Too Many Critics, the charity fundraiser that saw a number of restaurant writers swap the keyboard for the kitchen, raised more than £121,000 for Action Against Hunger in a record-breaking evening for the longstanding event. Organised by food writer Bill Knot, the team had hoped to make £100,000.
Held in Vivek Singh’s Cinnamon Club in Westminster on Sunday June 4, the evening saw critics and food writers step up to the tandoor oven, with Giles Coren, Grace Dent, Adam Hyman, Tom Parker Bowles, Rose Prince and the Standard’s own David Ellis taking part. The evening was hosted by chef and television presenter Ravneet Gill.
Heavily aided by Singh, his group development chef Rakesh Nair and the full Cinnamon Club team, the writers prepared, cooked and served a number of dishes, including a variety of Indian breads, four different types of chaat, and a show-stopping main of slow-braised lamb leg with a nutmeg and peppercorn sauce. The breads saw the critics compete to be declared winner; Tom Parker Bowles came out on top.
Those in the room included Nieves Barragán Mohacho of Sabor, Pip Lacey of Hicce, both of whom were judging the event, while others eating included Andrew Yeo of Hakkasan; Robin Gill of Darby’s, the Dairy and others; and restaurateurs, such as M Restaurants and Gaucho man Martin Williams and Soren Jessen of Ekte and celebrity hangout One Lombard Street. The entrepreneur Michael Tobin, who is well known for his philanthropic ventures, was also in attendance.
Besides the meal was a silent auction, with prizes including dinner with the Standard’s chief critic Jimi Famurewa. A live auction followed pudding, and prizes here included a meal at Boisdale with Tom Parker Bowles, Bill Knot and Giles Coren, which sold for £15,000; a lavish, all-out meal courtesy of Richard Corrigan, which sold for £11,000; and two meals with the Standard’s David Ellis, which sold for £5,000 apiece.
The money raised during the evening will go to supporting Action Against Hunger’s work across the world: the charity works in more than 50 countries to “predict, prevent and treat life-threatening hunger”.
Jean-Michel Grand, Action Against Hunger UK’s executive director, said: “We are so grateful to everyone who made this year’s ‘Too Many Critics’ event such a success. With 222 million people facing crisis levels of malnutrition and hunger, we need to turn the tables on our global food crisis and this event — putting food critics in the shoes of chefs — did exactly that, whilst raising thousands of pounds to support Action Against Hunger’s aid projects.”
