BUSINESS leaders felt the heat of the kitchen rather than the board room and raised thousands of pounds for charity.
Fifteen business people took on a variety of roles from cook to waiter and bouncer to barman during the Takeover event at Bindles Bar and Brasserie to raise money for the charity Pancreatic Cancer.
Among the kitchen staff were accountants Liz Needham and Jeremy Clarke-Morris, and creative director Greg Russell.
City jeweller Anja Potze, PR consultant Caroline Leah and recruitment director Ben Mannion were among those waiting on tables. Local businessman Charles Rodway was sommelier, rugby player Craig Gillies was on the door and radio presenter Elliot Webb served behind the bar.
Guests were able to keep an eye on the novice chefs via a live television link beamed onto screens in the restaurant.
The evening, staged in conjunction with Design Religion, in Diglis, was a huge success raising £5,000 for the cause.
Head chef for the evening Liz Needham, usually a partner at Kendall Wadley Chartered Accountants, said: “We were all a bit nervous as we didn’t really understand the intensity and pressure involved in a restaurant kitchen.
“But, everybody loved it and the real Bindles’ team helped us stay calm.”
The evening, which included a charity auction, was the idea of Victoria Hamilton-Jones, owner of Bindles in Sidbury, Worcester, whose father has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
“I feel very proud of what we’ve all achieved and humbled by the support shown,” she said.