A TV chef, a group of students, an unusual shopping list and a room full of hungry guests were the perfect ingredients for a successful fund-raising dinner for the Lord Mayor’s Charity, Cardiff Foodbank.
The Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Cllr Derrick Morgan, hosted the Great Gatsby-themed dinner and drinks reception at the SA Brain Suite at Cardiff Metropolitan University in collaboration between the School of Management at Cardiff Metropolitan University, the Lord Mayor’s office and Cardiff Foodbank.
Senior lecturer at the School of Management, Lisa Wright, and her students rose to the challenge of creating an event while Michelin-starred chef Stephen Terry from the Hardwick Restaurant in Abergavenny devised an inventive menu using only items from the Foodbank shopping list, which includes long-life packet or tinned goods that make up the emergency food parcels for Foodbank clients.
Stephen, an associate professor at the School of Management, created a mouth-watering menu of tuna and olive rotolo or papperdelle to start, followed by a savoury battenburg or mixed pulse and flageolet bean roulade and a coconut pannacotta for dessert for the guests who included local dignitaries, local members, Cardiff Foodbank Trustees and supporters of the Cardiff Foodbank charity.
Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Cllr Derrick Morgan, said: “I was delighted to host this fundraising Gala Dinner in aid of my nominated Charity Cardiff Foodbank. It gave me the opportunity to share my determination to work with organisations like Cardiff Foodbank which help support individuals and families who are suffering short term periods of crisis.
“In a climate of worsening poverty and rising homelessness, Foodbanks and their network of support services are becoming ever more necessary. The evening was a resounding success and I think everyone really appreciated the wonderful menu created for us using the Foodbank ingredients.”
Ian Purcell, Project Manager at Cardiff Foodbank said: ”We are grateful for the enthusiastic support and expertise of the School of Management at Cardiff Metropolitan University in this venture. Lisa Wright and her students worked so hard and showed such imagination in preparing for and putting on a wonderful event. We have been delighted by what they have been able to achieve.”
Lisa Wright, Senior Lecturer School of Management at Cardiff Metropolitan University said: “The students designed this entire event from conception to completion and have done a fantastic, creative job, with invaluable support from Stephen Terry. The success of the event is testament to their professionalism and commitment to their course and future careers. It also shows the level of commitment that they have for this critical charity and the support that it delivers.”
Donations to Cardiff Foodbank can be made at a number of Cardiff libraries and council buildings across the city and food donations are now well on their way to reaching one tonne in weight.
