Christmas may be a jolly good time for most of us, but it can also be difficult for many. If you can spare a thought for those in need this season, check out The Forks & Spoons’ 12 Days of Christmas charity campaign. Offering a series of 15 different culinary experiences, the initiative is sponsored by top-tier chefs and bartenders in Hong Kong and around the world including Seoul, Tai Pei, Bangkok, US, and the UK. All proceeds will be donated to the ChickenSoup Foundation, a local non-profit organisation and incubator of charitable programs that assist underprivileged families, youths and elders undergoing extreme hardship. From December 1 to 12, one to two experience package(s) will be released at 12pm (HKT) and uploaded to the campaign website: 12daysofchristmas.shop for purchase.
Photograph: Courtesy Forum
From Hong Kong, one of the contributing chefs is Adam Wong, who heads the three-Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant Forum. Take part in a dim sum crafting class for four led by Forum’s dim sum supervisor Oscar Lam, then savour a wine-paired tasting menu, all together for $15,000. Chef Maxime Gilbert of two-Michelin-starred Écriture is also on board with a private pastry class for four, during which you will make exquisite dishes like duck pithivier and galette des rois, followed by an exclusive dinner at the restaurant for $20,000.
The star-studded lineup continues with one-Michelin-starred Tate Dining Room, led by chef Vicky Lau. Priced at $10,000 each with a total of two experiences, you can get hands-on in the parental Christmas cooking class at Tate before enjoying a dinner for two. Recently ranking in at number two on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2020 list, Danny Yip’s The Chairman is offering a seafood dinner with wine pairing for six at the restaurant, along with a premium gift package for six, which contains 15-year-old pickled lemons, homemade plum wine, aged mandarin peel, and more.
For those preferring to drink over dining, don’t miss out on the full experience package ($12,000) with Agung Prabowo, former co-owner of The Old Man and now co-founder of new eco-conscious Penicillin bar. Apart from bar vouchers which are worth a total of $2,500, the Penicillin team will be hosting a local foraging and farm trip for four guests – a truly unique experience for those who wish to know more about the latest eco-conscious cocktail industry. In addition, the campaign features bartender of the moment Jay Khan from Coa, which ranked number three on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2020 and number eight on the list for World’s 50 Best Bars 2020. Included in the $5,000 package is a bar voucher, a bottle of Coa Arette Tequila (private label), and a mezcal appreciation class for two.
Photograph: Facebook/ChickenSoupFoundation
Other highlights include fine food packages of rare and remarkable items from the Royal Caviar Club and Krug Champagne. All 15 food-and-drink experiences will be available on a first-come-first-served basis, and can only be purchased within 48 hours. To see the full list of packages on offer, including those presented by renowned chefs outside of Hong Kong, visit the official website here. Elaine Wong
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