Pitching a story about a cooking course

spacekadet

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Hi folks,

I'm ecstatic. I just emailed one of my favorite vegetarian chefs of all time about doing a story about her and she wrote back, offering me a place in one of her cooking courses plus help with recipes, info etc.

Now, I KNOW there are a few stories in this, but I'm a little unsure how to approach the pitch given that I actually haven't been on the course yet. I mean, what if it's a disaster?

Has anyone here had success pitching story ideas about courses or events that are taking place in the future?

Any thoughts on an angle? This is a vegetarian course in Bath, England. The chef also runs a restaurant. I know I can do a personal essay on the course itself, but I would think that more publications (particularly those in the US) would be interested in something a little more practical.

Any thoughts on publications that might be interested in this sort of thing?

Thanks for all your help,
Monica
 

Storyteller5

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Hi folks,

I'm ecstatic. I just emailed one of my favorite vegetarian chefs of all time about doing a story about her and she wrote back, offering me a place in one of her cooking courses plus help with recipes, info etc.

Now, I KNOW there are a few stories in this, but I'm a little unsure how to approach the pitch given that I actually haven't been on the course yet. I mean, what if it's a disaster?

Has anyone here had success pitching story ideas about courses or events that are taking place in the future?

Any thoughts on an angle? This is a vegetarian course in Bath, England. The chef also runs a restaurant. I know I can do a personal essay on the course itself, but I would think that more publications (particularly those in the US) would be interested in something a little more practical.

Any thoughts on publications that might be interested in this sort of thing?

Thanks for all your help,
Monica

Even if it's a disaster for you, there could still be a story in it. Figure out your angle and query on that. Some ideas...
* does a chef with a restaurant teaching a cooking class treat it like their restaurant? expectations, menu taught, etc.
* who is in the class? we're a busy society in general and does that translate to this class? Is it parents, students, singles, etc?
* how much practical knowledge do you need going into a cooking class? is the menu practical as far as using ingredients/tools a home cook would have?

Good luck!
 

inkkognito

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I was thinking that a disaster might make an interesting story too!

Also, I would try to tie it into pop culture somehow. For example, Hell's Kitchen is a popular TV show, but are chefs really like that? How does a real-life course compare to what is portrayed on TV? That could even lead into an article in which real working chefs comment on that...are they getting a reputation? What is their reality like in running a restaurant?

I like looking at benefits angles too...how would it benefit an average person to take a cooking class? More variety in meals for their family? Help them be better food shoppers? Budget better? Help them gain confidence/esteem?
 

spacekadet

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ink - tieing into pop culture is a VERY interesting idea. I don't really watch much TV but I know lot's of people who are into these cooking shows. I'll talk to them and find out what they like.

Thanks, all!
Monica
 

Bubastes

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The course sounds like fun! I think your pitch is going to depend greatly on the specific publication you're pitching to. In the US, for example, the approach you take in pitching Gourmet or Bon Appetit will be very different than your approach for Cook's Illustrated or Saveur. I remember doing a food writing exercise where we had to practice writing query letters for different magazines on the same topic. For example (one I made up off the top of my head):

Topic: how to boil water
Saveur: personal food/travel essay on the water boiling rituals in Fiji
Cook's Illustrated: comparative experiment on the boiling properties of bottled vs. tap water
Food + Wine: which waters celebrity chefs use to boil vegetables at their restaurants
Fine Cooking: practical water boiling techniques (type of pot to use, stove heat control, etc.)

You get the idea.

If I were in your position, I'd do as much background research as I can about the chef and her cooking before the course, then attend the course soaking in as much information as possible. That way, you'll have more options when it comes time to pitch.

Good luck!
 
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inkkognito

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ink - tieing into pop culture is a VERY interesting idea. I don't really watch much TV but I know lot's of people who are into these cooking shows. I'll talk to them and find out what they like.
My husband is totally addicted to the Food Network (he's the cook in our family), so that's the first thing that popped into my mind!
 

spacekadet

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Meow - Fascinating! I clearly have a LOT of research to do.
I'm in the UK, so here I have a few more travel-based options, but I'd like to get as much out of this as I can. I don't watch TV, to Food Network type pop culture is kind of lossed on me (though I do know who Alton Brown is!).

So you reckon I need to take the course before I can start pitching about it?
 

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Yes, I would take the course first. Learn as much as you can as Meow suggested. You may uncover other ideas while in the course that you hadn't considered. However, that may mean you can get more than one piece out of this. ;)
 

Bubastes

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Something else occurred to me -- vegetarian cooking in the US is more mainstream now than it was ten years ago. Farmer's markets and organic vegetables are definitely more popular than in the past. Is a similar trend happening in the UK? That may be worth asking the chef about!
 

spacekadet

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I think the farmer's market trend is even bigger the UK than it is in the States. I know what of the aspects of the course is on seasonal cooking, and for the UK market, the article won't be complete without a nod to organic food.

So it makes sense that I should wait til I've taken the course to pitch a story. Now I'm feeling a little sheepish because earlier this week I pitched the idea to an editor at a magazine I've written for once before. I haven't heard from her, and I hope I haven't ruined my chances with this pub over a half-baked pitch.

Waiting.... and learning, as Meow suggests. =)
 

Storyteller5

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Now I'm feeling a little sheepish because earlier this week I pitched the idea to an editor at a magazine I've written for once before. I haven't heard from her, and I hope I haven't ruined my chances with this pub over a half-baked pitch.

Waiting.... and learning, as Meow suggests. =)

Try not to worry. There may be the story you were thinking of when you pitched and a second story after you've taken the course. ;)
 

spacekadet

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Thanks for the reassurance, StoryTeller. It's so easy to be so doom and gloom about these things. I'll try and reserve those feelings for the economy. ;)