Corporate team building hot from the oven

Company picnics step aside, there’s a new player heating up the corporate team building scene taking companies out of the office and into the kitchen to create unforgettable company events.

Parties That Cook uses hands-on team building cooking classes to encourage teamwork, boost morale, build culinary confidence and foster camaraderie.

From MSNBC:

“Food is a universal language and it just brings people together. It’s a great thing to do for corporate team building”, said Bibby Gignilliat, founder of Parties that Cook, which is feeding the need for corporate team building.

Gignilliat says bringing colleagues together and having them prepare a meal together spices up competition between co-workers. The result? Dinner garnished with camaraderie, served with a side of competitive edge.

“Building consensus, communicating is really important, goal setting, meeting deadlines," said Gignilliat. "All that can go back to the office."

Whether teams are creating delicious appetizers, four-course sit-down dinners, or battling each other in Iron Chef inspired cooking competitions, the events encourage teamwork in an exciting, creative atmosphere.

Parties That Cook proves that with some creativity, corporate team building can be exciting and fun. While Parties That Cook is currently limited to San Francisco, Chicago and Los Angeles, you could look into private cooking classes in your area or find a local chef to host an event at a coworkers house.

Look for the top qualities of a great team building event:

• Goal oriented. The event is organized and structured in such a way that you will achieve your team building goals.
• Cost effective. Can you reach your team building goals while staying within your budget?
• Practical. The activities during the event should directly relate to the objectives you set out with.
• Fun. Make sure every participant is able to enjoy themselves during the event.
• Cross-generational. Ensure that employees from every age group can participate and have fun at the event.
• Memorable. Choose an event where employees will remember the great time they had and bring the lessons they learned back to the office.

Corporate team building events don’t have to be expensive or outlandish. With some imagination and a little bit of fun, you can create a company team building event that strengthens bonds and encourages teamwork.

Have you ever been a part of an “out of the box” corporate team building event like Parties That Cook? Do you think it was more effective than more traditional events?