Cyrenians Cook-Off Challenge takes place this Friday

This Friday night some top chefs will team up with Cyrenians and Edinburgh College to cook up a storm and raise money for those excluded from family at the same time.

The evening will be start at Edinburgh College’s Milton Road Campus at 7pm when a seven course tasting menu will be prepared by some of the country’s best chefs. Hospitality students from the college’s cookery and hospitality department will work alongside them in the kitchen and then in serving up the delicious banquet.

Chefs will include Daniel Mellor, Head Chef at the Observatory restaurant at The Glasshouse Hotel; John Newton Executive Head Chef from Apex International; Sebastian Kobelt, Patissier and Chocolatier from Linlithgow; Brian Grigor, Head Chef of the Michelin-starred Number One restaurant at The Balmoral Hotel, the inaugural winner of BBC’s MasterChef:The Professionals, Derek Johnstone, who is Head Chef at the Golf Inn at Gullane and Private Chef Jane Pollock.

The funds raised on the evening will be used in trying to prevent homelessness, befriending for older people, addiction recovery service, recruitment and skills centre and in food education.

Hugh McCluskey, curriculum manager for professional cookery and hospitality at Edinburgh College, said: “Our students were delighted to have the chance to work with top chefs and soak up their hints and tips while helping a good cause. Opportunities like this inspire them to focus on their studies and continue to produce fantastic work.”

Ewan Aitken, Cyrenians Chief Executive said: “We were delighted to have the support of Edinburgh College, these superb local chefs, and many of our corporate supporters to lay on this unique evening of fine dining.  The monies raised will have a direct impact on our ability to continue to support those excluded from family, home, work or community.

“Cyrenians work to create opportunities for disadvantaged people by offering effective and lasting routes out of homelessness and promoting social inclusion. The charity focuses on four targeted areas of service: family and people, home and housing, work and skills, and community and food.”