|
 |
The
(Really) Naked Chefs - Saucy Dorset and Hampshire Chefs Go Naked For
Hospitality Action |
Temperatures
rose in the kitchen as twelve brave chefs from across Dorset and
Hampshire swapped their chef whites for their birthday suits! The
chefs, who are involved with the 50th Anniversary of the Bournemouth
Hotel and Catering Exhibition in 2006, have taken part in a fun and
daring calendar designed to raise funds for the charity Hospitality
Action. The humorous 2007 calendar, which features some of the
industry's most talented chefs in a succession of revealing poses,
wearing nothing more than an apron, leaves, a fish, a bunch of
carrots, or even a crab, went on sale in March 2006.
The calendar,
which features top recipes from the participating chefs, was
available at the Bournemouth Hotel and Catering Exhibition 2006 which
took place on 7-8th March 2006 at the Bournemouth International
Centre. They are also available at the Exhibition's website www.hotel-expo.co.uk
and at participating chef's restaurants.
Chef, Ian
Hewitt from Bistro on the Beach in Bournemouth, who posed with just a
life-ring and a bunch of asparagus said, "My colleagues think
I'm mad, but I thought that this was quite an unusual and fun way to
help a good cause. We did the photo shoot on the jetty in front of
the Avonmouth Hotel in Christchurch, which had lots of older ladies
outside enjoying breakfast; they found it all very funny!
"It's
great that the south coast chefs have pulled together on this to help
the charity, and the recipes included within the calendar give the
public and the industry a real flavour of the quality cuisine on
offer in the region. Many people are unaware of what's available
here; we have many smaller restaurants that offer fantastic dining
experiences, employing local people and using the finest local
produce."
The local
chefs were on hand (and fully clothed!) to sign calendars at the
Exhibition on the Hospitality Action stand. Some also showed off
their culinary expertise at the Show's Bournemouth & Poole
College Cookery Theatre, sponsored by Electrolux, and one (as part of
a brigade of chefs) even prepared mouth-watering dishes for guests at
the Show's Gold Hospitality Ball event on 7th March 2006.
Hospitality
Action has been selected as the chosen charity for the 2006
Exhibition as it provides financial support to people within the
hospitality industry who have suffered a serious life changing illness/accident,
or a severe crisis. It also provides support for the retired, and
education on drug and alcohol abuse. Between January and August 2005
the charity awarded 63 beneficiaries across the south west
£40,856 and is actively changing lives in the region.
Chefs featured
within the calendar include Greg Etheridge from Bournemouth's
WestBeach, which was recently awarded AA Fish Restaurant of the Year
2005/06, who posed naked with a giant 7lbs halibut fish! Peter
Vaughan, who is featured with an array of carrots, is a familiar face
on television and is proprietor of The Healthy Life & Bistro in
Wiltshire. Swanage-born Chris Wheeler, who worked with
Jean-Christophe Novelli as his right hand man for ten years and now
works at the Stoke Park Club in Buckinghamshire, also took part
wearing nothing but a strategically placed locally caught crab!
Other chefs
that took part in the calendar include Colin Nash of the Stanwell
House Hotel in Lymington, and Chris Corbett of Bournemouth's
Carrington House Hotel. Gary Kilminster of Careys Manor in the New
Forest also took part alongside Nigel Popperwell of the Avonmouth
Hotel, Carl France of Haven Hotel, and chefs from the Youngs Hotel
Chain. Liz Farrow, representing the Ship in Distress in Christchurch
was the only female participant who braved the elements wearing
nothing more than a few leaves at the south coast's finest
privately-owned gardens, Compton Acres in Poole.
