Module 1: Class Overview & The Layout
The class in one paragraph
Two-hour hands-on dumpling class for 16-20 paying guests on the Fleurieu Peninsula. Guests stand at one long table covered with a plastic cloth. They make the hot water dough (plus a gluten-free dough only when a guest needs it or it is a GF class) and a beef filling using a flavour-FIRST method. The room splits into two groups: one group makes dough with Presenter 1 while the other builds flavour with Presenter 2, then they swap, so we never have the whole room queuing. They fold their own dumplings to take home raw. We cook 2 pre-prepared gyoza per guest in a single electric fry pan at the end. At the very end, when the dumplings are cooked, everyone gets a glass of wine to drink with their sample, plus a cookbook to take home.
Why one long table
The first run of the class had separate work stations – it created bottlenecks and over-equipped the room. We consolidated to one long table. Guests share the Flavour Bar in waves controlled by Presenter 2, so the room flows naturally without crowding. Less equipment, less setup, more relaxed energy.
The whole class on one page
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| Setup (1 hour before start) | SETUP. 1 long participant table + 2 work tables (dough + Flavour Bar) + 1 demo table. Wine in fridge. |
| Start +0:00 – 0:05 | WELCOME. Filtered water poured (wine comes at the end). Photo opt-out. Plan walkthrough. |
| +0:05 – 0:10 | SPLIT into two groups and brief the swap. |
| +0:10 – 0:35 | WAVE 1. Group A makes HW dough with Presenter 1 at the dough station. Group B builds flavour with Presenter 2 at the Flavour Bar. |
| +0:35 – 1:00 | WAVE 2. Groups swap stations. GF dough is made with the dough group only when a guest is GF or it is a GF class. |
| +1:00 – 1:05 | 4 FOLDS DEMO at the demo table. |
| +1:05 – 1:40 | ROLL & FOLD. Both presenters coach. Ops preps cooking. |
| +1:40 – 1:50 | COOKING DEMO. 40 pre-prepared gyoza in 1 electric fry pan. |
| +1:50 – 2:00 | EAT. Take-home boxes packed. Cookbooks given. Group photo. Send-off. |
The three staff roles
Presenter 1 (lead). Owns the dough teaching and runs the dough station, the fold demo, the cooking demo. Sets the pace. Presenter 2 (flavour & flow). Runs the Flavour Bar for one group while Presenter 1 runs the dough station for the other, then the groups swap, coaches the flavour-first method, narrates the cooking demo, floats during folding. Operations. Check-in at the door with name tags. Pours wine. Preps the cooking demo behind the scenes. Packs take-home boxes. Hands cookbooks.