01 Feb VietHarvest celebrates first year of food rescue at its first-ever CEO CookOff in Vietnam
On 3 June 2023, InterContinental Saigon hosted VietHarvest’s first-ever CEO Cook-Off, celebrating the organization’s first ‘official’ year of food rescue. Supporters and partners came together for a memorable evening to raise funds for a meaningful cause. The event also formed part of the celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Australia and Vietnam.
The spectacular grand ballroom was converted into a pop-up restaurant where business leaders and chefs came together to showcase their culinary skills and raise funds for VietHarvest’s work in food rescue and feeding underserved communities in Vietnam, based on the unique OzHarvest food rescue model from Australia.
The CEO Cook-Off was an exclusive event that brought together more than 40 CEOs and business leaders, cooking side by side with 10 of Vietnam’s and Australia’s top chefs to curate a three-course dining experience for over 150 guests from social impact organizations and local charity heroes. The evening was filled with laughter, meaningful conversations, exceptional food, and a shared sense of joy and purpose.
Guests enjoyed an evening of exquisite cuisine in a vibrant and engaging atmosphere. Beyond celebrating the culinary talents of the chefs, the CEO Cook-Off powered by the dedication of business leaders – successfully raised funds to support VietHarvest’s mission of reducing food waste and alleviating hunger.
In addition to cooking for our guests, our chefs also prepared and packaged 200 delicious meals for underserved communities. It was heartwarming to see the smiles light up on their faces when they received these packages.
All funds raised at this event will enable VietHarvest to minimise food waste and expand its food rescue mission to HCMC after successfully launching in Hanoi in 2022. By the end of 2023, VietHarvest has delivered nearly 40,000 meals to underserved communities in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Together we are creating impact one meal at a time. In doing so, we help to Nourish Our Community in Vietnam and help combat food waste and hunger. At VietHarvest, we believe that giving back to those in need is an integral part of our mission, and we are grateful to all of those who helped make this event possible. Together, we can make a positive change and create a brighter future for all.
A huge thank you to our partners listed here for making this event possible:
https://ceocookoff.
Here are some other stats:
– $47,000 USD raised
– 150 charity and social impact guests served 3 course meal
– 10 Ambassador Chefs
– 40 CEOs
– 200 meals packed
– 200 desserts packed
– 200 compostable tasting spoons
– 250 kilos of ingredients
– 36 banqueting staff
– 31 hospitality volunteers from KOTO Social Enterprise Her Turn Program
– 30 VietHarvest volunteers from Sydney, Melbourne, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi