Celebrity chefs cook up $180k for mental health

By Emily Donohoe

May 19, 2024

Impressive effort: (From left) Kagome chief executive officer Jason Fritsch with Glenn Austin, John Sloane, Adrian Richardson and Adriano Zumbo and their gifts from ERH. Photo: Supplied

The Celebrating Culinary Careers Event, hosted at Morrisons Winery on Friday, May 17, raised $180,000 for Echuca Regional Health mental health and wellbeing fundraiser.

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Celebrity chefs Glenn Austin, Adrian Richardson, John Sloane and Adriano Zumbo impressed the crowd of 200 with their curated menus, each serving up a few of their signature dishes.

The event was organised by Kagome and Echuca Regional Health (ERH), supported by dozens of local corporate sponsors, including the Riverine Herald.

Worthy cause: Echuca Regional Health staff, including chief executive officer Robyn Lindsay (third from right).

Kagome chief executive officer Jason Fritsch was delighted with the community support for the event and the number of local businesses who got on board.

“It’s such a fantastic crowd,” he said.

“It’s overwhelming the support that we got for tonight, so thank you so much.

“Our corporate sponsors ... you have contributed so generously in making this evening a reality.

“We can all get together and have a few drinks and some good food, but the real meaning is generating funds, so thank you so much for your generosity.”

Community businesses contributed various prizes for the silent auction, with guests entering bidding wars and paying hundreds and thousands for items.

Team effort: (From left) ERH’s chief executive officer Robyn Lindsay, executive director finance and corporate services Robyn Rudge, executive director medical services and chief medical officer Dr Annemarie Newth, executive director nursing and midwifery and chief nursing officer Maree Woodhouse, and executive director community services Cynthia Robins.

Some of the items included a ‘Tennis Lovers’ package, featuring two tickets to the Australian Open and accommodation at the Amora Riverwalk Hotel in Melbourne; a $1000 travel voucher and stay at Rydges Melbourne donated by Echuca Travel Centre; and weekend stay at Club Mulwala Resort and golf pack from ANZ Bank Echuca.

The celebrity chefs also signed and donated their aprons and jackets, with one auctioned for $1000.

ERH chief executive officer Robyn Lindsay said the night went really well, with a mix of fun and charity.

“There was a great feel, an anchor to a really strong purpose and an important cause,” she said.

“In the next breath, I think people had a great time as well, it brings people together. There’s great food and great company.

“The money is amazing.”

Joining in: (Left) Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh and Kagome chief executive officer Jason Fritsch. Photos: Supplied

The event was the second of its kind, with the first Celebrating Culinary Careers in 2022 also powered by Kagome and ERH.

The 2022 event also raised $180,000 for ERH, with the now-opened Cancer and Wellness Centre being the beneficiary.

“It was probably a little bit more relaxed because we have done it before,” Ms Lindsay said.

“We enjoyed really strong support for the first event, and we have again tonight.”

Community members showed out for the night, with volunteers, donations, and generosity in full force.

Morrisons Winery in Moama hosted the event free of charge, also heavily discounting the price of drinks for the night. Its staff also volunteered their time to support the cause.

Yorta Yorta musician Madi Colville-Walker provided the soundtrack for the night, playing for the crowd as people enjoyed chef-made canapés and Morrisons’ wine.

Generosity: Kagome chief executive officer Jason Fritsch, Moama Bowling Club sales and marketing manager George Santos and ERH chief executive officer Robyn Lindsay.

Moama Bowling Club contributed $65,000 to the event, initially providing $15,000 and surprising the Kagome and ERH chief executive officers on the night by donating a further $50,000.

Mr Fritsch was impressed with the large amount raised for ERH mental health and wellbeing fundraiser.

“It’s fantastic, particularly in this climate, the level of support from the community,” he said.

“We can host tonight, but we need everybody to come and support, and that’s what they’ve done amazingly.

“There’s a lot of really good people around, we are very blessed to have these amazing chefs come, give their time up, they don’t earn any money out of this, they do it for all the right reasons.

“We’re very blessed to have these amazing people around here, that are willing to contribute and deliver $180,000.”