#KaiWeCare Stars come out to shine on the City of Christchurch
Why the #hash tag for Kai We Care, you may ask? Well, it is one way of following events on Twitter.
The event takes place on Monday 4th April 2011 and exploded on Twitter from being a simple 'pop-up/ supper club' event of around 30 guests to 200 guests and will be hosted in the elegant rooms of One Moorgate Place, London.
For one night only, 5 Michelin-starred chefs, together with a host of multiple AA-rosette winners and TV chefs will combine their love of food and their sense of duty in being able to give something back to the City of Christchurch. This is what several of them have to say:
Masterchef 2009 winner Mat Follas commented:
"When I heard about the earthquake there was no question really, no doubt, I just had to do something."
He commented further: "It's a small country and a tight-knit community which means that even when so many of us live abroad the feeling of belonging or that mutual pain doesn't diminish with the distance."
Chef Luke Mackay commented: "My brother recently immigrated to Christchurch. When the earthquake hit he didn't know if his wife and newborn child were safe but had to deal with hundreds of casualties, performing life saving operations under the most unimaginable stress."
He commented further: "He has continued to work in Christchurch whilst his family moved 200 miles away to stay with kindly strangers. They are now reunited and trying to (literally) rebuild their lives. As soon as I saw the tweet about KaiWeCare I knew that I had to get involved."
A couple of Michelin starred chefs who will be cooking, included the following comments:
"I am absolutely delighted to be part of this great culinary event, Kai We Care. I hope that collectively through our skills we can raise a substantial amount of money to help the victims of this tragic natural disaster and ease their burden"
Adam Gray, Head chef, Rhodes 24, London (Michelin Star)
"Mat Follas' original message inspired me to get involved in KaiWeCare. His personal connection and the conversations going on twitter just after the earthquake were highly emotional"
Russell Brown, Chef Patron, Sienna, Dorset (Michelin Star)
Around 85 suppliers - spanning the length and breadth of the British mainland: Isle of Skye to Dorset; London to Padstow, Cornwall - have joined forces with the help of more than 50 volunteer chefs and over 40 front of house professionals to ensure the fund raising dinner will achieve and hopefully surpass the total of £100 000.
With only 20 tickets to London's "˜premier' fund raising appeal for the citizens of Christchurch left, and over £35 000 already committed, the target looks achievable.
A wide variety of gifts are being auctioned on the evening:
These include 2 Economy Class return tickets from Air New Zealand; 2 private wine tutorials by Masters of Wine Sarah Abbott and Peter McCombie, who are being paired with Michelin-starred chefs to create the ultimate dinner party in your home; Cookery courses and dinners and of course some wonderful kitchen gadgets, including Thermomix, Cuisinart and cutlery.
With only 3 days left, tickets for the event are almost sold out and those wishing to attend or be part of Kai We Care should get in touch to the address details below.
Further details of the menu and programme of events are available upon request.
Kai We Care Dinner. 4th April 2011, London
Raising funds for the Red Cross in Christchurch, New Zealand
Mat Follas and Dave Ahern's pop-up restaurant presents:
The tasting menu
Canapes:
Steve Groves; Lisa Faulkner; Dhruv Baker; Lee Behn
Pork crackling toffee apple, Cured salmon and cucumber "fruit pastille", port and Spenwood pencil
Selection of artisanal breads (potato, seeded, spelt) from the Isle of Skye Baking Company with British butter
Pre starter:
"˜Beetroot'
Simon Hulstone
Tasting of beetroot textures with elderflower curd.
Starter:
"˜Pork and truffle'
Dominic Chapman; Adam Gray
Rare breed pork "˜Scotch egg', warm tartare sauce, pea shoots.
English quail and summer truffle pie with buttered kohlrabi
Intermediate:
"˜Fish'
Russell Brown; Adrian Oliver; Kieran Smith
Saffron-poached tiger prawns with piquillo pepper salsa, sherry reduction, olive oil foam
Main Course:
"˜Lamb'
Mark Poynton; Russell Bateman
Slow cooked NZ lamb, broccoli puree, smoked garlic, Olde Yorke cheese, almonds, wild garlic jus
Pre-Dessert:
"˜Eggs and Soldiers'
Alex Wood; Ben Goldsmith; Darren Goodwin
Coconut white, carrot yolk, carrot juice toast
Dessert:
"˜Chocolate orange'
Matt Tomkinson; Mark Lloyd; Tom Kneale
Dark chocolate delice, lavender ice cream, burnt orange syrup
Cheese:
Marcus Bean, Johnny Mountain
Goats cheese pannacotta & artisan cheeses; Bournes Cheshire, Stichelton, Cenarth brie. Served with quince jelly, spiced apple chutney, cheese tuilles, oatcakes, fruit crisps.
Petit Fours & macaroons
Luke Mackay; Edd Kimber
Pistachio macaroons with saffron butter cream; Rosewater and raspberry macaroons; Rhubarb and hibiscus fruit pastille; Salted Dulce de Leche milk chocolate truffle
KaiWeCare Blurb of chefs and suppliers
Steve Groves
Roux at parliament square, London
Masterchef professional winner 2009, senior sous chef at Roux at parliament square, Love cooking British food and maybe getting a little creative with it.
Lisa Faulkner
Celebrity Masterchef 2010, Winner
Dhruv Baker
Masterchef 2010, Winner
Simon Hulstone
Elephant Restaurant, Torquay
Before moving to Torquay, Simon had been perfecting his culinary technique working for highly regarded Michelin star restaurants throughout Europe and had been mentored by some of the most respected chef's living today.
Since taking over the helm as Head Chef at the Elephant, Simon has brought his extensive influence of traditional and world cuisine to Torbay, putting the English Riviera on the map. The elephant now boasts a coveted Michelin star as well as many other highly recognised awards.
Dominic Chapman
The Royal Oak Paley Street, Berkshire
Dominic's hereditary passion for food stems from the highly acclaimed Castle Hotel in Taunton which his family have run and owned for over 60 years.
Dom has been Head Chef at The Royal Oak Paley Street since January 2007. His creativity and culinary skills have escalated the quality of the restaurant's food to an exceptional level and extended its magnetic reputation far beyond the Berkshire border.
In 2010 The Royal Oak attained a much acclaimed Michelin star and has proudly retained it in the recent Michelin 2011 announcements. The Royal Oak was awarded 3 AA Rosettes in the 2011 guide, making it one of only two pubs in the country that hold both a Michelin star and 3 AA Rosettes.
Adam Gray
Rhodes Twenty Four, Tower 42, London
Adam Gray is the Head Chef of Michelin starred Rhodes Twenty Four at Tower 42 in the heart of the City of London. Adam was previously Head Chef at City Rhodes and has held a Michelin star since 2001.Prior to that Adam has worked at the Le Manoir au Quat Saisons in Oxford for Raymond Blanc and at the Four Seasons Hotel for Bruno Loubet
Russell Brown
Sienna Restaurant, Dorchester
Russell Brown is chef patron at Sienna Restaurant in Dorchester, Dorset. Sienna is a small modern British restaurant, currently the only Michelin star restaurant in the county. Russell also holds 3 AA rosettes and is a Fellow of the Master Chefs of Great Britain.
Adrian Oliver
Margot's, Padstow
I have been quietly doing my own thing, simple, quite rustic food in my small back street bistro for the last 11 years having worked for the previous owners for 3 years. Before Cornwall, I drifted around the country at various kitchens, some lovely, some appalling. Tonight I will make my first foam.
Mark Poynton
Restaurant Alimentum, Cambridge
Mark Poynton is the Chef Patron of Restaurant Alimentum in Cambridge and a rising star in the world of fine dining. Mark joined Alimentum in 2009 after a 7 year stint at the two-Michelin starred Midsummer House, where he was Head Chef for the last 2. Prior to that Mark worked at the Michelin starred Juniper restaurant in Altrincham, Alimentum is currently rated as one of the Top 60 restaurants in the UK in the 2011 Good Food Guide and in 2010 AA awarded 3AA rosettes
Russell Bateman
Colettes at The Grove Hotel, Watford
Russell Bateman, is Head Chef at Colette's at The Grove. Recently awarded 3 AA Rosettes. Exact technique, flair and imagination come through in every single dish; balance and depth of flavour are all-important. Russell Bateman and his team pride themselves on sourcing fish from sustainable sources with MSC status, meat from farms practicing ethical techniques and vegetables from The Grove's own Walled Garden and organic where possible. Russell was previously Head Chef at both the Feathers Hotel and Midsummer House.
Alexander Wood
Exec Chef, St Stephens Club, London
I have been brought up to cook with traditional values, but thanks to a chance stage at the fat Duck in 2004, Heston encourages all around him to question everything that they do, which is infectious. Since then, have maintained traditional values in cookery, but utilizing every modern technique at my disposal to deliver my food. Oh and was lucky enough to work at restaurant Noma for a short time this year too.
Darren Goodwin
Head Chef, Losehill House Hotel and Spa, Hope, Derbyshire,
Much of my cooking career has been self discovery, I have never had the privilege of a mentor chef that said I have been influenced and inspired by the leading lights in the industry. My passion for cooking revolves around quality local ingredients treated with respect.
Ben Goldsmith
Head chef, The Talbot, Cuckfield
Has been working and evolving over the last 14 years and has his roots well and truly set in Sussex, having won 'young chef of the year award' in Sussex 2008/09 and has now gone on to heading up The Talbot, Cuckfield which opened December 2010, with a touch of old and new within the restaurant and open kitchen, showcasing great produce.
Marcus Bean
The New Inn, Baschurch, Shropshire
Marcus moved to Shropshire 14 years ago and has been chef/patron of The New Inn, Baschurch for the last 5 years. The pub specialises in using fresh, local & seasonal produce. His closest supplier is a local farm just 200 yards away from the pub. Marcus is a self taught chef whose passion drove him to win Iron chef UK on Channel 4 in 2010; he also helps the local school with teaching students general kitchen skills and about how to get into catering as a career.
