Avenance charity dinner
Last month 16 chefs from Avenance hosted a fundraising dinner for the benefit of the Academy of Culinary Arts Adopt A School Trust and Great Ormond Street's Children's Hospital School. Led by Avenance group executive chef Robert Kirby, the chefs cooked for 250 guests.
Working from a satellite kitchen at Avenance contract Lloyd's of London, the chefs (who included two chefs from Avenance's parent company Elior in Paris) served a fourcourse meal comprising salmon, leek and truffle terrine; roasted fillet of beef, brisket and cabbage faggot; chocolate and coconut parfait; and cheese.
Kirby said the chefs were proud to support the charities "both of which do a tremendous amount of good for young people. By teaching children essential cookery skills, the Adopt A School Trust may also help to encourage young people to consider catering as a career choice."
Chairman of the Academy of Culinary Arts, Brian Turner, told diners how crucial the Adopt A School work is to the development and rehabilitation of children at Great Ormond Street. "Chefs from the academy who teach at Great Ormond Street describe it as one of the most rewarding experiences of their lives," he said.
Later in the evening a number of items were auctioned off including a pennant signed by the England football team and an overnight stay for two at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Great Milton, Oxfordshire.
Total funds raised from the evening came to £25,000.