TWO city restaurants went head-to-head in a competition to raise money for Comic Relief.
Chefs from The Doubletree by Hilton and Marco Pierre White Chester cooked up special menus for diners with help from senior hotel managers.
Marco Pierre White’s head chef, Ben Finchett, and the hotel’s executive head chef, Brad Lean, created special menus and asked diners to order from their favourite with 10 per cent of sales going to the telethon appeal.
The chef and team with the most orders from their menu won and Ben’s blue team edged out Brad’s red team with 27 orders to 24.
Ben said: “I’m absolutely delighted that Team Blue are champions and our menu won.
“It was a great night and top marks to the guys who came in to help us cook.
“They looked a little frightened at first but soon got into the swing of things as the service hotted up.”
The cash is still being counted but the chefs are hoping to have raised almost £500.
Brad said: “We’re bitterly disappointed not to have won but it is all in aid of a great cause and to raise money for Comic Relief.
“I would just like to say however that I taught Ben everything he knows.”
Hotel managers including general manager Brian Connor and food and beverage manager Jane Stoneman were part of the teams and helped out with cooking, prep and front of house duties.
Jane said: “It was a brilliant night and great fun. A huge ‘thank you’ to all our guests too.
“Everyone really got into the spirit of the event and gave generously to Comic Relief.
“However, I don’t think you’ll find many of us back in Marco’s kitchen any time soon – it was a bit stressful.”
The hotel donated a further 10 per cent from a special Comic Relief three-course table d’hôte menu within Marco’s and the hotel’s brasserie restaurant.