Uniting against hunger - The Bidvest World Chefs Tour against Hunger

Joint-conveners of the 2011 tour are Chef Martin Kobald (the association’s past president) and Dr. Bill Gallagher (Founder of the original event in 1993). They hope to welcome over 200 chefs from across the globe in the effort to feed the nation. The organisers plan to hold gala dinners around the world to raise awareness of the scourge of hunger while raising money. Bidvest, operational in 20 countries and across four continents, provides substantial international reach of its own. Says Kobald: “We anticipate that the Bidvest World Chefs’ Tour Against Hunger will prove to be the biggest fundraising event ever undertaken within the global chefs’ fraternity.

Southern Sun is the official accommodation partner and diamond sponsor for The Bidvest World Chefs Tour Against Hunger in August, which will be raising funds for local charities. So come along and show your support.

Southern Sun Hotels will be hosting the chefs in many of their hotels around the country and will also be holding three prestigious gala dinners to help raise funds. Southern Sun’s managing director Graham Wood says, ‘The World Chefs Tour Against Hunger is an initiative close to the heart of Southern Sun. This will be the third tour we have supported. Hunger is a major problem in South Africa and throughout the African continent and we all need to do whatever we can to support this issue.”

More than 200 of the most well-known international chefs from 42 countries will be arriving in South Africa to treat the public to a culinary bonanza in order to raise funds for The African Children’s Feeding Scheme and the Akani Diepsloot Foundation.

During the tour, guests will be able to sample the chefs’ fine cuisine at various food festivals. These will be week-long dinners at 26 Southern Sun Hotel restaurants, where some of the best-known, international chefs will work alongside our local chefs to provide diners with cuisine representing their respective countries. The festivals will take place in Joburg from 23 to 27 August and in Durban, East London, Cape Town and Nelspruit between 24 and 26 August. Details of who is cooking at these festivals will be available on Southern Sun’s website.

It's easy to show your support ... dine at any Southern Sun Hotel Food Festival and a portion of your bill will be donated to the African Children's Feeding Scheme.

The food festivals will take place at various Southern Sun restaurants from 23 to 27 August. Just to whet your appetite, here are a few examples of the food you can enjoy during the tour:

• Punchinello’s at Southern Sun Montecasino will be serving up Australian fare.
• At Yizani Restaurant at Southern Sun Waterfront you can indulge in some delicious German eats.
• Go Dutch at the Beverly Hills Hotel where you can enjoy a taste of the Netherlands.
• The Riviera Restaurant at the Suncoast Hotel & Towers will be offering the finest Indian food.
• If you’d like to try something uniquely Russian, Café Maude restaurant at Garden Court Sandton City is the place to be.

The three gala dinners will be a major highlight of the event.

• Joburg - 30 August - Sandton City Convention Centre
• Durban - 25 August - Southern Sun Elangeni Hotel
• Cape Town - 27 August - Southern Sun Cape Sun Hotel

The dinners at Cape Town and Durban cost R395 pp. The Joburg occasion is R750 pp and includes a performance by PJ Powers, a cabaret show and a souvenir gift.

Tickets for the gala charity are available from SACA. To book, call 011 482 7250.

Of course, the most important part of the World Chefs Tour Against Hunger is the children who will benefit from the event. This year’s beneficiaries are the African Children’s Feeding Scheme and the Akani Diepsloot Foundation, both of which do extraordinary work in their communities.

The African Children’s Feeding Scheme
The African Children’s Feeding Scheme (ACFS) feeds 21 000 poverty-stricken children every day. The ACFS screens children for malnutrition and other health problems and then issues food coupons and a monthly food parcel to their families. Furthermore, mothers and grandmothers attend weekly group meetings at the ACFS’s centres where they learn about nutrition, health, food gardening and other aspects of healthy living. They are encouraged to work towards independence and as soon as their circumstances improve, they are removed from the feeding scheme and others in need are added.

Akani Diepsloot Foundation
Akani Diepsloot Foundation provides a pre-school and crèche facility and an after-school ‘home’ for 750 children from the Diepsloot community. The school provides peace of mind to working parents who know their children are safe and cared for during the day. The children are given a nutritious meal every day, and participate in a comprehensive learning programme that includes English literacy skills, homework assistance and library access. Children can also participate in drama, movies, choir, dance and fitness programmes.

More details:

Eastern Cape – East London 24 - 26 August 2011

Hemingways Hotel +27 43 707-8000

Gauteng 23 - 27 August 2011

KwaZulu-Natal - Durban 24 - 26 August 2011

Mpumalanga - Nelspruit 24 - 26 August 2011

Western Cape - Cape Town 24 - 26 August 2011

Useful Links

The Bidvest World Chefs Tour website 

Southern Sun World Chefs Tour video on You Tube

Join 200 international chefs to raise fund for the hungry on Southern Sun’s website

Download the Southern Sun Uniting against Hunger brochure for more details on the chefs and venues participating