Belazu and Chefs in Schools host virtual banquet with renowned chefs to feed families in need

Food supplier Belazu is hosting a virtual vegetarian feast with chefs including Yotam Ottolenghi, Angela Hartnett, Jeremy Lee and Thomasina Miers to raise money for the Belazu Foundation and its charity partner, Chefs in Schools.

During lockdown, Chefs in Schools has created an emergency fund to help households with hungry children, the number of which has doubled during the coronavirus crisis, leaving more than a fifth of families without access to enough food.

Each ticket sold enables 60 meals for these families.

Dishes to cook along to on the night include Ottolenghi’s hummus with Pizza Pilgrims’ flatbread, Josh Katz’s signature cauliflower shawarma and Jeremy Lee’s raspberry and ricotta pudding.

The event invites home cooks to dish up a four-course menu from their own kitchens under the guidance of renowned bartender, Ryan Chetiyawardana aka Mr Lyan; restaurateur, chef and writer Yotam Ottolenghi; Michelin-starred chef and restauranteur Angela Hartnett; Thomasina Miers, co-founder of Wahaca; Jeremy Lee from Quo Vadis restaurant; Josh Katz from Berber & Q restaurant; Helen Graham from Bubala restaurant; Ramael Scully of Scully’s; and James Elliott from Pizza Pilgrims.

Diners will be sent a box with all the ingredients they will need for the evening, and a weblink to join the virtual dining experience. Henry Dimbleby, co-founder of Chefs in Schools and restaurant chain Leon, will host the evening, with guest appearances from comedians Wendy Wason and magician Chris Dodd.

George Bennell, co-founder of Belazu Ingredient Company and Belazu Foundation, said: “Chefs in Schools is working tirelessly to ensure nutritious food reaches the families who need it the most through the intelligence that their school network provides. We’re hoping to raise an estimated £30,000 to help feed our most vulnerable children and families and it’s amazing that our friends in the chef community, who have been so professionally devastated by this crisis are willing, yet again, to pitch in so selflessly to help those in need.”

Naomi Duncan, chief executive at Chefs in Schools, added: "With schools closed, up to 500,000 children who are eligible for free school meals are currently going without. Our chefs are doing a fantastic job to keep the kitchens running and are currently overseeing a brilliant team of volunteers and school staff to cook nutritious meals. Every food crate that they make contains a week’s worth of freshly cooked lunches.

"Together, we can reach more children and families, and the money raised from the virtual fundraising dinner with Belazu will enable us to double and even triple our reach in the coming months. We want to ensure that our support continues through the summer holidays when we know families will be particularly vulnerable to food shortages.”

The virtual banquet takes place on Friday 29 May from 6pm. For more information and to buy tickets, click here.