Honing Your Edge
Bringing the workshop to you, in this comprehensive course created for groups in a classroom setting, experienced media trainer Lisa Ekus and culinary television producer and author Virginia Willis provide the skills and confidence culinary professionals need to work effectively with the media.
Beginning with an overview of today’s media environment, the course examines television, internet, print, and radio interviews from all angles, as well as personal appearances and cooking demonstrations. The goal is to replace intimidation and fear with confidence and energy and, ultimately, to help chefs, chef educators, product spokespeople, and cookbook authors perform as well in front of the camera as behind the stove.
Topics covered include:
- Identifying and articulating message points
- The “dos and don’ts” of interviews
- Selecting and preparing recipes for demonstration
- Giving effective sound bites on-air
Ultimately, anyone committed to improving his or her performance in front of an audience — live or media — will benefit from this course.
Specific learning objectives include:
- Understand how to create and lead strong, interesting, mutually-beneficial segments for television, internet, radio, print, and personal appearances
- Learn how to build a “media tool kit”
- Learn how to physically and mentally prepare for appearances, interviews, and demonstrations
- Gain many practical tips and ideas for improving responses to questions during interviews and appearances
- Develop a game plan for addressing individual weaknesses and anxieties
Attendees will also have the opportunity to view and critique video segments from real television cooking shows. The course concludes with a Q & A session, although questions are encouraged throughout the presentation. Additionally, if prescheduled, a select number of volunteers will have the opportunity to give a brief demonstration in front of the group.
