Manu on the Mount Sinai menu
Celebrity chef Manu Feildel spoke to The AJN ahead of his appearance at Mount Sinai College's Rosh Hashanah "Fresstival" on Sunday, September 13.
TELEVISION chef Manu Feildel will headline an exciting online event to raise money for Mount Sinai College (MSC).
In what is believed to be the popular My Kitchen Rules and Plate of Origin host’s first Jewish community engagement, Feildel has lent his talents to a cooking demonstration as part of MSC’s parents’ association (PA)’s Rosh Hashanah “Fresstival”.
“We are a family and Rosh Hashanah is a time to celebrate and feel connected,” PA presidents Tova Archie and Leah Balkin said.
“The idea of our Fresstival was born from a need to shift how we unite but also how we fundraise for much needed STEM resources for our kids. We are humbled to bring the whole Jewish community an experience that is symbolic as well as fun and inspiring.
“We are so grateful to Manu for his support, as well as all the staff, students and many parents of our school.”
In the Fresstival, which can be streamed at any time from this Sunday, September 13, Feildel demonstrates how to cook a salted crust barramundi.
“When I do cooking demonstrations or cooking classes I try to create something that’s easy but with a really big ‘wow’ effect,” Feildel told The AJN in an exclusive interview.
“You can put this in the middle of the table and just dig in.”
Wishing the community a “Shana tova”, he added, “It doesn’t matter where you come from, which country you come from, which religion you follow … We all get together around the table to celebrate friends and family.
“Food is passed down from generation to generation. It’s the pleasure of cooking, the pleasure of eating – but the pleasure of sharing as well.”
Having loved food since he was a child, Feildel said while working as a dishwasher at age 15 he realised he could follow a career in it.
“I don’t get bored of learning about food, I don’t get bored of cooking on a daily basis, I don’t get bored of sharing my knowledge with people,” he said.
“And I think it puts a smile on people’s faces when you dish a beautiful plate in front of them.”
In addition to Feildel – whose new function venue, La Botanique, has a kosher caterer on its list of preferred suppliers – the Fresstival will feature Joel Barda of Patisserie Le Marais as well as skits and segments by parents, teachers and students.
Bookings: trybooking.com/BLFWV.
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