HUNDREDS of volunteer hours have gone into prepping food for party-goers intent on fundraising for a good cause.
Acclaimed chef Catherine Pacey has been working behind the scenes for months on menu planning and sourcing volunteer hospitality workers for The Power of Pallets this Friday night.
“I have always enjoyed event co-ordination and food plays such an important part when bringing people together,” Ms Pacey said.
Former executive chef at Thala Beach Lodge and currently chef and owner of Cairns Cooking School, Ms Pacey said the Hospital Foundation supports the whole community so she felt the whole community should support it in return.
“I’ve actually been involved with The Power of Pallets since it began four years ago and I just love it.”
She has sourced 25 hospitality workers to donate their time for the lead-up and the big night.
“I’ve really been overwhelmed by the response not only of the volunteer staff but also of the suppliers,” she said.
Total Food Network has supplied all the fruit and vegetables for the event, and ISP Seafood has supplied $1000 worth of product.
Volunteers will be cooking 10kg of Arborio rice, prepping more than 200 desserts, as well as 60kg of tomatoes, as an example of the work being done.
“The menu is going to be amazing, we’re really excited.”
This year’s The Power of Pallets presented by The Property Shop, will contribute towards a second cardiac catheter laboratory at Cairns Hospital.
Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation fundraising and event co-ordinator Lindsay McDonnell said the Foundation was fundraising $1.4 million for the second cath lab project.
“This is important because some of the cardiac issues in the Far North are the worst in the country,” Ms McDonnell said. “Hospital admissions for acute myocardial infarction are the highest in
Queensland at 905 per 100, 000. This is 3.5 times higher than the national average,” she said. “The Power of Pallets is an amazing event and we are looking forward to working together to raise as much as we can for this important project.”
