SOUL & STARS GALA in MARBELLA (AAH & TCFP)

The Soul & Stars Gala shone with success An unprecedented gastronomic and philanthropic event.

Marbella, 5th July 2013: Last night, El Gran Meliá Don Pepe welcomed the charity event the Soul & Stars Gala, organised by Action Against Hunger and The Children for Peace. Around 250 people gathered in the gardens of the hotel, all with a common goal: to raise funds for children in need. The night kicked off with a dazzling photocall which included the likes of Pasión Vega, Juan Peña, Raquel Revuelta, Javier de Miguel, Mirian Pérez, Olivia Valere, Mónica Pont, Silvia Tortosa, Mónica Martínez, Estefanía Luyk, Princess María Luisa of Prussia and Count Rudi; Princess Beatriz de Orleans, Miss World 2003, Rosanna Davison; Lidia Santos, Cristina Messa and Adrián Gallardo; as well as other outstanding figures such as Olivier Longué, CEO of Action Against Hunger; Debbie Mace and Lamia Khassoghi, President and Vice President of the Children for Peace; Ana Obregón, presenter of the night, and many more.

The six Michelin-starred chefs stood out for their genius, both in and out of the kitchen, and were in charge of creating the menu for the evening as well as providing a master showcooking on stage. Dani García, Ignacio Manzano, José Carlos García, Joaquín Felipe, Paco Morales and Marcos Morán concocted a magnificent menu of shrimp with roasted turnips and toasted broth; hake with green apple ‘pipirrana’; celery panacotta and iced fennel; and red wine leaves with red fruits and smoked milk. It was a real treat for even the most discriminating palates. Grupo Caballero, one of the main sponsors of the Soul & Stars Gala selflessly contributed various wines for a perfect pairing with the menu produced by the Michelin-starred chefs: Manzanilla Papirusa for the aperitif, White Wine Marqués de Irún and Red Wine Viña Hermania Reserva for the main course, and Moscatel Emilín Sherry to accompany the desserts. After dinner, the guests enjoyed spirits kindly provided by Grupo Caballero such as Bloom Gin, Greenall’s Gin and Contrabando Rum. For this reason, Juan Mateos, Head of PR and Tourism of Grupo Caballero and Bodegas Lustau, received the Charitable Company Award in recognition of his continued support for the Action Against Hunger foundation. The foundation also rewarded the continual work and effort of Patricia Nahmad, presenting her with a personal award.

The company Gaggenau, another of the major figures of the night, kindly provided furniture and a cooking hob for the chefs on stage, as well as donating some fantastic gifts for the auction including a kitchen stove and a wine cooler valued at €4,000. Gaggenau stands out from other kitchen brands for its advanced technology and original design. The business philosophy of the firm conveys the sensitivity of gastronomy as art, nourishing the body and spirit. Ana Obregón was another star of the night, with her usual dedication and skill on stage. During the evening, the hostess reiterated how grateful she was to be working with both foundations. Other highlights of the night included the performances by the young Veronica Malka, Aerial Illusions, and the artists from the group Encore! The 3 Tenors, who delighted the audience with their version of the songs Granada, La Donna Mobile and Sole Mio. The performance by Juan Peña was outstanding, and after presenting several songs from his third album “No Fear”, he later collaborated with Ana Obregón in leading the auction. Lexter performed towards the end of the evening, and managed to get all the guests up out of their seats and dancing to his hits with his extraordinary energy. Those present bid for a Lambretta motorcycle, silver cutlery with gold plating, a set of tables and a lamp from Roche Bobois, an art masterpiece by Alexander Hermann, a wine cooler and kitchen stove by Gaggenau, and a watch from Gomez & Molina Jewellers, among other gifts, which in total managed to raise around €10,000.

Other contributors of the evening, whose participation was essential to the event were El Gran Meliá Don Pepe (sponsoring hotel of the event), Agrojardín Center (with their floral arrangements and decoration), the hotels H10 Andalucía Plaza and Iberostar, Ibericar Benet Mercedes-Benz (official cars of the event), Freixenet, Dora Make-up (official make-up artists), Narybu Hair & Nails Salon (official hairdressers), Moscow Delicatessen, Hyperion Family Office, Fox Group, Tsar Nikolay Caviar, Ruediger Benedikt, Onda Cero and Leonardelli. Last but certainly not least, Ocean Club, in addition to their generous donation to the gala, organised a lunch for all the celebrities who passed through the photocall last night. It was truly an unforgettable evening in which all participants played their part to ensure that Action Against Hunger and The Children for Peace continue their humanitarian work in countries devastated by war, poverty and famine. www.marie-noelle.es Next week, the organisation will release a statement announcing of the total proceeds from the gala.