Too Many Critics…2008

August 2008 - Those who can, cook. Those who can’t cook, become critics. On October 19th 2008, humanitarian charity Action Against Hunger invites you to join the most celebrated chefs and renowned restaurant reviewers in the land at Too Many Critics, an exclusive fundraising feast that will challenge this maxim.

The tables are turned as the media's top restaurant critics lay down their pens and don their chef whites to prepare an exclusive dinner judged by the UK's finest chefs at the opulent Royal Exchange Grand Café and Bar. 

As the highlight of Restaurants Against Hunger month, the spectacular table turning tournament will feature a brave band of ten food critics, including Charles Campion (The Evening Standard), Jay Rayner (The Observer), Matthew Fort (The Guardian) and Tom Parker-Bowles (The Mail on Sunday), being unleashed on the kitchen.  Whilst diners enjoy an evening of fantastic food, fine wine and convivial company, tensions in the kitchen will run high as tables will be hosted by more than a dozen high-profile chefs, with a constellation of Michelin stars between them. This is your once in a lifetime chance to dine alongside the likes of Raymond Blanc (Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons), Shane Osborn (Pied à Terre), Fergus Henderson (St.John), Ed Baines (Randall & Aubin) and Oliver Prince (Royal Exchange Grand Café and Bar).

Hosted by BBC Radio foodie DJ Nigel Barden, the sophisticated soiree will commence with a Champagne Tattinger canapé reception.  Then, in full view of expectant diners, the reviewers’ rookie brigade will be responsible for producing a sumptuous spread from highest quality ingredients, showcasing carefully sourced rare breed British pork.  The centrepiece of the five-course banquet will be a platter of Middlewhite, Tamworth and Gloucester Old Spot belly, leg and loin with all of the trimmings. 

As well as gastronomic pleasure, entertainment will be at the heart of the event.  From a kitchen in full sight of guests, the critics’ culinary labours will be beamed to large TV screens around the dining room, exposing every foible.  During the evening, master of ceremonies Nigel Barden, will be disrupting the cooks on duty for a chat and will invite dining chefs to grill their pen-wielding counterparts and pass comment on their technique. Roast pork just wouldn’t be the same without stuffing and so each of the ten critics is charged with producing forcemeat to his or her own recipe.  

Although mostly taking a rare opportunity to sit back and enjoy a delicious dinner, the professional chefs will be set a couple of tests of their own.  The most important will be to judge which critics’ stuffing they most enjoyed. The second will be to identify the cuts of pork being served and the rare breed from which they came.  For the cheese course, the caseic challenge will be to name all five of the prestigious cheeses on the board.  The winner’s prize? Immunity from the jeers of their peers.

As an inter-course break from this prandial extravagance, a charity auction will take place.  Lots include three unique plates decorated by Heston Blumenthal (The Fat Duck), Gordon Ramsay (Restaurant Gordon Ramsay) and Fergus Henderson (St.John) - the top three UK chefs in this year’s S. Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants.  

Tickets for this foodie’s fantasy feast are £130, with all proceeds going towards the life-saving work of Action Against Hunger. Special discounts are available for group bookings, with 10 tickets at £1200. A very limited number of Golden Tickets are also available for £250, allowing the lucky holder to sit right next to the chef choice and spend the evening in the company of a food hero.

To purchase tickets for Too Many Critics, please contact Aimee Rowlands on E: a.rowlands@aahuk.org or T: 020 8293 6138

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