Partnering with industry charity Hospitality Action, The Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards is raising substantial funds for those whose livelihoods are at risk of disappearing as a direct consequence of the pandemic.
Restaurants and chefs from the Top 100 list past and present have come up with a host of mouthwatering experiences
Lots include a meal, masterclass and stay at last year’s winner Moor Hall in Lancashire; a tour of Chinatown with celebrated chef Andrew Wong; a foraging experience followed by dinner with The Black Swan at Oldstead’s Tommy Banks; and a meal at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and a suite at the Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge.
A number of chefs have offered to cook within people’s homes, including Masterchef star Monica Galetti and Rochelle Canteen’s Margot Henderson.
The Top 100 Auction also includes international experiences, including meals at world-renowned Spanish restaurants El Celler De Can Roca and Tickets (flights and accommodation included).
The auction will go live on 24 August, via the website. To receive updates about the auction make sure you're following The National Restaurant Awards on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Last year’s National Restaurant Awards top-spot holder, Mark Birchall, of Moor Hall, says he’s proud to be supporting The Top 100 Auction.
“The hospitality industry has been hit incredibly hard by the pandemic and even though restaurants are opening again, there is a long and very tough road to recovery ahead,” he adds. “It’s so important that we come together to support this industry and those who need it the most.”
Hospitality Action says it welcomes the Top 100 Auction initiative and says it will use the cash raised for its Hospitality Recovery Fund.
“This auction sees the cream of the UK’s restaurant sector pulling together with some fantastic lots to help the wider hospitality sector and support those who really need it,” says a spokesperson.
“Independent operators are the lifeblood of our industry, developing the most innovative concepts, championing local ingredients, and employing and nurturing the best talent. Their recovery is vital to the health of our industry and the enjoyment of the vibrant communities they serve.”
Due to the pandemic, the UK restaurant industry’s number one event and awards ceremony, the Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards, was not able to take place.
Alongside the auction and to further support the industry, the Estrella Damm National Restaurant Awards will also be running a virtual Congress on 28 September as part of parent company William Reed’s Hospitality Week, a series of free-to-attend high quality content, though leadership and industry insight.
The Congress will bring together some of the biggest names in UK restaurants to reflect on the crisis, discuss the challenges they face as they re-open and talk about their ambitions for their own businesses and the sector more generally beyond the pandemic.
To register for Hospitality Week and for the Congress, please click here.
