NSPCC Schools Services Banquet Dinner 2015

This year followed a slightly different format to before, as we shifted venues to the Guildhall of London, home of the World’s Fifty Best Restaurants awards. We also welcomed for the first time one of our Great Italian Chefs, Teresa Buongiorno from Caravigno in Puglia. This meant that the very efficient team at Mosimann’s prepared a total of five courses for 380 guests under the watchful eyes of five of Europe’s most talented gastronomes.

Starting things off, chef Michael Wignall (representing the South East) produced an exquisite pigeon pastrami before we travelled to Italy for Teresa’s pink gnocchi with basil and ricotta. Flying the flag for fish (and Scotland) was Brazilian-born Marcello Tully from the Isle of Skye who produced a classically-inspired and elegant sea bass, crab and squid ink dish. A taste of the North West came from Lancashire legend Paul Heathcote MBE, who served perfectly pink duck with sweet apples and wintry leeks and celeriac. Although Welsh-born and bred, chef James Sommerin’s dessert was inspired by Italian cuisine. The classic flavours of a tiramisu were combined with almond ice cream and honeycomb in a white chocolate dome, dusted with a final flourish of cocoa.

In total, this led to guests enjoying 1900 plates of food created by five chefs with a staggering seven Michelin stars between them! Not to mention the 1520 glasses of wine also consumed… The celebratory atmosphere was completed by sensational seasonal decor from Firehouse Productions, creating a festive feeling that resulted in over £200,000 in donations raised for the NSPCC.

Joining us at the dinner were many of the chefs who had taken part in the event over the last four years, including Paul Foster, Adam Stokes, Adam Simmonds, Robert Thompson, Josh Eggleton, Martin Wishart and Mark Dodson. It was an honour to have them and we look forward to welcoming them back for the fifth event in 2016.

A big thank you goes out to all involved in putting together such a brilliant event, with notable mentions to John Worth, Claire Orbell and the team at NSPCC; Anton Mosimann and Helmut Struppl of Mosimann’s catering; Liz McKeown and Aimee Cozens of Gusto Events; Mike Harper and the team at Firehouse Productions; and Noel Murphy and Casey Gutteridge for the fantastic photography on the night. Of course a huge thank you also to the Guildhall and all the guests, donors and supporters of NSPCC and Great British Chefs.