Over 200 chefs from 47 countries will visit South Africa from August 21 to 30, in a bid to raise more than R5 million to feed hundreds of thousands of starving children.
From August 21, the 10-day Bidvest World Chefs Tour Against Hunger will host public fundraising initiatives and gala dinners in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town to raise awareness of the plight of starving South Africans to finance food for them.
The tour, which is taking place for the third time, is being arranged by the South African Chefs Association (SACA) and the Academy of Chefs, under the auspices of the World Association of Chefs Societies. The tour’s patron is Bill Gallagher, founder of the original even in 1993, and its convenor is Martin Kobald, SACA’s past president.
Bidvest has donated R3,6 million to the cause, while Southern Sun is providing all the accommodation for the visiting chefs. Chefs will pay their own way for the tour, donating their time expertise and services.
The proceeds raised from the tour will not be distributed in the form of monetary donations to charities, says Kobald. “We’ll use the funds to develop feeding schemes for the beneficiary charities and to buy the food needed to sustain those feeding plans for as long as possible. We are expecting the Bidvest World Chefs Tour Against Hunger to be the biggest fundraising event yet undertaken within the global chef’s fraternity.” Food donations will go to the Akani Diepsloot Foundations and the African Children’s Feeding Scheme.
Says Gallagher: “In the context of the worldwide recession and credit crunch, many charities and good causes across the country aren’t able to continue their good work because there simply isn’t enough money to go around. The result is that, worldwide, sustainability in charities has been seriously compromised.”
“Our dream is that we can raise enough money to supply our selected charities with food for the next five years, which will allow youngsters to grow, knowing that food is coming in,” he adds.
Key events during the tour will include food festivals at various Southern Sun Hotels where the public will be able to sample specialty dishes prepared by the chefs, as well as demonstration kitchens where chefs will prepare delicacies from their home countries. There will also be gala fundraising dinners where speciality items will be available on auction.
For more information, visit www.worldchefstour.com.
