What are some good tips for doing an on-camera cooking demonstration?

I am thinking of doing a cooking show for friends and family (just for fun). I am pretty good at cooking, but I am very inexperienced with speaking in front of an audience.



What else would I need besides my camcorder and cue cards, and how can I nail the presentation?



I am planning to start this little project in a couple weeks, just to give me time to rehearse and come up with some ideas.What are some good tips for doing an on-camera cooking demonstration?
You will probably want to have some decent lighting. a standard desk lamp can do really well for this if set up properly, especially if the light is diffused or reflected off a sheet.



as far as production goes, you will likely want to premake the dish so you know it looks nice for the ';reveal';(and it allows you to work with a cool oven to avoid on camera burns)



have ingredients measured out and clearly visible to the camera.



Clear a space large enough to have everything you need and accessible to the camera.



Plain white plates or neutral serving dishes if you can. Colors are great, but not every food looks great in every color of plate. something plain ad reusable will help.



Before you start, set up the camera and take a few test shoots around your home. See how the lighting is, and where it works best for you.



Of course, having never produced a cooking show, these are just ideas I think may help. Your experience may be differentWhat are some good tips for doing an on-camera cooking demonstration?
Get a manicure and keep your nails short and clean.

Keep the stupid jokes to a minimum. A good joke once (or even a bad one) in a while is good but too much and the topic is lost.
Just explain every move you make..ie: ';ok, I am taking a wooden spoon and stirring this. Make sure you go to the sides as well as the center so nothing is left out...'; Even though they are watching everything you do, you also need to say it. Think about what you are doing and why and let them know.



If there is a time when you really have nothing to say about what you are doing, fill them in with some history of what you are making or ways to serve it or nutritional value. Fill them in on how you got started cooking and where you found your recipes.



When filming think about what you are preparing the whole

time...don't think about how many people may be watching.



Have fun with it!
One of the best cooking shows is Jamie Olivers 'naked chef' where he actually spoke to a person in the room, maybe recruit someone to be your 'producer' that you can talk to.



Or if someone in your family is really good at public speaking make it their show and you could be the guest chef; think the guest chefs on Martha stewart. Then you just have to answer their questions and focus on the cooking. It will reduce akward silences and keep you in you comfort zone.



If you want to do it old school pretend that the camera is a good friend who knows nothing about cooking. Explain to that friend how you make the recipe as you do it.



Try to act as you would with close friends, make jokes, speak informally, laugh at your mistakes and be reassuring.



Don't prepare a written speach, just make a note of any points you want to hit (specific tips, times, ingredient quantities maybe) and tape that up next to the camera.



Writing it up may be comforting but the best thing to do is practice, practice, practice without a written aid. This reduces the stress of possibly losing your place in the cue cards.





All the best public speakers have one thing in common, they act like themselves not like they think a public speaker should act.