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Need advice on teaching baking

post #1 of 12
1/22/12 at 10:31pm
Thread Starter 
Hi all!!

I've been selling desserts from home (simple cakes, cookies, breads, etc.) to friends and acquaintances for the last couple of years, and recently some of those acquaintances have been asking me if I'd consider giving them some lessons in baking?

The idea intrigues me and I've been thinking a lot, but I'm still not sure how to go about it and I have many doubts, for instance:

1) Should I conduct these lessons from home (I have all my utensiles and materials here...) or from the home of one of the students (easier clean-up I guess...)
2) How much should I charge?
3) Should the fee include ingredients?
4) How long should the sessions last?
5) How big should the group be?
6) Will I loose costumers if I start teaching to them?

Has anyone been in this situation before? And if so, would you mind sharing your experience??? I'd love to learn from you icon_smile.gif

Thanks so much in advance!!!
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post #2 of 12
1/22/12 at 10:46pm
I have been approached manty times and plan on doing it. I started to look online to see how much other bakers were charging. People in L.A. Where I live are willing to pay 20.00 an hour and up. I plan on only 3 people at a time for3 hours or until done. I am going to start in the Spring...I ,think.
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post #3 of 12
1/22/12 at 10:55pm
We did a few private baking lessons (at customers' homes) and charged $60+/hour. Even at that price we found that it was much more profitable to just make cakes, there is a LOT of prep work involved.
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post #4 of 12
1/22/12 at 11:05pm
I have given classes for friends. I agree there is a lot of prep work and a lot of clean up. I do this as a hobby. I have reached the stage in my life that doing anything for money is not much fun. I am leaning forward just charging for the costs and having students bring what they need. Some young people I know are out of work. Maybe I am dreaming but perhaps they can learn enough to start a little business.
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post #5 of 12
1/22/12 at 11:18pm
And there is a school in Santa Monica called Gourmandise and another in Culver City called New School of Cooking and I think another near Century City called chef Eric's. Do you ever come this way? Have you been to Surfa's?
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post #6 of 12
1/23/12 at 12:01am
If you do it in your home or supply the ingredients, you should check with your local HD. This situation is the same as baking out of your home for money and may involve a license in your area. If you go to their home with their supplies, you may not need a license. But if they say your food made them sick, product liability insurance is important. Another factor to consider if your area does allow home kitchens to begin with, is that some have restrictions of no guests. If a person gets hurt in your home and you have not declared it to be a place of business, your homeowner's does not have to pay. When you add all of this into the plan, the profit goes down, unless you already had the licensing and insurances in place for a home bakery.

I have been asked to do lessons and I was going to charge $50.00/hr., but like Jason mentioned, it was too much trouble... and I already have all licenses and insurances. There are so many baking/cooking related options with more return.
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post #7 of 12
1/23/12 at 12:14am
Thanks, I don't have any intention of charging anyone anything. People would be coming that I have been friends with for at least35 years. We travel together,dine together, gone through births,death,and divorces together. I have baked for them many times for these occassions. They have had many dinners and desserts in my home and I in theirs. It is another way of getting together and having fun and sharing.
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post #8 of 12
1/23/12 at 9:18pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks everyone for your answers, it has given me a lot to think about!

I think I'm gonna give it a try and see if it's a good experience, at least I know I'll have a good time since they all are really fun ladies! And I think I'm leaning towards teaching the class at my friend's home, that way I can at least save some time and effort on clean up icon_wink.gif

Have a good week everyone and thanks again!!
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post #9 of 12
1/23/12 at 10:34pm
Sorry, but you posted it in the business forum and asked how much to charge.
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post #10 of 12
1/24/12 at 11:03am
Thread Starter 
Oh! Don't get me wrong, I'll definitely charge per student, I'm thinking of keeping the class small, 4 students tops, and charge about $20 dlls each for a 2-3 hrs, class. What do you guys think, does it sound fair?
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post #11 of 12
1/24/12 at 11:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by JazzyBaker

Oh! Don't get me wrong, I'll definitely charge per student, I'm thinking of keeping the class small, 4 students tops, and charge about $20 dlls each for a 2-3 hrs, class. What do you guys think, does it sound fair?


If you mean $20 per person for the whole class that seems pretty low. For a 3 hour class you are looking at 3-6 hours in prep time (we'll assume 5 hours for this example), depending on what you are covering. Assuming the class will be at the customer's home and you will be not be helping with cleanup, you are looking at a total of 9 hours (including 1 hour travel time). If ingredients for a 4 person class cost $20, you have $60 left over, which translates to $6.67/hour if you take zero profit for your business -- that's less than minimum wage.

$20 per person per class hour would total $240 for four people, leaving $220 after ingredients. If you take $40 for profit you have $180 left over, which is $20/hour, a more reasonable wage for someone giving private baking lessons.
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Recent Articles: The Magic Pricing Formula • Copyright Law
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The Bakery Business Perspective
An experimental blog with new content every Tuesday!

Recent Articles: The Magic Pricing Formula • Copyright Law
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post #12 of 12
1/24/12 at 2:58pm
Quote:
Quote:

And I think I'm leaning towards teaching the class at my friend's home, that way I can at least save some time and effort on clean up


You will not be insured, neither will your friend - neither will your students.

You are conducting a business once money changes hands - check with you local government department as to you responsibilities and liabilities.

Questions
1) Should I conduct these lessons from home or from the home of one of the students

At their home, using their equipment [as they will be doing once they are taught].

2) How much should I charge?

$40-$60 per half-hour. This is one-to-one teaching: group sessions 1-3 people would be the same cost

3) Should the fee include ingredients?

No ingredients provided: give them a requirements list. If it includes a peculiar item, bring it along, but charge for it

4) How long should the sessions last?

90 minutes max - you will be maxed out, as will they will ..

5) How big should the group be?

1-3 persons in a private home - a small kitchen ? 1-2 only

6) Will I loose costumers if I start teaching to them?

Yes: to a point. They will learn appreciation for what you do. That plus the fact that you have the time to do this, all the time, not just your "spare time" like them, will bring them back ..
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