Kilimanjaro-climbing chefs to take centre stage at The Restaurant Show
23 September 2013
First public viewing for film showing chefs’ ascent
Three members of the chefs’ team that last month made it to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro will be at The Restaurant Show next month to describe their incredible achievement.
John Freeman (Head Chef at the Michelin-starred Restaurant Sat Bains in Nottingham), Paul Foster (Head Chef at Suffolk’s highly regarded Tuddenham Mill) and Paulo de Tarso (Senior Maître D’ at Knightsbridge’s Bar Boulud) will be talking about their challenge of a lifetime that saw the entire team defy the odds by making it to the summit of the world’s tallest freestanding mountain. The team was led by Ashley Palmer-Watts, Executive Head Chef at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. Unfortunately, due to prior commitments, Ashley will not be at the Restaurant Show.
Only 41% of all those who set out to climb Kilimanjaro actually reach the summit at Uhuru Peak which towers over Africa at a height of 5,895 metres above sea level. Getting to the top is the equivalent of climbing Big Ben 61 times.
The team will also be talking about their support for Farm Africa, the leading UK charity for which they have raised £54,000 through sponsorship for the climb.
Exclusive film showing
The special session dedicated to the Kilimanjaro triumph will feature an exclusive unveiling of an extraordinary film shot entirely on location as the chefs climbed to the roof of Africa. Following the film-screening, Paul, John and Paulo will explain what motivated them to take on such a momentous and demanding challenge. They will also be answering questions from the audience.
The chefs have so far raised a staggering £54,000 for Farm Africa’s Food for Good campaign which is bringing together leading players in the UK’s food and hospitality sectors to help tackle one of the world’s most pressing problems: hunger. Food for Good has been turning heads all year, making Farm Africa the charity of choice for many of the leading companies in the food and hospitality sectors. Thanks to a variety of challenges throughout the year, including the Chefs Kilimanjaro Challenge, the extraordinary total of £375,000 has so far been raised for Food for Good.
Event Details:
Monday 7 October at 13.00
Earls Court 2, Centre Stage
Members of the press are welcome to attend. Further information, including details of how to register, is available here: http://www.therestaurantshow.co.uk/Content/Press/6/
The film will be available on request to the media after the Restaurant Show viewing on 7 October.
Ends
Images of the team at the summit of Kilimanjaro are available on request.
All images, news and video clips from the Challenge are available via the team’s dedicated blog, Chefs with Altitude: http://www.farmafrica.org/chefswithaltitude
For more information, and to arrange interviews with the chefs, please contact the Farm Africa Press Office:
Matt Whitticase, 020 7067 1237 / mattheww@farmafrica.org
Laura Oakley, 020 7067 1252 /laurao@farmafrica.org
Notes to Editor:
About Farm Africa
Farm Africa supports farmers living at subsistence level, constantly at risk of crop failure, to build food and income security so that they can grow a better and reliable future for their families.
By focusing on ‘climate smart’ agricultural and forestry techniques, building market links and adding value to production, Farm Africa unleashes the entrepreneurial abilities of the farmers and rural communities they work with.
This is the time to turn challenge into opportunity for African farmers. Farm Africa believes passionately that smallholders can and will play a key role in achieving rural prosperity in Africa.
Food for Good
The Chefs’ Kilimanjaro Challenge is part of Food for Good, a Farm Africa initiative that is bringing together the food and hospitality industry to tackle one of the biggest challenges facing the world today: hunger. You can find out more about Food for Good here: www.farmafrica.org/foodforgood
In addition, Farm Africa is the chosen charity for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants List 2013, sponsored by San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna.
