Media Training
Get out of the kitchen and into the spotlight! Cooking classes, TV appearances, and spokesperson demonstrations require special skills and thorough planning. Culinary professionals Gena Berry, Virginia Willis and Melanie McCraney will show you how to be your best. We present a training series custom-designed for chefs, cookbook authors, product spokespeople, cooking show hosts, and other food and beverage professionals. Our skills are the result of over 30 years of combined experience in the food and television business - on both sides of the stove and the camera. For more information, contact: virginia@virginiawillis.com

Virginia Willis Culinary Productions has also partnered with The Lisa Ekus Group for Honing Your Edge.

Bringing the workshop to you, in this comprehensive course created for groups in a classroom setting, experienced media trainer Lisa Ekus-Saffer and culinary television producer and author Virginia Willis provide the skills and confidence culinary professionals need to work effectively with the media.

Beginning with an overview of today's media environment, the course examines television, internet, print, and radio interviews from all angles, as well as personal appearances and cooking demonstrations. The goal is to replace intimidation and fear with confidence and energy and, ultimately, to help chefs, chef educators, product spokespeople and cookbook authors perform as well in front of the camera as behind the stove. Read about it in Restaurant Hospitality.

Topics covered include:

• Identifying and articulating message points
• The "dos and don'ts" of interviews
• Selecting and preparing recipes for demonstration
• Giving effective sound bites on-air

Ultimately, anyone committed to improving his or her performance in front of an audience — live or media — will benefit from this course.

Specific learning objectives include:

• Understand how to create and lead strong, interesting, mutually-beneficial segments for television, internet, radio, print, and personal appearances
• Learn how to build a "media tool kit"
• Learn how to physically and mentally prepare for appearances, interviews and demonstrations
• Gain many practical tips and ideas for improving responses to questions during interviews and appearances
• Develop a game plan for addressing individual weaknesses and anxieties

Attendees will also have the opportunity to view and critique video segments from real television cooking shows. The course concludes with a Q & A session, although questions are encouraged throughout the presentation. Additionally, if prescheduled, a select number of volunteers will have the opportunity to give a brief demonstration in front of the group.

Freelance Author and Editor
Willis is author of Bon Appetit, Y'all: Three Generations of Southern Cooking.  (Ten Speed Press 2008), co-author of Home Plate Cooking, editor for The All-New Joy of Cooking, and author of Pasta Dinners 1,2,3.

She also writes for Eating Well, Family Fun, Country Living and has had her articles shared through the Cox News Service.

Her career and recipes have been featured in House Beautiful, Cooking with Paula Deen, and The Washington Post. For more information contact: virginia@virginiawillis.com

Chef Spokesperson
If the product is a good fit for both parties, Virginia can help you get your message out to your customers. For more information contact: The Lisa Ekus Group. (413) 247 9325 

Willis' television appearances include Martha Stewart Living, Paula Deen's Best Dishes, Real Simple, and numerous local programs including Good Day Atlanta. 

With over 15 years experience in TV cooking shows Virginia Willis has been involved in the production of over 1000 episodes. For more information contact: virginia@virginiawillis.com

Her work includes:

• Three PBS series for Nathalie Dupree
• Kitchen director for The Main Ingredient with Bobby Flay on Lifetime
• Kitchen director for Martha Stewart Living Television
• Executive producer for Epicurious on The Discovery Channel
• Producer of Home Plate on Turner South
• Co-executive producer for PBS Automatic Holiday Special
• Executive producer for Shirley O. Corriher's Kitchen Secrets Revealed!, DaVina Foods instore POS video, and The Whole Foods Market Chef's Panel documentary.

Profile

Download Virginia's profile sheet (PDF)

• The Atlanta Bread Company
• The Coca-Cola Company
• The Cook's Warehouse
• Columbus Cooks!
• Denny's
• Disney World
• ESPNZone
• FoodMatch Inc.
• Foxfire Galleries
• Fresh Express
• Honeysuckle White
• Logan's Roadhouse
• LongHorn Steakhouse
• TGI Friday's
• Olive Garden
• Springer Mountain Farms
• Stone Mountain Park
• Turner Studios
• Waffle House
• Whole Foods Market
• WingZone

"Virginia Willis can do anything. Virginia can step into a project that is in chaos and calmly, positively, organize and get it done."- Shirley O. Corriher., Author of CookWise

"Virginia Willis has shown an extraordinary excellence at a wide range of culinary activities. She is well trained, classically and in American cuisine, particularly Southern. I've loved working with her and would recommend her for nearly any culinary related activity."- Nathalie Dupree, Southern cooking authority

"Virginia is one of strongest branches on my own personal networking tree—her skill for putting the right people together to create an entirely new phenomenon is a wonder to behold! She charms our customers with her amazing food knowledge, delivered in an easy, accessible and personable style!" - Cheryl Galway, Whole Foods Market, Regional Marketing Director, South Region

"Delicious! That describes the recipes developed for us by Virginia Willis Culinary Productions. We gave them very little lead-time and they were able to meet our requirements with time to spare. We were extremely pleased with the work they did for us and wouldn't hesitate to utilize them again for future development." - Cheryl Mangus, Assistant Project Manager for Fresh Express

"Watching Virginia cook in front of a crowd is a study in organization meets artistry. Her enthusiasm for getting it right and her focus on detail is inspiring. She shares the joy of creating recipes inspired by world travel or perhaps just a perfect July tomato." - Carolyn O'Neil, Author of The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous!, former CNN Food & Health Correspondent

"As a cooking teacher Virginia's depth of experience and knowledge in the culinary world combined with her passion, creativity, and great personality can culminate in nothing but pleasure for the student. And, it will certainly be beneficial that she knows how to manage a project - she's on time, on target, and on budget. I can give her nothing less than my highest recommendation." - Mary Moore, Owner Cook's Warehouse

"Virginia Willis is a godsend. Not only does she know how to write a recipe that even a novice could follow, but also an engaging story that will entice them to start making a grocery list. Although her culinary credentials are impeccable, her style is friendly and accessible, and her passion and enthusiasm for all things food-related is contagious. Her copy never fails to come in before deadline, clean, and error-free. Her name should be an every newspaper or magazine food editor's Roladex!" - Susan Puckett, Food Editor for The Atlanta Journal Constitution

"Virginia Willis was first a trainee and then a member of staff with LaVarenne Cooking School in Burgundy, France. Our training is rigorous and she emerged with flying colors. I'd hire her again any day!" - Anne Willan, Founder and Director of Ecole de Cuisine LaVarenne