Back in Business
Remember that I posted about this last week?
Last Tuesday I attended the media launch for this unique event.
The cause
The proceeds of the event will support education and research of breast and ovarian cancer at Mount Sinai Hospital by providing sustainable funding to the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute and Marvelle Koffler Breast Centre. This funding will sustain the work of the Institutes’ scientists in hope of discovering new approaches to prevent, diagnose and treat breast and ovarian cancers.
On a personal note, I was born at that hospital. My sister was born there. My 1 year old nephew was born there. I’ve visited sick relatives there. I’ve been on the floor that the Marvelle Koffler Breast Centre is on. We (or I) tend to want to support what we (I) have connection to, even if it’s a vague connection. Cancer has never directly affected me, thank g-d, but could – though I currently know two people battling leukemia and believe that research for any type of cancer greatly benefits all types.
The event
Each participant must raise a minimum of $2,500 to attend the event and watch the culinary battle. The 50 highest fundraisers get to cook with one of the 5 celebrity chefs, who lead their team (the fundraisers) through the process of making three courses of a five course meal. Chef Gordon Ramsay will be overseeing the kitchen. All teams much deliver each course on time for judging by a select panel of celebrity judges for tasting and scoring.
The chefs:
Massimo Capra, Lynn Crawford, Jamie Kennedy, Mark McEwan, David Rocco.
The launch
The setting for this launch was The Chefs’ House Restaurant, operated by students of the George Brown College Centre for Hospitality & Culinary Arts program. The host venue was fitting: McEwan, Crawford and Kennedy are George Brown alumni.
Addressing the crowd, Massimo Capra brought his competitive spirit by mocking Kennedy’s look with, “You need a haircut, boy.” and vowing almost menacingly to “Bring a touch of Italy” to the competition.
Most of the chefs in attendance spoke of how breast and ovarian cancer had either affected them or could. They all have women in their lives: Wives, mothers, daughters, sisters. Chef Rocco told the crowd that his mother-in-law was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, so he immediately jumped at the opportunity to be involved in this event. The only woman in the competition, Lynn Crawford couldn’t make it to the launch. However, she sent word that she was “Tossing down the spoon”, which I interpreted as kitchen speak for “Throwing down the gauntlet”. Ramsey addressed the crowd via video asking, “Can you stand the heat, Toronto? On November 20th, I’ll decide.”
With that portion of the event over, it was time to eat food that our Chef’s Challenge chefs had prepared. Chef Kennedy had made a cold smoked whitefish canape with local fish that he smokes himself, which lead to a discussion between he and I about gefilte fish and, more specifically, the gefilte fish that he makes. Literally “gefilte fish” means “filled fish” and his version is stuffed whole pickerel. If you look at what Wikipedia says about the dish (see preparing and serving), this is similar to what he described. I also notice that he’s been sporting glasses recently. The result of a print ad he participated in for Josephson Opticians 75th anniversary? I came across the ad in Toronto Life on Friday.
Among my favourite food items that I snacked on: Chef Capra’s arancini were delicious, and I had two or three. The crostini with bone marrow butter and horseradish gremolata was unlike anything I’d ever tasted and was a winner. The crostini with mascarpone and woodland mushrooms were wonderful too. The Chef’s House makes a really nice cup of coffee as well, and I’m picky about my coffee.
I laud the organizers of this event. There are so many causes competing for the same dollars and they’ve done something unique that I hope will alleviate “donor fatigue”. Every cause has a run or walk or an expensive dinner. Having participated in the Weekend to End Breast Cancer (now “The Weekend to End Women’s Cancers” – the U.S. equivalent is the Avon walks) three times (sometime between 2004 and 2007) and having to raise a $2500 minimum I can tell you that raising that money is a challenge, but a rewarding one. Personally, I hope for a day when these types of fundraising events don’t need to be held anymore because these illnesses stop happening or can be easily cured without poisoning the entire body.
The top individual Chef’s Challenge participant has raised $7,301 to date with a number of donations ranging from $10 to $500 (+ $1000 of her own money). I say this to make the point that it all adds up. Every $5 and $10, every $25. It’ll take more donors, but it can happen.
Interested in registering for this extraordinary event? Do it now. Interested in sponsoring a participant? You can do that too. Throw some money towards the chefs’ fundraising efforts.
One more thing about Kennedy: Today (Tuesday) he’s making an announcement about a new venture at the Air Canada Centre. Watch for it here. I may actually post it in a timely manner. (I currently have 3 events to post from the last 8 days but two are short.)
Eat well, be well.
