Six stellar chefs gave their time for free to create a glamourous dining experience at one of the most luxurious hotels in the capital, The Langham, London, raising £85,000 for the charity DEBRA’s #FightEB appeal (www.FightEB.org.uk) – money which could make a real difference to the quality of life for people suffering from the painful skin blistering condition, Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB).
Chefs Michel Roux Jr, Chris King, Chris Galvin, Jacob Kenedy, Hywel Jones and Andrew Gravett were each responsible for one course of the bespoke menu at the DEBRA Great Chefs Dinner which took place earlier this month. Guests enjoyed specially paired wines (kindly supplied free of charge by England’s leading wine producer, Chapel Down) with each delectable course.
During the event, EB sufferer James Dunn, who recently appeared on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, spoke candidly about his ongoing battle with an aggressive form of skin cancer caused by the condition and his ambition to raise as much money as possible to make a difference for people living with EB through DEBRA’s #FightEB campaign, and guests gave generously to support the cause.
Since the event, other chefs have come forward to volunteer their time to support the EB Community and plans for a DEBRA 40th Anniversary Celebrity Chefs Dinner, where guests will be able to enjoy an exclusive menu prepared by five expert chefs, including Michelin star holders Giorgio Locatelli and Jeff Galvin, the brother of Chris Galvin, are already underway.
Chef Chris Galvin, who cooked for the DEBRA Great Chefs Dinner, says: “James and DEBRA are doing amazing work raising awareness of EB. It was an inspiring experience meeting James and I’m happy to be part of such a worthy campaign. If you want to support the #FightEB campaign, then do attend the 40th Anniversary Celebrity Chefs Dinner on the 8 June, where my brother Jeff Galvin will be cooking.”
Money raised through #FightEB could provide care and support to people suffering from EB here and now or fund research into effective treatments, and ultimately, a cure for EB, including a Phase 2 clinical trial to investigate whether a drug, Rigosertib, could be used to reduce or destroy EB cancer tumours. If successful, this trial could lead to more effective treatments for this aggressive form of cancer, offering new hope to EB sufferers like James.
DEBRA’s 40th Anniversary Celebrity Chefs Dinner will take place on 8 June 2018 at The Savoy, London. Places for this exciting summertime event are limited. Call the DEBRA Events Team on 01344 771961 or email [email protected] to book your tickets now.
