Pull out your wallet, jump on the phone and get yourself along to one of them. We’ve rounded up a small selection below; there are many, many more. You can find a list of restaurants across the country raising money for bushfire relief here, and a list of what some of Australia’s wineries are doing in our wine blog. If you know of any other dinners raising money for the cause, email us at [email protected] and we’ll post them here.
**SYDNEY
**Starred chefs Mark Best (Marque, Centennial Parklands), Guillaume Brahimi (Guillaume at Bennelong, Bistro Guillaume), Peter Gilmore (Quay), Robert Marchetti (Bondi Italian Food, Giuseppe, Arnaldo & Sons) and Matt Moran (Aria) are joining forces and making Sydneysiders very happy while raising money for bushfire victims in an exclusive dinner at Guillaume at Bennelong on Sunday 8 March. The cost: $500 per head, 100 per cent of which will be going to the Salvation Army. Move quickly, seats are going fast. 02 9241 1999, [email protected].
**MELBOURNE
**On Wednesday, March 4, Jacques Reymond will be hosting a five-course dinner ($155 a head, including wine), with 100 per cent of the proceeds going to the Red Cross bushfire appeal. 03 9525 2178, [email protected], www.jacquesreymond.com.au.
Fifty top chefs including Guy Grossi, George Calombaris, Ian Curley, Geoff Lindsay, Karen Martini, Andrew McConnell and Luke Mangan will also be getting together to raise money for the Australian Red Cross. At a special dinner on Friday 3 April at Peninsula in Docklands, guests will receive a three-course meal prepared at random by one of the 50 chefs – they’ll know who’s been cooking for them by the signature on the plate. The price: $250 per head. 03 99400 603, [email protected].
**QUEENSLAND
**One Tuesday 3 March, Noosa’s River House Restaurant will be hosting a four-course dinner (with matching wines) for $95 per person, $20 of which will go directly to the Red Cross bushfire appeal. You’ll also be able to bid on wines, apartment stays and more in a charity auction and raffle. 07 5449 7441.
At press time, the Gold Coast’s Fellini was working on putting together a dinner, possibly with FINS chef Steve Snow, and Brisbane’s Restaurant Two, Three Bistro and E’cco were planning on doing something for the bushfires separately, but had yet to iron out the details.
PHOTOGRAPH ROB SHAW