Michel Roux OBE and Alain Roux opened the doors of the world-renowned The Waterside Inn last month to welcome guests for an exclusive and prestigious dinner in aid of the Royal Academy of Culinary Art’s Adopt a School Trust.
This unique dinner, featuring a brigade of the world’s most presitigious chefs provided an unrivalled experience with a world-class five course menu:
- Ricotta and goats’ cheese agnolotti with basil and tomato essence, prepared by Raymond Blanc OBE and Gary Jones (Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Oxfordshire)
- Crab sausage roll with brown crab ‘ketchup’ and pickled cucumber with dill, prepared by Mark Sargeant (RockSalt Restaurant, Folkestone)
- Steamed fillet of sea bass with tartare olive oil hollandaise and steamed young leeks, prepared by Nathan Outlaw (Restaurant Nathan Outlaw, Port Isaac)
- Roasted loin of lamb stuffed with cep mushrooms, boulangère gratin and garden savoury scented jus, prepared by Alain Roux and Fabrice Uhryn (The Waterside Inn, Bray)
- Amedei chocolate and praline delice with citrus compote with orange and yoghurt ice-cream, prepared by William Curley MCA (William Curley)
The evening, MCed by chef Brian Turner CBE, was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and witness the impact the Adopt a School Programme has on children’s lives. Chef Thomas Marriage, now seventeen years old, who received Adopt a School sessions from Gary Jones when he was at Chalgrove Primary School was so inspired by the programme, he trained to become a chef; eight years later, he has now become Commis Chef Apprentice at Le Manoir and was cooking alongside Gary at the dinner. Tom reflected on his experiences of the programme that evening: “if it wasn’t for Adopt a School, I wouldn’t be here…I thank the programme for where I am now… Adopt a School has changed my life…every child needs to be a part of this programme.”
Chef Simon Boyle, founder of social enterprise and restaurant Beyond Food & Brigade, also spoke about Adopt a School’s impact on children at Great Ormond Street Hospital School, where he has delivered Adopt a School sessions for 15 years. He said that “What I take most from Adopt a School is the power that food has to transform children’s lives through health, raising aspirations, providing a new career path, and giving them an enjoyable activity which takes them away from their day-to-day lives.” Boyle is one of eleven chefs who generously volunteer their time to deliver practical cooking sessions to children attending the hospital school in central London.
Sara Jayne Stanes OBE, Chief Executive of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and Adopt a School said: “Food education is key to giving young people the knowledge, practical skills and ability to be responsible for their wellbeing and to adopt a healthier lifestyle through informed choice. This is why programmes like Adopt a School are so important.”
The evening raised a record number of funds for the Adopt a School Trust, partly raised through an auction of exclusive prizes, expertly auctioneered by Brian Turner, with prizes including:
- Two Executive Club tickets at Tottenham Hotspur
- A Chocolate Masterclass for ten with William Curley MCA & Sara Jayne Stanes OBE
- A day in the kitchens for two at Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons with Gary Jones and Benoit Blin MCA
- A luxury culinary tour for two, featuring dinner and overnight stay at Mark Sargeant’s Wife of Bath in Kent, half-day course at the Raymond Blanc Cookery School in Oxfordshire, and dinner with a wine flight at Restaurant Nathan Outlaw in Port Isaac, Cornwall
- Overnight stay and dinner for four at The Waterside Inn
- A private dinner party hosted by James Martin.
For more information about the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts and the Adopt a School Programme, visit: www.royalacademyofculinaryarts.org.uk or www.adoptaschooltrust.org.uk
