By Dawn White - Tribune
Kathy and Jeff Marcove own Marcove Executive Training, which combines cooking and team building. 'The idea is not to have perfect chefs but to build teams and work together in another environment,' Jeff Marcove said.
Most company team-building exercises don't begin with an onion-chopping contest, but they do at Marcove Executive Training.
The husband-and-wife team of Jeff and Kathy Marcove recently launched their business that moves corporate team-building exercises out of the office and into the kitchen.
Jeff Marcove, a trained chef and caterer, helps participants prepare and cook an elaborate meal while Kathy Marcove, a professional facilitator and Cuesta College business teacher, coaches them on effective communication, problem solving and rising to a challenge.
"We have them put on aprons as soon they arrive," Kathy Marcove said. "It gets them out of 'conference' mode."
The culinary team-building business is new to the Central Coast, although it's practiced in big cities, Jeff Marcove said. The pair will present their cooking and training exercises to the Human Resource Association of the Central Coast at the Madonna Inn on Nov. 13. Attendees will participate in a mini-training session where they'll work in groups to prepare desserts at the famous inn.
Events usually last about six hours and are conducted as a weekday corporate retreat. It gives employees ample time to interact comfortably, bond and gain useful team-building knowledge, Kathy Marcove said.
Curriculums and menus are chosen on the basis of the type of event and what a business needs.
Participants are divided into teams and prepare an array of courses in 60 minutes while vying for the award of best dish.
"The idea is not to have perfect chefs but to build teams and work together in another environment," Jeff Marcove said.
At the end of the training and cooking, everyone sits down and enjoys the meal together.
"It's training, but it involves food, so it's fun," Jeff Marcove said. "People want to get into the kitchen."