As the pandemic stretches into 2021, food insecurity is drastically increasing among the masses. Poor communities are pushed to starvation due to the social and economic impact of Covid-19, and it doesn’t help that the escalating climate crisis is threatening the local food systems.  

Despite moments of despair and uncertainty, the F&B industry has been quick to step up and give back. While some struggle to pivot their business and cope with safe distancing measures, others find themselves in a position to contribute or provide much-needed relief for communities. Local restaurant, Labyrinth, for example, donated part of their earnings towards purchasing food for frontliners at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases. In Bangkok, chef and owner Deepanker Khosla of Haoma started the #NOONEHungry fund-raising campaign to provide free meals to workers and families affected by the crisis.

Over in Shenzhen, China, Restaurant Ensue has now taken up the baton by hosting ‘Eat Give Revive’ on 30 January in a bid to raise funds and help vulnerable communities in need. While chef collaborations have been in vogue for the last half-decade, the ongoing travel restrictions have reshaped these restaurant traditions, forcing them to take on a more deconstructed version, virtually or at best, locally.

For one night only, Ensue will be whipping up a multi-course menu featuring dishes from six renowned chef friends around the world: Julien Royer of Odette (Singapore), Daniel Calvert of Four Seasons Tokyo Marunouchi (Tokyo), Vicky Cheng of VEA (Hong Kong), Richie Lin of MUME (Taipei), Mingoo Kang of Mingles (Seoul), Thitid Tassanakajohn of Le Du (Bangkok) and Christopher Kostow of Ensue (Shenzhen). Each of these Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants will be sharing a signature recipe, which will be executed by head chef Miles Pundsack-Poe and the Ensue team. What more can you ask for? It’s inspiring, an homage to excellence and heart-warming.

All funds raised, not deducting costs, will be donated to Feeding Hong Kong—a registered charity with a mission to abolish hunger by rechanneling surplus food from farms to retailers and redistributing it to senior centres, crisis shelters and food banks. “Feed People, not landfills” is what they advocate and what better way to do it than with an undeniably exquisite meal?

Ticket sales are accessible via email or call +86 755-8622-3133 to purchase your ticket. 

Due to legal restrictions of donating funds outside of China (under charity law), the restaurant chose an alternative charity within the region—Green Food Bank in Shanghai. Their mission is the same as Feeding HK and aligns with their purpose of #EatGiveRevive. Green Food Bank builds food storage networks and helps to redistribute surplus food to benefit those in need in over 15 regions in China.