Gordon Ramsay to Visit Papakura High School

PRESS RELEASE

Gordon Ramsay to Visit Papakura High School In Support of the Rising Foundation
LOCATION: Papakura High School, Willis Road, Papakura

Gordon Ramsay, OBE, acclaimed chef, restaurateur, broadcaster, author and holder of 11 Michelin stars will head back to school later this month to put the spotlight on helping at risk youth in South Auckland.

Ramsay is headlining a glittering gala dinner sponsored by international appliance giant Beko, raising support and money for The Rising Foundation.

But before he entertains the movers and shakers of the corporate set at the ‘Dinner with Gordon Ramsay, brought to you by Beko in association with Paper Plus’ at Auckland’s Vodafone Events Centre on April 26, the star of top rating shows Hell's Kitchen, F-Word, MasterChef US and Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares will visit Papakura High School for a cultural experience delivered by some of the 600 children who are being assisted by The Rising Foundation as they rebuild their lives.

“It is a phenomenal gesture by Mr Ramsay,” the foundation’s chairman John Bongard said.

“There is nothing in his contract that says he has to do this school visit.

“He has agreed to come and meet the kids simply because he wants too and let me assure you, there are plenty of excited kids and teachers who can’t wait to meet Gordon.

“The fact that someone of his stature and fame is prepared to take time out of his schedule to come to South Auckland and meet the kids, well, that’s the measure of the man.”

Not an open public event, Mr Ramsay will receive a Powhiri (traditional Maori welcome) a Karanga (welcome call) before mixing with a select group of invited children belonging to The Rising Foundation programme from Papakura High School, Pukekohe High School and Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate.

“Some of the children we deal with are severely challenged,” Mr Bongard said. “But in time we have seen them become peer leaders in their groups and as a result they, and their families, are in better positions to make better life choices.”

The Rising Foundation prides itself on long-term relationships with children they support.

“We usually start working with them when they are 13 and we stay with them for seven years,” said Mr Bongard.

“It’s a program we believe is transferable to other vulnerable communities throughout New Zealand so we’re very grateful to the team at Beko and Duco Events for choosing us as their charity of choice for this event.

“Not only will the money raised help, but the profile of having someone like Gordon Ramsay associated with the evening will hopefully alert other community leaders around the country about what we do and how we can help them.”

The school visit is only possible because of the sponsorship from Beko – the world’s 4th largest supplier of domestic appliances – who are responsible for bringing Mr Ramsay to Auckland for the banquet event Dinner with Gordon Ramsay brought to you by Beko in association with Paper Plus where guests will enjoy a four course menu - conceptualised from scratch by Mr Ramsay – a meal which will be matched with fine New Zealand wines.

The international appliance giant – the 3rd largest brand in Europe - only launched in New Zealand in 2012 and said the lure of aligning themselves with a dinner event headlined by culinary genius Mr Ramsay, and at the same time raising much needed funds for The Rising Foundation, was too good an opportunity to turn down.

“If we are going to make some noise in the New Zealand market we had to find a way to make consumers aware of us in a formidable and acceptable way,” Beko’s Managing Director Mike Goadby said.

“Gordon Ramsay gives us that opportunity and we are expecting that, along with a significant television presence, we will reach and excite consumers and get great buy-in from our dealers.”
Event organiser, David Higgins from Duco Events is excited about Mr Ramsay’s visit.

“Cooking’s hot right now around the world and there’s no bigger name in the world than Gordon Ramsay, so to have him here in New Zealand is a real coup,” Mr Higgins said.

“It has been refreshing too to see the enthusiasm both Mr Ramsay and Beko have shown for the night’s nominated charity.

“Both are passionate about trying to help the under privileged.

“On a personal level I’m looking forward to seeing Gordon in action.

“The entrée, dinner and dessert menu will be his design and he will give a speech on the night.

“As we know, Mr Ramsay is never short of an opinion...”

DINNER WITH GORDON RAMSAY BROUGHT TO YOU BY BEKO IN ASSOCIATION WITH PAPER PLUS
Date: Friday 26 April, 2013
Venue: Vodafone Events Centre
Time: 6pm – 11.30pm
Dress: Lounge suit or business attire
Menu: Four Course designed by Gordon Ramsay
Tickets: www.ducoevents.co.nz

ABOUT PRESENTING SPONSOR: BEKO
Beko, one of Europe’s largest and most sophisticated lifestyle brands, recently launched its new range of smart and innovative home appliances to Australian and New Zealand retailers. The European manufacturer is recognised as one of the top ten white-good brands in the world. It distributes its consumer products into more than 100 countries and is renowned for creating intelligent, environmental and technologically smart appliances. “Beko is a proven and successful brand across Europe - all our appliances provide contemporary styling, outstanding features and excellent value. We’ve researched, listened and responded to the needs of Australasian customers and consumers and we are confident of becoming a major brand for Australian and New Zealand families,” said Mike Goadby, Managing Director, Beko Australia/New Zealand.
Outlets with Beko product in New Zealand include The Appliance Shed, Smiths City Group, Appliance Connexion 100% & Kitchen Things
www.beko.co.nz

ABOUT CHARITY RECIPIENT: THE RISING FOUNDATION
The Rising Foundation believes in the potential of New Zealand’s youth and has seen first-hand how a sustained programme of intervention and support works. This privately funded foundation under the stewardship of John Bongard and social worker and programme designer Eli Tulafono runs a break through programme to support adolescents in challenging personal circumstances to ‘rise up’ and to build positive lives. It supports, guides and challenges them to discover the satisfaction that is gained from contributing to their communities and achieving personal goals. The programme has been designed by social workers and has been successfully tested in South Auckland. While the programme begins in schools, post schooling work continues to provide employment opportunities for our graduates with motivated companies and business leaders within the community. www.therisingfoundation.org.nz

ABOUT GORDON RAMSAY:
Scottish by birth, Gordon Ramsay was brought up in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. 

With an injury prematurely putting an end to any hopes of a promising career in football, he went back to college to complete a course in hotel management. 
His dedication and natural talent led him to train with some of the world’s leading chefs, such as Albert Roux and Marco Pierre White in London, and Guy Savoy and Joël Robuchon in France. In 1993 Gordon became chef of Aubergine in London, which within three years, was awarded two Michelin stars. In 1998, at the age of 31, Ramsay set up his first wholly owned and namesake restaurant, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, which quickly received the most prestigious accolade in the culinary world – three Michelin stars. 
Today, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay is London’s longest-running restaurant to hold this award, and Ramsay is one of only four chefs in the UK to maintain three stars.

Now internationally renowned, Gordon has opened a string of successful restaurants across the globe, from Italy to the United States. The group continues to grow with recent openings such as Bread Street Kitchen in London’s City district; two ventures in Doha, Qatar; The Fat Cow in Lose Angeles and three in Vegas; Gordon Ramsay Steak at Paris Las Vegas, Gordon Ramsay Pub and Grill and Gordon Ramsay BurGR.

Ramsay received an OBE (Order of the British Empire awarded by Queen Elizabeth II) in 2006 for services to the industry. Gordon has also become a star of the small screen both in the UK and internationally, with UK shows such as GORDON BEHIND BARS, ULTIMATE COOKERY COURSE, GORDON’S GREAT ESCAPES and GORDON RAMSAY: SHARK BAIT, as well as three top-rated FOX shows that air in more than 200 countries worldwide: KITCHEN NIGHTMARES, HELL’S KITCHEN and MASTERCHEF, and his latest FOX series HOTEL HELL.

He is also a published author of a number of books, many of which have become bestsellers around the world, most notably his autobiography, Roasting in Hell’s Kitchen.  Gordon has a global partnership with WWRD (Waterford, Wedgwood, Royal Doulton), which offers quality home and lifestyle products.
Gordon’s latest book – ‘Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Cookery Course’ is specifically designed for the home cook – to teach how to cook good food at home and show how anyone can produce mouth-watering recipes.

ENDS

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