Celebrity chef Stacie Stewart teams up to make Chilli for Charity
The Cyrenians has been selected as the main charity which will benefit from the Chilli Festival, part of the ten day EAT! NewcastleGateshead Food Festival which starts on Friday 17th June and runs until Sunday 26th June.
EAT! NewcastleGateshead will bring together producers, chefs, and food lovers in a number of ‘Mini-Fests’ to enjoy the diversity of food found in the North East.
The Chilli Mini-Fest runs on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th June as part of The Big EAT! Weekend. Staff and volunteers from The Cyrenians will be hosting their stall with the help of Stacie Stewart, Masterchef finalist of 2010, and owner of The Beehive Bakery in Sunderland.
Ollie Batchelor, Executive Director at The Cyrenians explained why the Charity is taking part:
“Encouraging healthy eating amongst people who come to us for support is a really important part of our work. We help people to explore food and to enjoy both preparing and eating it. In this way, they appreciate that good nutrition is a crucial part of recovery and progression to a well and settled life.
“Being at the Chilli Mini-Fest is a great way to make that point and to get people involved. We’re featuring a range of chilli options – including chilli chocolate brownies – and looking forward to welcoming everyone to sample and, hopefully, buy.”
Stacie Stewart added:
“I am very proud to be involved with The Cyrenians – through this Festival many people will have the opportunity to find out about their amazing work in support of vulnerable and homeless people.
“As well as educating people about enjoying food The Cyrenians, through ‘FareShare’, feeds hundreds of people daily in the North East by distributing manufacturers’ surplus produce to local communities. This not only feeds hungry people – many of them children – it also saves perfectly good food from being wasted and dumped in landfill!”
Simon Preston, EAT! NewcastleGateshead Festival Director said:
“We’re delighted that The Cyrenians is involved and will benefit from the Chilli Festival – part of The Big EAT! Weekend. It’s a really creative way to spread the word about the benefits of their work and I’m sure that they’ll attract much more support from the general public as a result of being here. I can confirm – having tasted Stacie’s chilli-chocolate brownies they are reason enough for coming over to find out more!”
Along with live music and the chilli healthy options, there will be a chance to prove how ‘hot’ you are in the Chilli Eating Competition, which will be held at 6pm Saturday 18th and 4pm Sunday 19th June, at Stephenson Works, Sussex Street, Newcastle upon Tyne (behind the Central Station). All profits will go to The Cyrenians.
