The event was organised by RICS and RICS matrics and raised an amazing £12,000 for their chosen charities CRASH and Great Ormond Street Hospital. Held in the Lecture Hall of their prestigious Parliament Square building, the knives were quite literally out as RICS CEO Sean Tompkins went head to head with RICS Matrics Chairman Rebecca Best to compete for the title of RICS MasterChef Champion 2013.
After experiencing the heat of Roux Jr’s professional kitchen under the auspices of Steve Groves, the pair was shown by the master himself how to prepare mackerel tartar before being tasked with recreating what can only be described as perfection on a plate. In the end it was a squeeze of lemon too far for Rebecca meaning Sean was crowned king of the kitchen.
Accepting his accolade with grace and modesty, Sean Tompkins said: “As CEO of RICS and now RICS MasterChef of the Year 2013, it was great for the world’s leading professional body across land, property and the built environment to team up with CRASH to raise much needed funds to help homeless charities across the UK.
“CRASH is a charity that is well supported by the Construction Industry as we recognise that a home is not just a home, but a source of wellbeing, educational development and a key in the battle against worklessness.”
Following the live cook off guests sat down to an evening of fine dining provided by Michel Roux Jr’s chefs from Roux at Parliament Square. RICS matrics young auctioneer of the year 2012, Giorgio Economides from Allsop LLP, then sold nine auction lots including: a tailored suit, dinner for two at Roux and a signed bottle of champagne and seats in Saracens Rugby corporate box.
CRASH Chief Executive Francesca Roberts said: “The generosity of those attending and all of the RICS and matrics employees who helped to make it such a special evening was really impressive. To raise so much in one evening in this economic climate is a triumph!
“The donations will make a real difference to a homelessness project and CRASH will add value to that by providing the pro-bono professional expertise and materials. Our sincere thanks go to RICS and RICS Matrics for choosing CRASH to be one of the benefitting charities.”
The evening, hosted by Martin Brühl, RICS Senior Vice President, also provided an opportunity to network with senior professionals and the next generation across property and construction.
