Royal Gazette
Ethiopia-born, Swedish chef Marcus Samuelsson has lived in the United States for more than two decades and has become a successful restaurant owner and celebrity chef.
Acclaimed chef Marcus Samuelsson will hold a dinner fundraiser for the Bermuda Hospital Charitable Trust on July 12.
Mr Samuelsson will hold a fundraiser at his pop-up restaurant Samuelsson at HP at the Fairmount Hamilton Princess along Acting Governor Ginny Ferson and her husband Mel Ferson for 50 guests.
Proceeds will aid BHCT in continuing to provide philanthropic leadership on issues affecting hospital care in Bermuda by assisting the Bermuda Hospitals Board and the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital Redevelopment project.
Mr Samuelsson was born in Ethiopia but grew up with adopted parents in Sweden where he first gained an interest in cooking, eventually studying at the Culinary Institute in Gothenburg. He moved to New York to work at Restaurant Aquavit 1991, being named ‘Best Chef: New York City’ by the James Beard Foundation in 2003.
He has multiple restaurants worldwide and has had two cooking shows.
Mr Samuelsson will create a gourmet five course menu made using local ingredients.
Mr Samuelsson said: “This is an amazing opportunity, and I feel honoured to contribute towards the renovations towards the hospital.
“We welcome anyone who wishes to taste the new menu and support the hospital at the same time to attend the dinner.”
Ralph Richardson, Executive Director for BHCT said: “For over a century, the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital has been our hospital, in sickness and in health.
“Today, we need to make our great hospital even better, not only for the needs of today, but also the needs of tomorrow.
“We are grateful to both The Fairmont Hamilton Princess and Marcus Samuelsson for raising money for this important project.”
Tickets are $250 per person and can be bought by calling Troylene Commissiong the Campaign Coordinator of BHCT at 298-0156, or e-mailing troylenec@bhct.bm. Mr Samuelsson will also be at his restaurant on July 11 to sell and sign copies of his book ‘Yes, Chef: A Memoir’.
The book based on his early life in rural Ethiopia was published on June 26 2012.
The book will be sold for $27.
http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20140627/NEWS/140629743