Italian chefs raise cash for Jewish charity

An Italian gourmet dinner held at London's Berkeley hotel earlier this month succeeded in raising more than £50,000 for the Jewish Child's Day charity.

The dinner, organised by the charity with the help of Paul Knight, executive head chef at the Berkeley, and Yola Drage, food and beverage and banqueting manager, involved guests feasting on a five-course menu, each course prepared by a different high-profile chef.

Michele Franzolin, head chef at the Al Duca restaurant in London, served the first course of grilled yellowfin tuna with braised courgettes and spinach. This was followed by Champagne risotto with black truffles, prepared by Graziano Bonacina, head chef of London's Floriana restaurant. The third course, fillet of sea bass in lemon leaves with tomato juice and citrus fruits, was put together by Alfonso Iaccarino of three-Michelin-starred Don Alfonso 1890 restaurant in Sant'Agata sui Due Golfi, near Naples in Italy. Pierro Boi, head chef at Sartoria restaurant in London, meanwhile, served bruschetta of pounded broad beans, mint, basil and Pecorino Romano. And the dessert, bonnet astigano tipico, came courtesy of Alberico Penati of London's Harry's Bar.