Open Evening Charity Event
This is an exciting one for us to write and shout about! As many of you know, either from being here with us or seeing the event online. On the 7th of December we opened our doors to you for an evening of all things festive! The aim of this evening was a charity raising event in aid of Ashford Food Bank (Families and Children charity).
The evening started with a mug of mulled wine or apple juice, followed by some festive treats to nibble on, peanut brittle, biscotti to name a couple. James then tempted you, our guests, outside into the cold evening air to begin two cooking demonstrations. The first a hot smoked salmon on the BBQ, perfect for Christmas morning. The second, a selection of festive pizzas, where a lucky someone could get involved and make their own pizza (to share of course!). Whilst pizzas were inhaled for warmth, James shared some top chef tips with the group on how to make your Christmas Day cooking that little bit easier…with tips such as part cooking and freezing your roast potatoes to brining your turkey!
As soon as the salmon was cooked on the BBQ, it was swiftly taken to the pantry where it could be tasted in the warmth of inside. With food being tasted here there and everywhere, it’s important to remember the reason why we are hosting this event. Whilst many of us don’t even think twice about food at Christmas time, there are so many that don’t (and won’t) have enough over this festive period.
“This event is something we’ve been wanting to do for a while now and this December seemed the right time to do it. With everyone being stretched in all directions, money wise, this winter it’s hard to forget those who need that little extra help. As food lovers we are highly aware that some go hungry during these colder months and that’s something we at the Kent Cookery School want to help combat!”
We also held a raffle draw as part of the evening, with some fantastic prizes up for grabs. Your entry ticket, £10, was also a strip of raffle tickets. Top prize was an evening course for two with us! Other prizes included a cheese board box, Debonair tea selection box, Wooden Spoon jam selection box, a magnum bottle of fizz, and a Indian Recipe Kit from our shop.
The event was a first for us, and we are so proud to say that it was a huge success with £1,000 being raised for Ashford Food Bank. Thank you to all of you joined and supported this fantastic evening and we will definitely be looking to organise another one or even two events in 2023!
