Gourmet test for charity

SARAH MOYES

SUGAR & Spice is possibly the youngest gourmet catering team in town.

The 14 eight to 12-year-olds are learning all about ingredients, flavours and cuisine while helping out deserving charities.

They have been taught new cooking skills during lessons by Mel Seal, a mother of one of the girls, since January.

Now they want to put their skills to the test while helping out charity.

On June 14 the youngsters will be cooking a gourmet meal for about 130 people staying at the Ronald McDonald House near Auckland Hospital.

The girls chose Ronald McDonald House because they thought the families there would appreciate a gourmet meal.

"A friend of ours is in Starship hospital at the moment so we wanted to support Ronald McDonald House," 12-year-old Elin Morris says.

The team recently visited the house to see what it was all about.

"It was great. But we did learn how lucky we all are," Elin says.

On the menu will be salmon and roast lamb – and the girls are raising money to buy all the food themselves.

"It's really cool that they are taking on the challenge," Miss Seal says.

Sugar & Spice must collect $1000 to buy the food. So far they have $560.

They raised a lot of this money at the St Heliers Village Festival – serving the same food they will prepare on the night.

Each girl has been given a role, such as treasurer, website manager and sponsorship co-ordinator.

All the meat for the meal is being donated by the Mad Butcher and Tegel.

Also $5 from every new subscription of the magazine Dish goes towards their fund.

Any money left over after buying the food will be given to Ronald McDonald House.

On the big night the girls need to keep the kitchen immaculate.

So from now until then each of them must wash the dinner dishes at home at least three times – without using a dishwasher.

Sugar & Spice hopes that Ronald McDonald House is the first of many charities they can share their gourmet cooking with.

- © Fairfax NZ News