Genuine Dining duo set sail across the Atlantic

After years of preparation, the day has arrived for Chris Mitchell and Robbie Laidlaw of Genuine Dining to set sail across the Atlantic raising funds for Hospitality Action.

Their journey – which they have dubbed the Spirit of Hospitality – will cover 3,000 miles across the Atlantic, with the pair setting sail from San Sebastian in La Gomera in the Canary Islands this morning (13 December), hoping to reach Nelson’s Dockyard English Harbour in Antigua & Barbuda sometime in January.

The pair were due to set sail yesterday, but their departure was delayed until today due to the weather.

The Atlantic Challenge is described as the world's toughest row, with up to 20-feet waves and sea valleys up to file miles deep, with storms that can last for days. Genuine Dining CEO, Mitchell, and business development director, Laidlaw, are pushing themselves to the limit in aid of Hospitality Action with hopes to raise £250,000.

The pair will be in their boat, named Maria, for a minimum of 40 days, surviving on dehydrated meals and snacks totalling around 6,000 calories each per day. Chefs including Neil Rankin, Daniel Howes and Tom Kerridge are sponsoring the voyage with food and supplies for their crossing, as well as a special Christmas lunch.

Mitchell said: “It’s so important to represent the people in our industry who need our help, please give what you can. And we can’t wait to tell you all about it from Antigua.”

Genuine Dining team supporters on the ground in La Gomera said: “What a way to raise money for this amazing charity. The boys are in top shape and we can’t wait to follow their progress.”

Hospitality Action offer lifelines to people who work or have worked in hospitality and are in difficulty or crisis. They support people with physical and mental health issues, poverty, addiction, relationship breakdown, domestic abuse, grief, and all the other challenges that can affect us all. Since 2020, they have spent over £4m awarding grants to more than 12,000 households. And they’ve fielded over 30,000 calls to their helplines.

To support Mitchell and Laidlaw’s heroic efforts