Our exclusive fine-dining evening, A Culinary Evening for CancerCare, was a was a sizzling success, raising over £12,400!

Held on Tuesday 24th March at Lancaster & Morecambe College, our 40 guests enjoyed a five-course meal prepared by five of the North West’s leading chefs.

The evening was hosted by hospitality luminary Lorraine Stanton, with students from the Kitchen Collective and Culinary School delivering seamless food and wine service.

Wines were generously supplied by Berkmann Wine Cellars, while in the kitchen, chefs, their teams, and students collaborated on the menu, showcasing local produce from suppliers including Udale Speciality Foods, Caterite, McClures, Hodgsons Fish, and Wellocks.

The menu included:

• Paul Leonard (Forest Side, Grasmere): snacks of new season asparagus, morels, wild garlic and ewe’s curd
• Nina Matsunaga (The Black Bull & Tsuchi, Sedbergh): Howgill Herdwick lamb and kimchi tartare with cured hen’s egg yolk and puffed rice
• Jack Bond (The Cottage in the Wood, Whinlatter): roasted cod with green tomatoes and nasturtium
• Ryan Blackburn (The Old Stamp House, Ambleside): salt-aged duck with carrot, blood orange, chicory, confit leg and duck fat brioche
• Oli Martin (Aven, Preston): parkin tart with white chocolate, rosemary and forced rhubarb

A live raffle and auction gave guests the chance to bid on prizes donated by local businesses, including Miles-Moore Ceramics, Gilpin Hotel & Lake House, Sail ‘n’ Dine, Baked by Emma Lawson, The Cottage in the Wood, and Lloyds BMW.

All proceeds will support CancerCare’s vital services for local adults and children affected by cancer and bereavement.

Claire Mason, Head of Fundraising and Marketing at CancerCare, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity of everyone involved. From our chefs and partners to the guests on the night, this special event brought people together to celebrate local talent while raising vital funds for our community.

“I’d also like to thank Lorraine Stanton for sharing her expertise, ensuring that the evening ran smoothly and that our guests learned about everything from the provenance of the ingredients to the meticulously chosen wines. The Restaurant at Lancaster & Morecambe College, which was kindly donated for our use, was a superb venue for the event.

“We would also like to say a special thank you to Jenny Jones Photography and Lauren Hall Photo and Video, as well as the front-of-house and kitchen volunteers, including college staff, students, and team members from each chef’s respective restaurant, who worked collaboratively to deliver a truly exceptional dining experience.

“Thank you also to every one of the suppliers for their help and generosity, and not forgetting those enormously supportive businesses who kindly donated prizes for our auction.

“Without this support, the evening simply wouldn’t have been possible. It was a great success, raising over £12,000 for CancerCare. The atmosphere in the dining room was incredibly special, with everyone coming together to celebrate local talent and top-class cuisine, all while raising vital funds for their local cancer and bereavement charity.”

Ryan Blackburn, chef-owner of The Old Stamp House, added: “A huge thank you to the chefs, suppliers, Lancaster & Morecambe College, the students, donors, and our guests. Their support will help CancerCare continue to make a real difference to local individuals and families facing cancer or bereavement.”