Top chefs bring culinary genius to Auckland

Knives will be out this weekend at Auckland’s SKYCITY as top chefs from around the globe fly in for one of New Zealand’s most glamorous food and wine events.

On Saturday night (30.10.2010), SKYCITY will host 13 renowned chefs from New Zealand, Australia, Asia and the UK as they cook up their finest at ‘Dining for a Difference’ - a celebrity-brimmed black tie affair in aid of the Leukaemia & Blood Foundation (LBF).

The award-winning event is the idea of New Zealand chef Peter Gordon, the culinary genius behind London’s The Providores and Auckland’s dine with Peter Gordon restaurants.

Celebrity chefs
‘Dining for a Difference’ guests will feast on the best international cuisine - created by Gordon, Hong Kong’s rock-and-roll ‘Demon chef’ Alvin Leung, and Nic Watt from Roka, London, and a bevy of Australian and New Zealand star chefs - but they won’t know who’s cooking for them until the night.

Table numbers will be drawn from a hat, and then allocated to the chefs. Each chef will produce an individually created four-course menu with matching wines for two tables of 10 guests.

All the chefs will donate their time to engineer their best culinary performance.

The Australian contingent includes Melbourne-based chefs Ben Shewry (Attica), Chris Donnellan (Gingerboy), and George Calombaris (The Press Club).

New Zealand will be represented by: Geoff Scott (Vinnies, Auckland), Michael Meredith (Merediths, Auckland), Michel Louws (Huka Lodge, Taupo), Shaun Clouston / Steve Logan (Logan Brown, Wellington), Rex Morgan (Boulcott Street Bistro, Wellington), Martin Bosley (Martin Bosley’s, Wellington), Andrew Brown (The George, Christchurch).

Making a difference
Peter Gordon is well aware of the impact of leukaemia - 13 years ago he was a bone marrow donor for his sister Tracey.

Inspired to help other patients with leukaemia, Peter Gordon has used his reputation and skill as a chef to orchestrate dinners in the United Kingdom that have helped raise over £3.38 million (about NZ$7.5 million) for the Leukaemia Unit at Hammersmith Hospital in London, as well as the Dining for a Difference events in New Zealand.

Proceeds from the Auckland event will go to New Zealand’s Leukaemia & Blood Foundation (LBF) Support Services Programme.

Foundation executive direcor Pru Etcheverry said funds raised would go towards developing the patient support programme for patients and families living with blood cancers like leukaemia and lymphoma.

Air New Zealand and SKYCITY are major sponsors.

Background: Leukaemia in NZ

The Leukaemia & Blood Foundation (LBF) is the only organisation in New Zealand dedicated to supporting patients and their families living with leukaemia, myeloma, lymphoma and related blood conditions.

Every day six children and adults in New Zealand are diagnosed with leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma or a related blood condition, the equivalent of around 2200 New Zealanders a year.

The funds raised go towards core services such as patient support, information and education, awareness, advocacy and research.