Too Many Critics 2024: Charity cook-off raises record-breaking £143,000

This year’s Too Many Critics charity cook-off raised a record-breaking £143,012 for Action Against Hunger. The night, which took place on Tuesday at Robin and Sarah Gill’s stylish, Manhattan-inspired restaurant Darby's saw restaurant critics and food writers step into the kitchen to prepare a night of food for guests, helped considerably by the Darby’s kitchen team.

Those cooking included the Mail’s Tom Parker Bowles, Giles Coren of the Times, the Independent’s Hannah Twiggs, Kate Krader of Bloomberg, Masterchef judge Leyla Kazim, and the Standard’s own David Ellis. The food writer Joe Warwick hosted the evening, and also presenting was food writer Bill Knott, who co-founded the event with the late Charles Campion. Knott’s work has raised more than £5million for Action Against Hunger.

The writers all prepared a different dish using Darby’s signature techniques, including shucking, baking, and smoking. Each were judged by a panel of chefs, including Francesco Mazzei, Richard Corrigan, Jason Atherton and Vivek Singh, who had hosted the event last year at the Cinnamon Club. Kate Krader’s roasted allium and new season fricassèe was declared the winning dish, with Hannah Twiggs’s beef shin pie with croissant pastry also picking up notable praise. The wooden spoon was given to Giles Coren, for his oysters.

Diners, who had paid £250 to attend, donated generously, bidding on both a silent and live auction. Prizes included dinner with the Standard’s chief critic Jimi Famurewa, and a meal for 12 at Boisdale with Tom Parker Bowles, Bill Knot and Giles Coren.

All the money raised on Tuesday will go to supporting Action Against Hunger’s work across the world: the charity works in more than 50 countries to “predict, prevent and treat life-threatening hunger”. The charity supported more than 28 million people last year.

Jean-Michel Grand, Action Against Hunger UK’s executive director, said of the evening: “We are immensely thankful to everyone who contributed to making this year’s Too Many Critics event such a tremendous success.

“Over 735 million people globally don't have enough food to eat, and the thousands of pounds raised will significantly support our efforts to combat global malnutrition, in communities where life-threatening hunger is fuelled by conflict, climate change and inequality.”

For more information on Action Against Hunger, or to donate, visit actionagainsthunger.org.uk