World cooks for Kerala

The #CookForKerala campaign started by chef Suresh Pillai is gaining momentum as famous hotels and chefs worldwide join hands to raise funds for the flood-hit state.

The delicacies that tickle taste buds in a few makeshift supper clubs and top-rated restaurants across the globe have something in common — the aroma of compassion to rebuild the flood-hit Kerala. Bringing people to a dining table as part of the #CookForKerala campaign he rolled out, BBC’s MasterChef-fame Suresh Pillai from Kollam is inspiring more chefs to join the initiative. Michelin star restaurants in London, Gymkhana London and Trishna London have already started collecting funds from customers, charging an extra buck to contribute for the flood-hit state.

“These restaurants are among the the few Indian restaurants to get Michelin star rating. They are collecting £1 per bill for a month starting September 1. The Hoppers London, Kriket London and Chutneyfy Berlin have also joined the campaign,” Suresh reveals.

Several chefs are organising supper clubs and food festivals to raise funds for the Kerala. “Around 15,000 Australian Dollars were collected on a single day by Ranjith George who organised a supper club in Sydney. Indian chef Liju Pillai collected Rs 2.5 lakh on a single day from Morocco. The money has been sent to the CM’s relief fund,” adds 40-year-old Suresh, who is a corporate chef with the Raviz Group and has worked in leading hotels in India and the UK.

Indian chefs Asha Gomez in Florida, Hari Nayak in New York, Renjith George in Sydney, Anand George in Cardiff, Sandeep Sreedaran in Mumbai, and Sajeev Nair, Asma Khan, and Kanthi Kiran in London have joined the #CookForKerala campaign that calls for homemakers and chefs across the globe to raise funds by setting up supper clubs and organising theme dinners at their homes and restaurants.

Homemakers can organise supper clubs and invite their friends who can donate money as a price for the dinner.