A meal like no other: Bangkok Chef Charity makes a comeback
The Bangkok Chef Charity 2024 is back on track for the first time after a gap of 4 years due to the Covid-19 pandemic and is aiming to raise funds for hospitals under the Debaratana Vejjanukula Foundation and for needy children in remote areas of Thailand.
The 11th edition fundraising gala luncheon, will be held on February 17 at the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, with Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn graciously presiding over the event.
Organised by Jivanand Company Limited, the 2024 gala will feature 11 Michelin-starred restaurants, in addition to top hotels in Bangkok and Hong Kong, as well as three leading culinary academies in Bangkok. A total of 30 chefs will craft a 10-course gourmet menu for 360 guests.
All proceeds will be presented to Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn for charities under her patronage and donated to underprivileged schools in remote areas of Northern Thailand as well as the hospitals under the Debaratana Vejjanukula Foundation.
One of the main ingredients to be used at the event is the so-called “Royal Rice” or “Khao Dawk Mali 105” (KDML 105), which will feature in two of the canapés preceding the 10-course culinary extravaganza. Nuntiya Intralib, Jivanand’s managing director, says the royal rice is a variety known as “Jan Ka Pak Jasmine Rice” and is produced in Surin and Buriram provinces. This rice variety is grown and nourished with organic, natural, chemical-free fertilisers, she explained.
The gala will also provide a stage for young chefs who will participate alongside the star chefs made up of students from renowned international schools in Bangkok, led by Shrewsbury International School. “We also have a brand-new Bangkok Chef Charity logo crafted by a talented student from the Chitrlada Academy,” Nuntiya added.
The one-of-a-kind Bangkok Chef Charity editions, considered the height of glamour and an affair marked by dazzling attire and luxurious food, were initiated in 2009 when executive chefs from leading hotels in Bangkok collaborated in pairs to craft an epicurean feast to raise funds for needy children in remote areas of Thailand. The 10th edition, held in 2019, raised an unprecedented 44 million baht, the highest in the event’s 10-year history.
