FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Top Chefs and Masterchef Contender Work Side By Side For Charity

•    Official launch of the Supper Club 2013

Auckland, 8 May 2013 – Top chefs and MasterChef contender Vanessa Baxter set aside any culinary rivalry to create a home cooked meal for the families staying at Ronald McDonald House Auckland last night. The 12 chefs prepped, cooked and served a meal to the 150 family members, who were thrilled by the high calibre cooking.

Vanessa Baxter, an ambassador for the charity, is quickly becoming known for her passion for food and family. “It was an absolute privilege to work with these amazing chefs and to provide a well deserved break for the courageous families who are spending all their time on the ward looking after their children.

“I’m in awe of the parents and the brave faces they maintain. Also for the siblings who are caught up in the difficult daily routine alongside their brothers and sisters.  MasterChef may be tough but it’s nothing compared to what these families are going through.”

The purpose of the night was to launch the charity’s annual Supper Club event, which will be held on 25th June and will involve 40 of Auckland’s most generous restaurants. A fundraising event, guests purchase a table of ten, and on the night it’s a lucky draw to find out which restaurant they are going to.

“We are absolutely thrilled that Vanessa and the chefs have helped us launch our Supper Club event in this way. Once they were in the kitchen there was no stopping them and we’re immensely grateful for their participation,” says Wayne Howett, CEO, Ronald McDonald House Auckland Trust.

“This year, the event will kick off with cocktail party at the Hilton and after dinner everyone will re-group at SKYCITYS’s Twentyone for an after party. There is always a huge amount of interest in our annual fundraiser, so we’re still looking for more restaurants to come on-board to satisfy demand,” says Wayne Howett.

While the Supper Club event involves Auckland’s top restaurants, the benefits are nationwide. The Trust provides accommodation and support for families from all over New Zealand, whose children must be in Auckland for treatment at the National Children’s Hospital.

“What the charity provides goes way beyond just accommodation. We provide shelter, support and a safe environment for families during what can be a highly stressful time. By providing a safe haven families can focus on the most important job, which is helping their child heal,” says Wayne Howett.

All proceeds from the Supper Club dinner ticket sales go towards the development of phase two of the charity Grafton Mews family accommodation facility.

To become involved in the Supper Club or to purchase tickets contact Natalie Judd natalie.judd@rmh.co.nz

MasterChef contender Vanessa Baxter and chefs serve Eshay Rapira-Moses staying at Ronald McDonald House Auckland. Photo credit: Carmen Bird Photography

ENDS

© Scoop Media