New Zealand is about to have its biggest dinner party. All for a good cause.
More than 150 restaurants and 100 wineries are on board to donate for 'Cooking Up A Storm' to help those impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle.
Chef and restaurateur Al Brown is the brainchild behind the fundraiser.
He spoke with Mel Homer on Sunday Cafe about raising funds to give back to the community with a national scale of restaurants.
"What happened with Cyclone Gabrielle was devastating for so many regions and it's heartbreaking to see," said Brown.
"I just kept thinking about this, and I came up with an idea of how the hospitality industry could come together on one night and raise funds instead of one restaurant alone.
"I don't think it's ever been done before in a sense because we all compete against each other."
'Cooking Up A Storm' involves hospitality businesses coming together, with no set menu.
Brown said most restaurants will have a ‘family meal’ for their staff before they go into service.
"The idea is someone in the kitchen will cook one meal for everyone, like a dinner party, and you come in and you eat.
"It's just like a dinner party when you go to someone's place, they don't give you a menu.
Brown got on the phone to a number of industry people including the Restaurant Association to support this idea to support the cause.
"There's a real feel-good feeling about this. We've sold over 5000 tickets for the night. We're going to win some big money for the regions.
"You're guaranteed one or two glasses of wine and at least two courses.
"It is really wonderful to see the community come together and not just the restaurants and cafes, but the wineries behind it all," Brown said.
The ‘Cooking Up A Storm’ event will be hosted in establishments nationwide on Monday 20th March.
Doors will open from 6.30 pm with dinner served at 7.00 pm.
Participating restaurants will serve a two-course comfort food menu for a set price of $69 with $46 from every sale going directly to the Mayoral Relief Funds.
A portion of the proceeds will also go directly to hospitality impacted by the recent weather events.
Listen to the full interview between Al Brown and Mel Homer above.
You can also download the full interview on the Sunday Café podcast, and listen on the go. Download the rova app on apple or android to listen to this podcast on the go, or anywhere else you get your podcasts.
