“The Great 8” – A Travelling Pop Up Restaurant with 8 Great Chefs

Billed as the Cumbrian Dining Event of 2012, on Monday 5^th March Gilpin hosted an 8 course dinner cooked by some of the country’s most dynamic chefs.

This incredible charity event was organised by Gordon Cartwright, MD of visionarydining.com “The Great 8 was created for several innovative reasons,” he explains “Firstly, the UK is carved up regionally into culinary hot spots with little opportunity for the public to share in national quality unless the diner was to travel long distances. The Great 8 is doing the travelling for them and delivering a celebration of food quality that many diners would not otherwise have the opportunity to share in. We’re like a travelling Pop Up Restaurant.”

“Because this is a charity event, we can greatly reduce the cost of the meal and in doing so, provide access to national culinary standards to those who might not otherwise have the budget to partake. There was also a raffle on the evening, where the first prize was for an individual to join visionarydining.com on our international trips to the world’s greatest restaurants. The venues and chefs give their time for free, to raise money for a very important charity, Hospitality Action.”

Phil Cubin (Gilpin Hotel & Lake House, Windermere)
Crispy salt cod, Brandade, Pickled Vegetables, Parsley
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand

Aiden Byrne (Church Green)
Pigeon, Palm sugar, Smoked Peanut
Vidal Estate Pinot Noir, Hawes Bay, New Zealand

Roger Hickman (Hickman’s, Norwich)
Rabbit with Bacon, Mustard & a Creamy White Wine Sauce.
Clos De Loyse, Château de Jacques

Derek Donaldson (Blythswood Square, Glasgow)
Marinated Rose Veal Fillet, Shin Stick, Tomato and Parmesan Agnolotti, Garlic Puree and Basil Foam
Les Collines de Laure Syrah, VdP des Collines Rhodaniennes, Jean-Luc Colombo

Steve Smith (Freemasons, Wiswell)
Goosnargh Chicken Maryland – Escoffier’s Ma Cuisine
Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay, Casablanca, Chile 

Mark Poynton (Alimentum, Cambridge)
Banana Parfait, Lime Gel, Coco Sorbet, Chocolate Tuille
Errazuriz Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, Casablanca Valley, Chile

Rupert Rowley (Fischer’s, Baslow)
Millionaires Shortbread with Banana Sorbet
Taittinger Nocturne

Alan Irwin (Lujon, Bromley)
Savoury Goats Cheese Soufflé
Moulin a Vent, Château de Jacques

£100 inclusive of 8 courses, wine tastings with each course and coffee

HOSPITALITY ACTION

For over 170 years Hospitality Action, the Hospitality Industry Benevolent Organisation, has offered vital assistance to all who work, or have worked within hospitality in the UK and who find themselves in crisis.

They support ordinary people…

• Suffering from life altering illnesses such as Parkinson’s Disease, cancer and Multiple Sclerosis
• Experiencing poverty, bereavement and domestic violence.
• With sick and disabled children.
• Of all ages with a large proportion of those we assist under the age of 60

All of the money they raise goes towards…

• Grants for essential items including food, clothing and central heating.
• Supporting our often isolated and lonely retired hospitality workers.
• Holding seminars via The Ark Foundation to tackle the excessive effects of drugs and alcohol for Industry students and employees

Whether you attend their annual ball, donate a prize or host a Family Member lunch your actions help those in real need across our industry. Visionarydining.com challenge tradition and historical stereotypes. They harness the skill and altruism of top talented chefs who give of their time for others without PR agents, TV plaudits or Awards.

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About the author

Zoe Cunliffe
Zoë 'Chief Chatterer' Cunliffe joined in 2001 with husband Barney. After years of working through the departments as a sort of family apprentice, Zoë’s chief talents have finally been rewarded with a role that encompasses her métiers - talking and writing! You will now mostly find her harassing guests in reception and the restaurants, and writing/editing Gilpin Life. Jasper Gerrard of the Telegraph wrote that Gilpin was "friendly informality, personified by Zoë Cunliffe and her smile that speaks of crumpets by the fire and earthy humour."