Topic: Who's in?.

[Bobby Bhuna]

It's got to be done at home, otherwise what's the point?
But for a home demo with the "taste", yes, 50 pounds

A key challenge will be to get anyone to agree to payment by results and avoid a major dispute if you didn't want to pay. You'd be offering a lot of money - several hundred pounds. The end result MUST have the taste and be generally accepted as pretty damned good, otherwise the chef will be laughing all the way to the bank.

Even if there was a control sample, like I suggested before - cooked at the BIR, and we all said the home version tasted nowhere near as good, they might say it did and we were just making excuses to avoid paying, even if it was GBP50 or GBP100 for the demos and several more hundred pounds as a 'success fee'.

I like you thinking CA but we still need to address the issue that George brought up... If we don't get the correct result and the chef disagrees then we run into trouble. Especially if it is a BIR sharing a good relationship with cr0 members.

[George]

...we still need to address the issue that George brought up... If we don't get the correct result and the chef disagrees then we run into trouble. Especially if it is a BIR sharing a good relationship with cr0 members.

I don't want to pour damp water on this whole idea but I really can see it turning sour unless we are almost OTT in terms of preparation, what's agreed, how far we can 'dig' into understanding exactly what the ingredients are (especially any pre-made blends), what the success criteria are, any split between a deposit and a 'success fee', etc.

But if it's set up like a legal contract with 'performance monitoring' then that will probably scare off any BIR who might otherwise be willing to play ball. So instead, and almost inevitably, it will be based on a relaxed approach, easy come, easy go, trust them, etc. And, unfortunately, my prediction is that it will lead to disappointment, no better than previous reported demos, books which didn't live up to great expectations, etc. Not bad, just mediocre and no great breakthrough.

Regards
George

[Secret Santa]

• We need to determine who has access to the final results.  I, for one, would be reluctant to be one of a very small number of people who donates and then make the results available to the world.  We should think about restricted access.

You know I sort of object to that point, but only because I have no intention of putting any money up.

Your point is actually very well made. I would expect perhaps a paying section of the forum, i.e. where you have to make a (small) payment to access the actual witnessed BIR recipes. I wouldn't object to that as long as it's a small payment, perhaps on a per recipe basis?

As to your other points CA I tend to agree but as ever we're getting mired down in detail before our feet are even off the blocks.

I might be able to be one of the "testers" though once you've found your ideal BIR, I'd be up for that.

[Secret Santa]

I only just thought of this, but it's sort of the obvious first step (or two).

1. Someone has to definitely get a restaurant to agree to the deal.

2. We have to get several people down(up) there to taste test as normal customers before proceeding further. There has to be agreement from about four or more forum members that this particular restaurant is the real deal as far as the taste and smell are concerned. I actually think this will be the real deal-killer, and finding a restaurant to participate will pale into insignificance in comparison.

Until those two tasks are accomplished there's no point in taking this any further.

[fumble]

2. We have to get several people down(up) there to taste test as normal customers before proceeding further.

Well it would be a good excuse for a curry!

[Cory Ander]

but as ever we're getting mired down in detail before our feet are even off the blocks

Not really SS.  I think it's best that we are clear about what we want before we go off cocked hat.  My suggestion boils down to the following:

• Members identify and recommend potential (well known and regarded) restaurants
• Number of members verify the quality of their food (maybe impractical in which case another approach needs to be taken)
• Document what it is we want in a "contract" detailing our "requirements", "deliverables" and "terms and conditions of payment".  This is detail that HAS to be done prior to commencing.  It does not have to be long, elaborate and convoluted, just clear and precise

The rest of my suggestion is broad detail on what I think should be our approach and what should be in the document above.

Ultimately, what we need is someone with a positive attitude and drive that can actually make it happen.  I am confident that I could do so, with one or two restaurant owners I know, but I'm not there, so I can't.

I'm sure any of us can allow perceived obstacles to deter us and allow the whole thing to become a damp squib.

Great that you're willing to be a "tester"! 

[Bobby Bhuna]

2. We have to get several people down(up) there to taste test as normal customers before proceeding further.

SS, your point has given me food for thought.

Shortly before receiving the demo in the BIR, we send an anonymous cr0 member in for a classic curry, e.g. Madras, to take away. The curry is then handed to the members attending the demo before they arrive.

We then ask for that type of curry (e.g. the Madras) to be produced during the demo.

The take away curry is reheated and compared against the demo curry. If they match, we agree that our demo has the BIR flavour, thank and pay the chef. If they do not, then both curries are there for the chef to taste, upon which he can explain to us why he has been wasting our time. I doubt a chef would argue that two different dishes taste the same, even under pressure.

[George]

...he can explain to us why he has been wasting our time.

To play devil's advocate for a moment, the chef could use several excuses, e.g.

1. A sample that's frozen can't be compared to a freshly prepared dish. Some tastes and flavours develop as time goes by, whether the sample is frozen or not, even if it came from this BIR.

2. How do I know it came from this BIR?

[Bobby Bhuna]

Good point George.

So instead of purchasing a curry, we choose a BIR that will sell undiluted curry gravy and send our anonymous cr0 member in 15 mintues before the demo team arrive to purchase a few other items and the curry gravy (the other items are to make it less obvious what we are up to). He then asks for receipt.

The anonymous cr0 member then grabs a seat and says he waiting for the demo team to arrive.

Upon telling the checkout assistant that we are part of the demo team, they will no doubt tell the chef. If the chef was going to try and cheat, I'm sure he would seriously consider changing his mind at that point.

Then we can compare the real curry gravy to that which the chef produces during his demo. The chef will not try to claim that half an hour or so is going to dramatically change the taste of the base sauce.

[lorrydoo]

I know who isn't interested in our BIR quest, Gordon bloody Ramsey.  If you want authentic Indian food then why bother to go out and pay extortionate prices when you can cook it your self at home from one of the plethora of genuine authentic Indian recipes out there.