CEOs will join some of the best chefs to cook for homeless and disadvantaged Sydneysiders at the 2015 CEO CookOff, an initiative by perishable food rescue organisation OzHarvest.
The inaugural event will see 200 CEOs team up with 40 chefs to cook meals for around 1,000 disadvantaged people at Carriageworks, Eveleigh, next Monday night.
CEOs are charged a $1,500 registration fee, which is put toward OzHarvest costs and initiatives. CEOs are encouraged to drive healthy competition in fundraising for the cause, which aims to create awareness of food security, homelessness and youth in crisis. A fundraising goal of $5,000 is encouraged to ensure OzHarvest can deliver around 10,000 meals to Aussies in need.
This year will see some of the country’s top chefs, including renowned chefs Matt Moran and Maggie Beer, guiding CEOs in cooking for the disadvantaged in an initiative that earned almost $1m in 2012 and over $1m in 2013 and 2014.
The City of Sydney has decided to support this year’s CEO CookOff by footing the entry fees of two Sydney senior execs, Inspired Adventures CEO Justine Curtis and Director of Café Bookkeepers Nick Hazel.
“Australians each throw out about $1,036 worth of groceries each year and this goes straight into landfill,” Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.
“As a nation we produce enough food to feed about 60 million people, yet two million still rely on food relief every year. Nearly 90 per cent of charities that provide food report not having enough to meet total demand.”
OzHarvest says that approximately 8 to 10 billion dollars of food is wasted each year in commercial and residential waste.
There are approximately 105,000 people in Australia homeless every night. 60 per cent of those are under the age of 35, almost 50 per cent are women, and 1 in 10 are under the age of twelve.
Those wanting more information on this year’s CEO CookOff, wanting to register, or wanting to donate, can visit the official site here: http://www.ceocookoff.com.au/
