for a special Sunday Night BBQ Cookout to benefit Great Inspirations For Teens (GIFT) and Our Children Our Future (OCOF) of Houston, Texas. The event, “GIFT us Your McFastFood Money (#GYMM) will be held on Sunday March 26th, 2017 at 4pm, will feature a Dinner prepared by the Teens with the help of visiting Chef Mick Brown- Host of BBQ RESCUES TV. They promise a delicious and nutritious Menu on a Pay-What-You-Can basis. Also, we will demonstrate how your family can make the Meal at home, for a half of what you’d normally spend on Fast Food.
To RSVP Contact (832) 583-OCOF (6263) or Fill Out Online Registration at:
https://bbqrescues.com/2017/03/22/gymmgift-your-mcfastfood-money/
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Mick Brown is a Food Blogger/Purveyor based in Los Angeles, with over 30 years BBQ and Grilling experience. Aside from Caterer and Private Grilling Instructor, his passions are creating Easy Grilling Recipes and searching for the World’s Best Flavors. General Manager of Tastee BQ Grilling Co. and Superfood Spice company California Gold BBQ Rubs. In May of 2015, he won Grill Master Champion on Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen on special BBQ episode “Grill or Be Grilled” (Season 8, Episode 3). He also recently appeared on Bravo TV, catering for the Cast of Vanderpump Rules (Season Finale). He is also author of web blogs The Adventures of Tastee BQ and BBQ Catering Confidential. His latest media project BBQ RESCUES!, includes a Blog Talk Radio Show, Youtube TV Channel and Podcasts on iTunes. The new Non-Profit BBQ RESCUES! Foundation is sponsoring the #GetFitChallenge, does outreach to the Barbecue Community to promote Smarter and Healthier Grilling in the fight against preventable diseases like Childhood Obesity, Diabetes as well as other important Causes. Email- Mick@BBQRESCUES.com
LINKS
How Much Americans Spend on Fast Food- https://www.reference.com/food/much-money-americans-spend-fast-food-597cd336a3c818fb
National Barbecue and Grilling Association “I Am BBQ” Conference 2017- https://www.iambbq2017.com/
*Hazardous Analysis Critical Control Points (Serving Food Safely- FDA) https://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/HACCP/