Vivek Singh and Mastara Chef Apprentices – (Left to Right) Muhammad Kuhinoor, Matthew Foster, Carolyn Huntley, Daniel Walsh, Abdelilah Serroukh
Executive Chef and CEO of The Cinnamon Club, Cinnamon Kitchen and Cinnamon Soho, Vivek Singh will join forces with fellow chefs Atul Kochhar, Cyrus Todiwala and Philip Corrick to raise money for the Mastara Chef apprentice initiative, by preparing a four-course Gastronomic Experience dinner at the Royal Automobile Club on 3 February 2014.
The dinner aims to raise more than £10,000 for Mastara Chef, to help hit its target of £38,000 to support a scholarship for four aspiring chefs. Diners will enjoy a course prepared by each of the chefs, with Vivek preparing the main course of Rajasthani roast saddle of lamb, masala cashew nut and saffron sauce. Alongside the four-course meal, the evening will include live entertainment and an auction, including prizes such as a weekend with a Bentley. Conservative MP Eric Pickles will be attending the event.
Combatting the tighter immigration laws
The Mastara Chef initiative is a campaign from The Asian Restaurants Skills Board chaired by Iqbal Wahhab, the government, and the sector skills council for hospitality, People 1st. It aims to combat the issue of tighter immigration laws, which has led to Asian and Oriental restaurants struggling to recruit staff from abroad. The scheme financially supports UK-based trainees through an Asian and Oriental cuisine course at the University of West London and, on completion of the course, organises apprenticeships at some of the UK’s best Asian and Oriental restaurants. Mastara Chef aims to recruit another 20 apprentices between now and the end of March 2014 to meet the growing need for Asian and Oriental trained chefs.
Vivek Singh employs a number of talented and dedicated Mastara Chef apprentices at his modern Indian restaurants. Last month, three of these apprentices took part in the Asian and Oriental Young Chef of the Year Awards, entered by hundreds across the UK. Cinnamon Soho’s Jai Kadam won first place, with Cinnamon Kitchen’s Daniel Walsh coming third, whilst Carolyn Huntley took third place in the senior’s category.
Tickets can be purchased for the Gastronomic Experience dinner here