Seven of Christchurch’s top chefs have donned their aprons and are getting ready to slice, dice, mix and cook for a worthy cause.
“What do you call a group of chefs? We started by calling ourselves ‘the Gang’ but that didn’t quite fit, so we’re still thinking of a name,” laughs chef Darren Wright.
Darren, Alliance Group’s current brand ambassador chef and former owner of Chillingworth Road, is part of a group of culinary masters who have come together to organise a major fundraising event, Starry Night, on June 27. The event promises to be a one-of-a-kind tasting journey, with chefs coming together to create five canapé courses based around the theme of light and dark.
Bone Marrow Cancer Trust
Starry Night is being held in support of the Bone Marrow Cancer Foundation. Funds raised will go towards the completion of Ranui Apartments. Due to open in September this year, the 43-apartment complex will be a home away from home for people coming to Christchurch for life-saving treatment. The apartments, being built on Selwyn Street, are an extension of the foundation’s current 26-apartment complex, Ranui House.
“Every day we turn away desperately needed patients and families and we cannot wait for the Ranui Apartments to be completed,” said Mandy Kennedy, chief executive of the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust.
Working alongside Wright in the kitchen will be Pink Lady Rooftop Bar and Hello Sunday head chef Andy Tranter, Christchurch Casino’s Richard Hingston and New Zealand Chef of the Year Rex Morgan. Former executive chef of The George, Andrew Brown, who founded Burgers and Beers, has also offered to help, as has Top Chef Philip Krall (who appeared on the New Zealand version of Ready Steady Cook).
“We’re really excited about this. We’ve worked together to create a product that stimulates all the senses: touch, taste, smell and sight,” Wright says.
“We have some creative people in our group and it’s great to work together and bounce ideas off each other. Our menu has a light and dark theme but we don’t want to reveal too much until the day – we’re keeping it tight-lipped.”
Hingston, who has worked as head chef at Christchurch Casino since 2011, said he took part in the activity because he wanted to “give back to the local community.”
“All charities need love and support but when I heard about Ranui House and the support they offer to patients and their families I knew I had to put my hand up.”
Hingston, an experienced pastry chef, is in charge of serving desserts, and his advice to guests is “expect the unexpected.”
“This one’s a little different and we had a lot of fun experimenting with different flavor combinations to bring this experience to life.”
For the past 31 years, the team at Ranui House have supported thousands of patients and their families, of all ages and treatment types, with accommodation and comprehensive support – but every day they are forced to turn people away because the House is full to capacity.
In 2023, Ranui House will be unable to accommodate 664 patients and their families, equating to 3,143 bed nights.
“This is simply unmet demand that the Trust is aware of – there are likely many more cases where bookings were not requested because travel bookers knew Ranui House was full,” Mr Kennedy said.
Mr Kennedy said the inspiration for “Starry Night” came from one family who said Ranui House had been like “a light in the darkness” to them.
“It breaks my heart to turn away someone in need and I can’t wait to open the doors of Ranui Apartments and be a light in the darkness for many more patients and families in need,” she says.
“We are forever grateful to the chefs who took the time to take our idea, develop it and bring it to life.”
The Ranui Apartments are due to open in September. The apartments will provide 15,695 bed nights per year for patients and their families coming to Christchurch for treatment. All funds raised from Starry Night will go towards completing the apartments. Tickets for Starry Night can be purchased online. https://starry-night.raiselysite.com/
