Their four fundraising dinners will raise awareness about the importance of having the freedom to express yourself
Mina Park, Shane Osborn, Maria Bizri and Chris Whitmore
Carnival, Amnesty International’s first ever art project, is opening on February 16 at KONG Art Space and will be a week-long festival advocating for freedom of expression in both Hong Kong and around the world. Incorporating dinners, workshops and an exhibition featuring over 50 works by local and international artists—including Julian Opie, Martin Parr, Invader and Shepard Fairey—the event will seek to raise awareness of its human rights education programmes, as well as funds to continue their work internationally.
As part of the festival, four chefs from Sook, Arcane, Aberdeen Street Social and Pomegranate Kitchen will be hosting their own fundraising dinners with fine wines provided by Pont des Arts and Wine Brothers. Each dinner is limited to 40 guests and are priced at HK$2,500 to include three courses plus wine, as well as performances and access to Carnival’s silent auction.
Each chef will be cooking to a theme, and below they shared with us their thoughts on what freedom means to them.
“To me, freedom of expression is freedom for people weak and strong to think freely and have their own opinions without fear. It is vital to a transparent and dynamic political and social discourse. Without it, the world would never improve.”—Mina Park
Dinner Theme: Women’s Empowerment
Who: Mina Park, founder of Korean private kitchen Sook
What: Modern Korean street food and drink
When: 20 February 2017 (Monday)
“To me, freedom of expression is what makes me happy” – Shane Osborn
Dinner Theme: Freedom of Expression
Who: Australian chef Shane Osborn, winner of Hong Kong Tatler’s Best New Chef 2013
What: Modern European cuisine that represents passion, hospitality and individuality
When: 21 February 2017 (Tuesday)
“To me, freedom of expression is the most basic human right” – Maria Bizri
Dinner Theme: Love and Diversity
Who: Multi-award winning Lebanese chef Maria Bizri
What: Honest, flavourful food that comes from Maria’s passion and her story rather than her cerebral self. Maria’s dishes draw from and build on each client’s unique story, representing the joy of entertaining.
When: 22 February 2017 (Wednesday)
“To me, freedom of expression means being able to create and experiment without judgment” – Chris Whitmore
Dinner Theme: Art and Human Rights
Who: Executive Chef Chris Whitmore from multi-award winning restaurant Aberdeen Street Social
What: Traditional British cooking methods presented in a modern way, using globally sourced premium ingredients to create exceptional British flair
When: 23 February 2017 (Thursday)
