Charity dinner well received, likely to return
AN inaugural charity event held on Wednesday night by two worldclass chefs in Wanaka received an ‘‘overwhelming response’’ and raised nearly $4500 for local trust Kahu Youth.
Wanaka organic chef Lucas Parkinson teamed with internationallyacclaimed Auckland chef Michael Meredith at ODE restaurant, to host the town’s first Dine by Donation event, where every cent spent on food goes to charity.
Dine by Donation was created by Mr Meredith and has supported many New Zealand charities.
Mr Parkinson said the event went ‘‘really well’’ and he praised local suppliers for giving produce for the chefs to ‘‘serve more and more people’’.
He hoped it would become a regular event, and he already had another one planned for next month.
‘‘We’re in talks with my friend Ken [O’Connell], from Bracken in Dunedin. He’s going to bring Bracken over to Ode and we’re going to do a Dine by Donation.’’
‘‘I’d really like to keep it going, so if it all works out, then it’s here to stay,’’ he said.
Kahu Youth worker Claire French said the donation was ‘‘truly amazing’’ and would make a ‘‘huge difference’’ to the trust.
She said the funds would probably go towards the trust’s proposed purposebuilt youth centre at Lismore Park, which is under council consideration.