A Michelin-starred chef has thanked NHS workers by swapping the kitchen at his impressive country-house restaurant for one at a Norfolk hospital.
Morston Hall owner Galton Blackiston spent Thursday (May 7) preparing, cooking and serving food in the kitchen at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in King’s Lynn.
Mr Blackiston supported the hospital as part of the Help NHS Heroes campaign, which sees food supplies provided to hospitals and NHS key workers.
But instead of simply sending in the ingredients, the 57-year-old took his donation one step further by lending a helping hand to feed frontline staff and patients.
“The Heroes charity has been a supply lifeline in so many ways to our NHS,” said Mr Blackiston. “So when they asked me to get involved with hot meals for key workers, my natural choice was QEH.
“It’s a real pleasure for me and I’ve received wonderful support from suppliers to be able to feed our amazing frontline NHS and some of the patients at QEH.”
Mr Blackiston served up a tasty daube of beef with creamy mashed potato, rustic ratatouille and Norfolk asparagus, cooked using ingredients donated by local businesses The Watercress Company, Barsbys, True Foods and Jonny Cave.
The beef was reared at Maiden Castle Iron Age Hill Fort in Dorset, followed by a 32-day dry ageing process overseen by award-winning Brace of Butchers in nearby Poundbury.
Tom Amery, managing director from The Watercress Company, said: “We are delighted to be able to support Galton Blackiston and his work for NHS Heroes.
“It was our privilege be able to provide key ingredients for his recipes.”
Stewart Nimo, catering manager at QEH, added: “My team was very excited to support Galton delivering these meals to our patients and staff.
“This shows how coronavirus has brought local communities together. We have received such fantastic support over the past weeks for which we couldn’t be more grateful.”
The wider NHS Heroes campaign supports the welfare and wellbeing of NHS workers, including their physical and mental health as well as providing them with day-to-day necessities.
The QEH has been chosen as one of the many beneficiaries.
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