Mystery diner appeal for cottage pie competition

Nov 3 2010 By Lorna Hughes

A CHARITY cottage pie challenge is recruiting mystery diners.

Organisers of the two-week long event are looking for volunteers to go undercover on behalf of Hoylake Cottage to check rules are being followed in the Wirral-wide cook-off.

Around 20 hotels, pubs and restaurants will be competing to win the most votes from diners for the best cottage pie from November 8 to 21. 

The fun challenge has the backing of top chefs and food experts – and will raise vital funds for the Hoylake Cottage appeal to build a new day care centre for older people and those with dementia.

All diners sampling cottage pie in participating restaurants are being asked to donate £1 to the appeal.

Hoylake Cottage fundraiser Emma Keenan said: "We need an army of mystery diners willing to report back on how they have voted, so we can check them against the voting cards submitted.

"It’s a fun challenge and for a great cause – but a lot of reputations and pride are at stake and we want to make sure it’s all done in the best possible taste! I would urge anyone who is willing to become one of our mystery diners to call me to find out how they can get involved."

To register as a mystery diner, call Emma on 632 7302.

Restaurants signed up so far include: The Portrait House; What’s Cooking; Sheldrakes; The Wro; Thornton Hall Hotel; Red Door; La Paz; Cromwells; Grove House; Heswall Golf Club; Royal Liverpool Golf Club; The Green Room; The Cowshed; Anchor Inn; The Green Lodge; 107 Dining Room; Roses Tea Room; Kuki’s; Ness Gardens; Farmers Arms.

The shortlisted chefs will showcase their cottage pies at the a Christmas Food Fayre in Port Sunlight on December 4 and 5.

The judges will be Paul Askew, Chef Patron at The London Carriage Works; Wirral farmer Lorna Tyson MBE; Nigel Crane, managing director of sponsor Essential Cuisine; and Maggie Sparks, chair of Port Sunlight Museum and Garden Village.

The top prize is dinner, bed and breakfast for two at Nigel Howarth’s Northcote Manor, through the Academy of Culinary Arts; and an optional day in the kitchen. Plus, £100 worth of products from Essential Cuisine.