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http://www.cookfood.net/

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Hotel du Vin Winchester - participating in our Chefs' Challenge on 30th September 2010. We'd like to thank all the team for their goodwill and support - especially General Manager, Mark Jones. We'd also like to acknowledge the hotel's generosity in providing some wonderful lots for our charity auction - an overnight stay in the best room available, including Champagne dinner; and two places in the Hotel du Vin Winchester's Cookery School with Head Chef Adam Fargin, followed by dinner for two in the hotel's stunning bistro.

Adam Fargin, Head Chef at Hotel du Vin Winchester - competing in our Chef's Challenge at Thornden Hall Theatre on 30th September 2010, whose enthusiasm to embrace the exciting challenge has been greatly appreciated.

Lainston House Hotel - participating in our Chefs' Challenge on 30th September 2010. We'd like to thank all the team for their goodwill and support. We'd also like to acknowledge the hotel's generosity in donating a wonderful Champagne Afternoon Tea for two.

Andy Mackenzie, Head Chef at Lainston House, competing in our Chef's Challenge at Thornden Hall on 30th September 2010, whose constantly smiling, positive demeanour reassured me that anything is possible. A special thank you to you and your team for offering the fantastic 'money can't buy' auctionitem of a 'Lainston Comes To You' experience, when you cook and serve a delicious 4-course dinner for 8 people in someone's home. Bravo!

Sincere thanks to Rikki and Dave at Independent for generously supporting us by donating 4 MOTs as raffle prizes and enthusiastically promoting the Hotel du Vin Winchester v Lainston House challenge within their business.

Philip Marshall Sailing - donating a fantastic experience for our charity auction. Members of the audience attending the Hotel du Vin Winchester v Lainston House Chefs' Challenge on 30th September will have the chance to bid for a day's sailing for up to 10 people on board the beautiful Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 45.2 fast cruising yacht (fully licensed for charter). The time would allow for a trip from Ocean Village in Southampton to Cowes on the Isle of Wight or perhaps Yarmouth, depending on weather and tides.

A massive thank you to Sainsbury's Badger Farm Superstore for their generous support of our event in Chandler's Ford, helping us to raise money for their chosen charity, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.

Many thanks to the lovely Mike and Judy Smales of Lyburn Farmhouse Cheesemakers in the New Forest who are so kindly making our guests' canapés from their delicious award-winning, handmade artisan cheeses. Delicious! And also for donating a morning's cheese-making tuition for our charity auction.

Thank you to Charles Baynham butchers in Chandlers Ford for generously donating 
delicious biltong, so ably and helpfully served by Jamie and Nat.

A special ''cheers'' to Anne Glover and her team at Ahmad tea in Chandlers Ford for supplying us with delicious English breakfast tea. Many thanks.

To Alex Aitken, Michelin star consultant chef at Lime Wood, whose initial enthusiasm kick-started this whole event, we'd like to say a big thank you for co-hosting our first event in July alongside Alan Holmes.

Cheers to Alan Holmes, Chef Sommelier at Chewton Glen for co-hosting our first event alongside Alex Aitken and sharing your immense knowledge of fine wines with us. (Click on Alan's photo to see him on 'Loose Women'.)

Chewton Glen Hotel - participating in our Chefs' Challenge on 12th July 2010. We'd like to thank the Chewton Glen management, staff and Chefs for their goodwill and support. We'd like to acknowledge the hotel's generosity in providing raffle prizes, special offers and goody bags. A special thank you also goes to Angela Day, for her support.

We'd like to thank Nick Hewitt and Oliver Marlow from Chewton Glen for creating the wonderful dishes of 'Local Plaice Braised in New Forest Cider' and 'Jelly & Ice Cream' - and for showing us how it should be done!

Lime Wood Hotel - participating in our Chefs' Challenge on 12th July 2010. We'd like to thank all the team for their goodwill and support. We'd also like to acknowledge the hotel's generosity in providing raffle prizes and special offers.

Also, many thanks to Lime Wood's head chef, Luke Holder and team member Richard Lloyd - for demonstrating the imaginative approach to designing dishes that Lime Wood's restaurants are renowned for.

Thanks to Rachel Spackman and the technical team at Ballard School Performing Arts Centre in New Milton - who responded so quickly to our cries for help and are providing a first-class venue for our first Chefs' Challenge.

Corbins Florist in Brockenhurst - creating beautiful pedestal arrangements for our Chefs' Challenge at Ballard School's Performing Arts Centre on 12th July. Thank you for helping to make it a special event.

Roger Leppard, community fundraiser for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA) - the charity receiving funds raised by our two events. Roger deserves special thanks for his invaluable support. Also to Sherie William-Ellen, Kirsty Watts and Mike Gregory (Aircrew Paramedic) who did a sterling job selling raffle tickets on 12th July.

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Jan Ward, Carl Pyatt, Rob Oxlade, Ian Fraser and the technical team at Thornden Hall, Chandlers Ford - helping to make our second Chefs' Challenge second to none. Your tireless, calm support is magnificent. Plus a special 'thank you' to all the volunteer bar staff, ushers and front-of-house managers from FROTH. We couldn't have done it without you - too often our unsung heroes! Hilary Bloomfield - who has been a willing supporter, chief gofer and right hand woman for the whole journey - what would we have done without you?!

The crew at Wave 105 - for supporting our second Chefs' Challenge on 30th September 2010. A special thanks to Gloria Hill and Chandeep Nijhar for their slick and speedy responses to my cries for help when I have needed them.

An extra special thank you to Simon Clarke from Wave 105's afternoon programme for generously giving his time to host the Hotel du Vin Winchester v Lainston House Chefs' Challenge at Thornden Hall, not to mention donating three wonderful prizes for our charity auction and raffle.

Ian Nelson - without whom these events would never have happened; your help and advice kept me going when it would have been so easy to give up. Thank you for installing the two demonstration kitchens for our Thornden event free of charge, and also for the generous raffle prize.

Special thanks to Chris Nixon of Audi Southampton, for supporting our event at Thornden Hall by buying tickets, helping us to promote it, as well as donating a fabulous prize for our charity auction - the experience of driving an Audi TT for a weekend.

A big thank you to Bendicks in Winchester for kindly supporting our Thornden Hall event by generously supplying sweeties... yum!

Thank you to Hildon Ltd for donating their natural mineral water for the Thornden Hall event. We appreciate your very generous and refreshing support!

Raise your cups to Alex and the team at Teapigs for their generous support. Not only have they supplied us with delicious teas to sample but they're also giving us all an exclusive 20% discount off our first purchase. Just quote 'delicious' when you place your order.

The Cupcake Girls deserve a winning cup for working so hard, generously donating their delicious cupcakes and serving them with a smile. You're stars! For second helpings contact Gwen on 02380 731755 or email gwen.white@rocketmail.com or call Jane on 02380 789577.

Sincere thanks to Carole at The Flower Stables of Chandlers Ford for very kindly donating her flowers and expertise to our Thornden Hall event. Your support is much appreciated and we'll look much more beautiful for it!

Thanks to Lesley at the Asda Supercentre in Eastleigh for supplying the helium for the balloons greeting guests at Thornden Hall.

A very special 'thank you' goes to Roger Gough and all the team at The Print Room in Chandlers Ford for your very professional, speedy service printing the Lainston House v Hotel du Vin Winchester flyers, posters and banner. Thank you for your patience and guidance. It was a pleasure doing business with you! Don't you ever go home?

Thanks also to Peter Dixon of Maxx Media in Chandlers Ford for generously supporting The Hotel du Vin Winchester v Lainston House event.