Marco Pierre White gave 180 guests their fill of Michelin-starred entertainment at the Business Breakfast which raised nearly £80,000 for Norwood on Friday 13 February. The Hell’s Kitchen super chef added a dash of excitement as the guest speaker at the breakfast, which was sponsored by New World Corporate Finance and took place at the elegant Chancery Court Hotel. The money raised from one of the most prestigious networking events in the business calendar, will help Norwood to support children, adults and families coping with learning disabilities and social disadvantage.
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A fantastic meal for six with Marco Pierre White joining guests at the table, was auctioned at the breakfast raising even more money for Norwood, while two tickets for the Carling Cup final were also snapped up.
Guests watched a film which highlighted the vital work Norwood does to make a huge difference to the lives of over 7000 children, families and adults who rely on the support of Norwood’s services each year. The flamboyant chef and restaurateur, who was grilled by interviewer and Sunday Express Editor, Martin Townsend, spoke about his tough beginnings, losing his mother as a young boy growing up on a council estate in Leeds.
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He said, “Watching that film about Norwood shows how important it is that there are people helping children deal with problems. Children are being given understanding and being listened to, they are having counselling and being shown some of the softness that I could have done with when I was growing up. As a child you don’t realise what happens to you and how it affects you.”
Marco went on to share the ingredients of his success, including how he learnt his trade from great chefs Roux and Blanc and went on to train Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal, famously reducing the F-word chef to tears in the process. Though he won three Michelin stars by the age of 33 he handed them back and opened his White Star Line of more than 30 restaurants.
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He explained, “I realised I had three options. I could continue to work 90 hours a week, I could continue to charge high prices but not work and live a lie, or I could abdicate from my position, and that’s what I decided to do.”
Commenting on the appropriate response as a restaurateur to the nation’s decreasing appetite for eating out, White said, “It’s tough. I think the worst you can do is lower your prices. In fact, you should increase your price. It’s the only logical way forward.”
He chose his friend Heston Blumenthal to take onto a desert island with him, saying, “I wouldn’t take Delia, I wouldn’t take Nigella, I’d take my old friend Heston,” he joked, “Because he’s intelligent and I’d get 18 courses for dinner every night.”
Sara Parish, Norwood’s Events Manager said, “I’d like to thank Marco Pierre White and Martin Townsend for their entertaining discussion this morning and thank you to our guests for their support of this event that has helped to raise almost £80,000 for Norwood. This money is vital to continue to support children, adults and families coping with learning disabilities and social disadvantage to be as independent as possible and to achieve their full potential in life.”
