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Top chefs make bespoke Valentines Chocolate boxes to raise money to help young people into employment
London, UK– (December 2016):Top chefs have come together to make Valentine’s Day a little bit more specialto help young people who are not in education or employment, by participating in Chocs for Chance.
From 27 January 2017 a 10 day online auction called Chocs for Chance will be held on eBay, and everyone is invited to bid on the luxury Valrhonachocolate boxes for their loved ones to receive on Valentine’s Day. The auction will not only provide the perfect gift for a loved one on Valentine’s Day, but will help provide more young people with the opportunity to participate in Galvin’s Chance.
Galvin’s Chance is an inspirational into-work programme for young people in London who face barriers to employment. The programme seeks to predominantly target those at risk of crime and offer them a real alternative.
Galvin’s Chance was founded byChris Galvin, Chef Patron, and Fred Sirieix, General Manager of the Michelin-starred restaurant Galvin at Windows and star of Channel 4’s “First Dates”. The programme takes 15-20 young people a year and offers them training and opportunities for a front of house career in some of the most prestigious hotels, restaurants and food service management organisations in London. Galvin’s Chance candidates undertake a three weeks training programme and are guaranteed an interview and work placement in some of London’s top hotels restaurants, including the Royal Automobile Club, Harrods and the Dorchester. Since 2009, a total of 160 young people have enrolled in the programme, and 80%of them have gone on to secure long term, successful careers. Others have started their own businesses or gone to secure employment in other sectors.
To raise money to support this cause, Fred and Chrishave gathered well-known chefs, chocolatiers, bakers and food writers to take part in Chocs for Chance. Since it was launched in 2015, Chocs for Chance has featured incredible Valrhonachocolate creations made by household names includingRaymond Blanc OBE, PaulAYoung, William Curley, Michel Roux Jr, andXanthe Clayto name just a few. In the two years the auction has been running it has raisedjust under £15,000 to give disadvantaged young people in London a second chance.
The 2017 auction is sponsored by Martell, the oldest of the great cognac houses in the UK;and supported by Keylink, who are providing the iconic red velvet heart-shaped boxes, and Valrhona, the prestigious French chocolate company, who (for the third year running) have donated the delicious chocolate couverture which chefs will use to create their masterpieces.
“Galvin’s Chance is amazing because it is about the industry giving a chance to young people. We believe success is contextual and so if you give people guidance, opportunities and support, they will succeed and that is why we do it” - Fred Sirieix.
“I love what Chris and Fred have done. Too many young people feel like they have no future or do not have aspirations, it is important we teach them a career and to believe in themselves”-Michel Roux Jnr
“Thanks to initiatives like Chocs for Chance, we can work together to support the lives of unemployed young people into stable careers within the hospitality sector and help them fulfil their potential and change their lives for the better” – Chris Galvin.
Chocs for Chancewill raise funds to support future Galvin’s Chance programmes, offering more young people the opportunity to turn their lives around.
Prince, a former Galvin’s Chance apprentice, said:“To be honest it has been difficult …it’s not easy to completely change your life; it’s a challenge and difficult to cope sometimes with outside pressures, but if I hadn’t done this I would be dead. It’s saved my life. This whole experience has made me feel different inside.”
For more information and links to all of the chef’s profiles and chocolate boxes, please visit:
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Notes to Editors
About Galvin’s Chance
Galvin’s Chance is a charitable initiative of DM Thomas Foundation for Young People and is delivered in partnership with The Springboard Charity, Galvin at Windows restaurant, Hilton Worldwide, London Probation, Wine & Spirit Education Trustand various four and five-star hotels and fine-dining restaurants in London. The purpose of Galvin’s Chance is to provide a supported into-work programme and apprenticeship for young people aged 18-24 who may be ex-offenders or who are deemed disadvantaged, including those ‘at risk’ of gang culture. To date 160young people started on the programme. On average each year 88% complete the course and take part in pre-employment experience in prestigious restaurants and hotels.
For more information please visit:
About the DM Thomas Foundation for Young People
The Foundation is dedicated to transforming the lives of young people. We believe that with the right support, all young people can fulfil their potential. Through our ABLE giving framework, we help young people in the UK and Europe to Achieve their goals, Beat or ameliorate health conditions, Live independent and fulfilled lives and Experience the best that life can offer. Donations are funded almost entirely through the generous efforts and contributions of our corporate partners and the wider community. Since our establishment in November 2000 (as Hilton in the Community Foundation), we have awarded £16 million to a wide range of fantastic projects that support young people.
To find out more please visit our website:
About Martell
Martell is the oldest of the great cognac houses, forged by passion and knowledge passed through the Martell family since 1715 - creating cognacs that have been enjoyed and cherished for three centuries.
About Keylink
Established for over forty-five years, Keylink is the UK’s leading supplier of chocolate, ingredients, décor, equipment, accessories and packaging for chocolate work. They work with a wide range of suppliers across the globe, including Callebaut, Cacao Barry and deZaan and enjoy a number of exclusive relationships with brands such as Ravifruit, IBC, GEMEF, Berrifine and Premium Gastronomie.
About ValrhonaChocolat
Valrhona’s chocolatesare manufactured in the village of TainL’Hermitage in the south of Francesince 1922anddistributedin73 different countries. Valrhona is a World Ambassador of Haute Gastronomy and has been sharing its experience for over 90 years through the creation of the World Pastry Cup as well as through the École du Grand Chocolat, created in 1989by FrédéricBau, which today has four training centres: Tainl’Hermitage, Paris, New York and Tokyo.
Participating Restaurants and chefs
We are incredibly grateful to all of the wonderful chefs, restaurants, suppliers and journalists who are donating their time and expertise to create chocolate boxes. The full list can be found at