Bocuse D'Or funds to be boosted at CESA pre-conference dinner

An auction of prizes hosted by the Academy of Culinary Arts (ACA) president Brian Turner will follow the dinner in order to raise much needed funds to assist Team UK in the final of the Bocuse d'Or culinary challenge in January, when British candidate Simon Hulstone will be up against the best chefs from 23 other countries. Hulstone and chefs from Team England who will represent England at the Culinary World Cup competition in Luxembourg late November will prepare the dinner. This year the CESA conference takes place on November 12 at the Celtic Manor Hotel in Newport, South Wales, where Europe won Ryder Cup victory. Andrew Jones, managing director of Electrolux Professional and a member of the CESA marketing committee that organised the fundraiser, hopes the auction will help Team UK achieve similar success in the Bocuse d'Or. Jones said: "The CESA conference is a get together of some very influential people and we're asking them to dig deep in order to give Team UK the best chance of getting on to the podium. Success in the Bocuse d'Or is all about the preparation; some candidates have all year to prepare and the luxury of time away from their day jobs. "Simon Hulstone, chef patron of The Elephant Restaurant in Torquay, has to squeeze his preparation into the little free time he has outside of his restaurant and the last time he competed he had to fund his practices himself. We are a country that loves our food; let's demonstrate this by supporting Simon and Team UK. "Chefs, restaurant owners and suppliers have been extremely generous with their offers and as a result we've got some fantastic prizes. I'm confident that Brian Turner will do a great job of raising funds as the auction's host," he added. Bocuse d'Or is one of the most sought after prizes for chefs around the globe. Founded by culinary legend Paul Bocuse, the contest has taken place in Lyon in France every two years since 1987. The ACA manages the UK Bocuse d'Or representation and Turner is the UK juror. The auction prizes include the following: • Two separate shows with all-inclusive entertainment in an O2 corporate box, sponsored by Nestlé Professional • Dinner for two at the Waterside Inn in Bray (Alain Roux) • Dinner for two including wine at Glynn Purnells' restaurant in Birmingham • Dinner for two including wine at Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester • Dinner for two including wine at Hibiscus London (Claude Bosi) • Dinner for two including wine at Simpson's in Edgbaston • Four "Can't buy tickets" to 50 Best Restaurant Awards 2011 • Weekend stay at the Celtic Manor with Fine Dining Dinner • Rolls Royce chauffeur driven transfers from the airport for an all-inclusive two night stay at Inverlochy Castle (Albert Roux) • Two corporate seats at Twickenham Rugby Stadium • Afternoon tea at the Ritz • Plus many more … For more information about CESA and the fundraising dinner, visit: www.cesa.org.uk To pledge your support for Team UK in the Bocuse d'Or, visit bocusedor.thestaffcanteen.com or email bocusedor@academyofculinaryarts.org.uk