From 27th 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 Valrhona chocolate 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.
Copyright of Pellier PhotographyGalvin’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 by Chris 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 Chris have 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 Valrhona chocolate creations made by household names including Michel Roux Jr, Raymond Blanc OBE, Dan Doherty, Paul A Young and Xanthe Clay to name just a few. In the two years the auction has been running it has raised just 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 Chance will 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 click here