OH BOY, here’s a chance for you to see Gordo and five other food critics get their comeuppance (and possibly fall on their arses) whilst enjoying a fantastic champagne reception and four course dinner whilst doing your bit for charity.
"I may even bring out one of my famous dishes from the Come Dine With Me episode i did back in 2010. It's just whether the Damson team can keep up to speed with Gordo in the kitchen. Shouldn't have thought so."
The event, leaving the capital for the first time, is called Too Many Critics and sees the tables turned on food critics as they lay down their quills and take to the kitchen in aid of Action Against Hunger, an organisation commited to ending child hunger.
The victims are Mark ‘Gordo’ Garner (The Confidentials), Bill Knott (Financial Times) Charles Campion (London Evening Standard), Andy Cronshaw (Manchester Evening News) Ruth Allen (Taste of Manchester) and Lucas Hollweg (The Sunday Times).
The critics are expected to churn out a feast for 140 guests, top chefs and restaurateurs including Aiden Byrne (Manchester House), Simon Stanley (Damson), Lisa Allen (Northcote Manor), Francis Atkins (Michelin-starred The Yorke Arms), Mary-Ellen McTague (Aumbry) and trouble-maker Rob Owen Brown (formerly of The Mark Addy) completing the bill.
The food writers will also go head-to-head and be tasked with creating a dish 'on the side' to be judged by the expert panel of chefs.
Here's the 2013 London event: All funds from the evening, set to coincide with the Northern Restaurant and Bar Show 2014 at Manchester Central (18-19 March), will go to the charity. The last London event, which saw Jay Rayner and Tom Parker Bowles take to the pans, raised nearly £40,000.
The Manchester arm shall be held on Monday 17 March at Steve Pilling’s Damson in MediaCity; only a ten minute tram journey from the centre of Manchester and a very handsome gaff indeed. They’ve also got more awards than you could shake a boning knife at.
The critics will receive support from Damson's Executive Chef Simon Stanley and his team on the evening, but ultimately it is their knackers on the chopping block. Gordo intends to keep his knackers intact.
The evening shall also see a silent auction conducted by the BBC's Nigel Barden with prizes including the opportunity to review a restaurant with Guardian food critic and previous Too Many Critics contestant Jay Rayner.
Gordo intends to keep his knackers off the chopping block
Gordo said: "For a man of my skill and girth, this should be a breeze (shuffles in seat), I may even bring out one of my famous dishes from the Come Dine With Me episode i did back in 2010. It's just whether the Damson team can keep up to speed with Gordo in the kitchen. Shouldn't have thought so."
So come eat, drink, laugh and fall over whilst still feeling good about yourself. Dip those hands in those pockets, there's children going hungry for Pete's sake.
Tickets (including champagne reception and four course dinner) are £60 pp and can be bought here.
