Photo: Courtesy of Jackie Hart
In business for about 27 years, Suzi O’Rourke knows a thing or two about cooking and hosting events. Tucked away in Tribeca, Cooking by the Book is a truly spectacular culinary find that is focused on providing customized, engaging, and fun corporate team building events and private parties.
Suzi started out her business, which is run out of her own home, by hosting small dinner parties and events for law firms and other companies once or twice a month. But she credits her big break in the form of summer associates from large law firms.
“Summer associates in itself are a multi-billion dollar industry. Large law firms, or any law firms really, often look at kids in law school, and offer to set them up for the summer, and even provide jobs for these kids for when they finish law school and pass the bar,” said O’Rourke. “But the story is they take them to all these events, The Grammys, dinner parties, all over. But here, the partners get a chance to really meet and interact with the kids. What will these kids be like when they have unlimited wine and beer?”
The one law firm had such a positive experience with Cooking by the Book that it recommended to other large law firms around the city to do the program with their associates. And with that, Suzi and Cooking by the Book was officially in business. Sticking to what they have done well for so long, the format of the events today are the same as they were 20 years ago.
Photo: Courtesy of Jackie Hart
The size of the group, ranging from 12 to even 50 people, are split up into smaller groups and are set up into stations. Each participant gets their own apron, and depending on the company, some people are deliberately assigned to work together, or are randomly assigned. Professional chefs supervise each station to oversee the entire process.
“Our business model, using very well-seasoned professional chefs at each station, is paramount. My culinary advisors have three primary objectives, number one is to teach cooking,” said O’Rourke. “Number two is to make sure everyone works nicely together, and number three is to make sure that everything comes out very well.”
The second objective, in Suzi’s opinion, is what sets her business apart from the rest. While there are many other cooking classes that one can take around the city, many do not focus on the team building aspect of cooking. One moment in particular stands out for Suzi when talking about the working together aspect of her business. She recalls working with a law firm in which a senior partner and another associate, who were complete opposites, had to work together. It ended up bringing two people together who initially would have no contact with each other.
According to Suzi, working with these types of clients led to taking her business a step further, and came up with models on team building.
“We started to develop models, in the kitchen, that talked to certain issues. Communication problems, which is very prevalent, resource allocation, conflict resolution,” said O’Rourke. “We developed these several different models to address these issues that people have in the work place, which sets us apart from everyone else.”
Downtown Magazine got to witness Suzi in action with her clients. The entire experience is one that is definitely memorable, and takes a unique twist on your traditional cooking class with the infusion of team building activities. The beginning of the night kicks off with each guest receiving their aprons and their assigned chef and station. Guests then enjoy hor d’oeuvres and complimentary drinks, while mingling with each other before the cooking starts. Suzi then comes out, and explains what they will be doing, and the guests then proceed to the kitchen where they get cooking.
It is refreshing to see a business owner, like Suzi, who is so passionate about what she does. Cooking by the Book is truly a one-of-a-kind experience that is a must for small businesses and large corporations alike!
To check out more photos from the night, flip through our slideshow here:
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-by: Jackie Hart
