Scottish chef Tom Kitchin cooks up charity appeal

EDINBURGH chef Tom Kitchin is endorsing a charity food drive while providing helpful hints for your own Christmas meal.

Celebrity chef and Michelin star winner Tom Kitchin is backing the One More for Christmas appeal to combat child hunger across the world. Image: Jakub Iwanicki

The “One More for Christmas” campaign sees the Michelin star chef appeal for donations of just £12.20 in aid of Mary’s Meals, which feeds hungry children worldwide in a place of education.

Every £12.20 will fund the feeding of a child for one school year, with those who donate getting the chance to download the image of their digital plate to send to a loved one. The alternative present is designed to raise awareness of the cause during the festive season.

Kitchin said: “For me, this campaign captures the true meaning of Christmas. Preparing Christmas dinner for the whole family can be daunting and sometimes we forget what this time of year should be all about.

“One More for Christmas makes creating the most amazing Christmas dinner simple – a small donation, and a fraction of the price of a normal festive dinner can feed a hungry child for a whole year

Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, founder and CEO of Mary’s Meals, added: “This is fantastic news for Mary’s Meals and another step in introducing us to new supporters to help us feed more impoverished children across the world. I can’t thank Tom enough!”

The One More for Christmas campaign was first launched in 2014 by media organisation Whitespace. With thousands of participants donating to the cause, the 2015 campaign has been launched in Spain, France, Italy and Canada in an effort to surpass the 347,000 raised last year.

Mary’s Meals began in Malawi in 2002, when founder MacFarlane-Barrow was touched by the plight of a starving child. From feeding around 200 children in one Malawian primary school in the same year, the organisation now provides a daily meal in school to 1,035,637 children across four continents.

Edinburgh-born Tom Kitchin became the youngest recipient of a Michelin star in the world after receiving the honour at the age of 29 for his work in his own restaurant, The Kitchin.

He has cooked with fellow star winners Pierre Koffman and Alain Ducasse, and has appeared on the BBC’s Saturday Kitchen and Masterchef.