Jason Atherton says Social Sunday now 'belongs to the industry'

Busy man: Jason Atherton estimates he spends upwards of 60 per cent of his time in London cooking in Pollen St Social

Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur Jason Atherton says this year’s Social Sunday – a charity event raising money for those struggling in hospitality – now “belongs to the industry”.

Atherton, who later this summer will open a new venture in Shanghai, began the annual occasion four years ago as a way to raise funds for Hospitality Action, where he is principal patron. Though chefs were originally invited to cook lunches in his London kitchens, with the profits from their efforts going to the charity, this year outside restaurants are joining the charge.

Atherton told the Standard: “What’s really exciting about this one is that we’ve got chefs from all over the country. Tom Kerridge has got involved, Claude Bosi is doing one at his. Sat Bains is working with one of his protegees, Niall Keating, at Whatley Manor. Simon Rogan is involved. It’s just incredible.

“Social Sundays is no longer my thing – it belongs to the industry, and that’s what I really hoped would happen. It’s not about the Atherton's, it’s about the industry giving back to the people who need help.”

Nevertheless, the centrepiece of this weekend’s fundraising remains six of Atherton’s London restaurants, with the likes of Ceviche’s Martin Morales joining Marcus Rohlen for a one-off lunch at Social Wine & Tapas. Atherton himself will be in the kitchen at Pollen Street Social, alongside head chef Dale Bainbridge. The pair are cooking with Tom Aikens, who Atherton has known since they both worked under the legendary Pierre Koffman, and Tom Sellers.

“Tom Sellers probably, in my opinion, is one of the best young cooks in the country right now,” Atherton said, “If he keeps his head straight and continues to work like he works, he’ll be one of the premier chefs in Britain very, very soon. I love spending time with him; he’s such a ferocious talent.”

The full list of what’s on can be found here, but other highlights include Core’s Clare Smyth at Little Social (“She’s such hot property, you burn your hand when you shake hers. She’s great”) and six chefs, including Roganic’s Oli Marlow and and the Chiltern Firehouse’s Hannah Catley.

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Though he's raised more than £110,000 over the past three years, Atherton is convinced more can be done: “Our industry is notorious for burning the candle at both ends. I love going out, sitting there, drinking wine, sharing, but sometimes you forget that maybe Johnny who’s serving you there does have a problem with drugs because doesn’t know where to turn; on his only day off he’s getting smashed out of his head for whatever reason.

“When I first moved to London I was just turning 17 and I stayed in a place called the PM Club, which was a youth hostel for chefs and waiters, which was a massive benefit to me. But there used to be grown men crying in their sleep; you shared a dorm room with ten people and you’d hear guys crying because it was so hard. For every successful chef, there’s a thousand who don’t get anything out of this industry. So what we’re doing, what Hospitality Action does, is help people in our industry who sort of get forgotten about, really.”

Social Sunday happens across London and the UK on July 1. For a full list of events and tickets to the one-off lunches, visit hospitalityaction.org.uk and jasonatherton.co.uk

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