World Champion Surfer Joins Top Chefs For Charity

Press Release: Wednesday 15 August 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

World Champion Surfer Joins Top Chefs For Charity

Click for big version.

Former world surfing champion Martin “Pottz” Potter is joining four of Australia’s top chefs in the kitchen to raise money for humanitarian organization SurfAid.

Potter, the 1989 ASP World Surfing Champion, will be matching his culinary skills with celebrity chef Ben O’Donoghue (South Bank Surf Club, Brisbane) and special guest chefs Russell Blaikie (Must Winebar, Perth and Margaret River), Ryan Squires (Esquire, Brisbane) and Shinichi Maeda (Sake Restaurant and Bar, Brisbane).

The team will prepare a five-course meal - canapés, three degustation courses and dessert - which will be served alongside premium wines from Devil’s Lair, Margaret River.

The Surfing Chefs Brisbane fundraising dinner, sponsored by GBST, is being held at O’Donoghue’s South Bank Surf Club on Thursday 6 September.

“As a lifelong surfer, and having surfed around the world, I was keen to get onboard with SurfAid and give something back in a way that can help the local communities in the areas that have provided me, and other surfers, with so much joy,” O’Donoghue said.

“I am also really excited to have the opportunity to cook alongside some of Brisbane and Australia’s best chefs who are also as passionate about surfing as much as they are about great food. And not to mention getting the opportunity to cook with world champion surfer and gourmet Martin Potter.”

Must’s Russell Blaikie created the Surfing Chefs concept and the first event was held at Must Margaret River last October. It raised $26,000.

“When I came up with the concept last year I simply wanted to engage a bunch of great local chefs, who are passionate about the SurfAid cause, and cook some great food and raise a bit of money,” Blaikie said.

“Now I think I’ve created a monster, but it’s a happy monster. Ben’s pulled together an amazing crew in Queensland – these guys are at the top of their game – and I’m stoked to join them and surf god Pottz is coming along as well to shake the pans with us.

“I don’t know if we really know what we’re in for but I do know that the punters will be eating some amazing food cooked by chefs who really understand the cause of SurfAid.”

As for Potter himself, he’s been an avid cook since his wife Katie bought him a Jamie Oliver cookbook five years ago.

“Cooking is now our entertainment, it’s relaxing,” Potter said. “I love getting in the kitchen, cranking the music, enjoying a glass of red, and cooking for my family.”

But how will he go cooking for 120 people? “To be honest, I’m pretty nervous. It’s like surfing against Tom Carroll at Pipeline for the ASP World Title,” Potter said.

There will also be an auction on the night, with items including a surf lesson with two-time world champion Mick Fanning, a rare signed surfboard from the 2012 Australian Open of Surfing, and resort accommodation in Indonesia.

Another fundraiser at Must Margaret River, on Thursday 18 October, will follow the Surfing Chefs Brisbane dinner with the local SurfAid Surfing Chefs crew and Pottz fronting up again to do his thing.

SURFAID SURFING CHEFS BRISBANE
Date: Thursday 6 September 2012
Venue: South Bank Surf Club
Time: 6.30pm arrival for drinks and canapés, for a 7.30pm sit-down dinner
Menu: Ticket price covers a five-course meal prepared by the region’s stellar surfing chefs.
Ticket cost: $120 / Seating is long table format / Bookings essential
To book visit: www.surfaid.org/events
Special thanks to our produce sponsors: Devil’s Lair Wines, Margaret River; Burleigh Brewing Co; One Sea Rottnest Island Scallops; Fishtales; and Fino Food and Wine.

ABOUT SURFAID
The mission of SurfAid, a non-profit humanitarian organisation, is to improve the health, wellbeing and self-reliance of people living in isolated regions connected to us through surfing.

SurfAid’s health programs involve education in nutrition, hygiene, healthy environments and disease prevention - including mosquito net distribution.

SurfAid has built an award-winning capacity in emergency preparedness and has delivered five emergency response programs following major disasters, including the Boxing Day 2004 Tsunami and the October 2010 Mentawai tsunami. surfaid.org

ENDS

© Scoop Media