£40,000 was raised on the evening of Monday 9th April at industry charity Hospitality Action’s inaugural Rugby Legends Dinner sponsored by Sharp’s Brewery and hosted at Deer Park Country House Hotel.
200 guests enjoyed delicious food prepared by a brigade of some of the UK’s pre-eminent chefs, all from or with links to the west country; Dominic Chapman of The Beehive, White Waltham, Jude Kereama of Kota, Nathan Outlaw of Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen, Josh Eggleton of The Pony & Trap, Guy Owen of The Idle Rocks, Paul Ainsworth of Paul Ainsworth at Number 6 and Michael Wignall formerly of Gidleigh Park.
Dishes included beetroot terrine, Vulscombe cheese, apple, celery, walnuts, and wasabi by Jude Kereama, a smoked fish platter with salmon, cod’s roe, smoked mackerel and flatbread from Nathan Outlaw; and stuffed saddle of lamb, beer braised onions, pressed potato, wild garlic, mint sauce by Josh Eggleton.
Guests were joined by a host of rugby union superstars who entertained everyone with tales from on and off the pitch. David Flatman, Phil Vickery MBE DL and Jeremy Guscott, were joined by Alex Brown, Andy Hazell, Lee Mears, Matt Powell, Nigel Redman, Andy Reed and Nolli Waterman, as well as current Exeter Chief pros Phil Dollman, Gareth Steenson, and Kai Horstmann, and football legend Paul Tisdale.
