Celebrity chef Sheree Murphy gives an impromptu cooking lesson to Autism Together CEO Robin Bush (centre) during a cook-off at the Blackberry Grove in New Brighton to raise funds for the charity. Far right, Blackberry Grove chef-in-residence Liam Rigby.
New Brighton restaurant raises funds for local autism charity
Celebrity Master Chef contestant and presenter of the BBC’s Yes Chef, Sheree Murphy, has taken part in a cook-off with the chef-in-residence at the Blackberry Grove restaurant in New Brighton.
The celebrity cook-off was the idea of restaurant owner Joanna Jones, who wanted to do something special to mark the restaurant’s first year in business. The event raised money for Wirral-based charity Autism Together, a cause close to Joanna’s heart, as her niece is on the autism spectrum.
Sheree, also known for her roles in TV’s Emmerdale, Hollyoaks and Neighbours, battled with local chef Liam Rigby, winning the contest – the number of meals served by each chef – by a slim margin.
The two chefs chose a number of different dishes to be included in the special menu for the evening and guests dining that night chose off the menu without knowing which chef would be preparing it.
A VIP guest for the evening was Tom Wright, a staff member at Blackberry Grove since September 2016 who is currently a student at Wirral Met College. Tom has autism and began working at the restaurant thanks to a scheme set up to help young people with additional needs gain employment.
After finishing his meal, CEO of Autism Together, Robin Bush, was taken into the kitchens to help Sheree and Liam to prepare other meals and learn a thing or two from the professionals.
Robin said, “Cooking is one of my favourite pass-times, so learning a few tips from these two amazing chefs was a real treat. My thanks to everyone at Blackberry Grove for coming up with such a creative and delicious fundraising initiative.”
