Four hundred and fifty guests including key industry individuals attended the glittering 19th annual National Restaurateurs Dinner held in London this week.

Thousands of pounds for hospitality and catering training programmes were raised at the event at the Dorchester hotel on Monday 24th April.

Organised by the Restaurant Association, the Academy of Culinary Arts, and the Academy of Food & Wine Service, this year’s five-course dinner was prepared by a team led by six of the industry’s leading chefs, with wine selected by four of the country’s leading sommeliers.

The dinner was preceded by a champagne reception sponsored by GH Mumm and featured a charity auction conducted by auctioneer Christopher Mills FRICS of Highcross.

Prizes auctioned included an original JAK cartoon, ‘Running Hare’ by renowned sculptor Emma Rodgers, and an original painting from the 19th Century in the style of Charles Dixon.

Full details of the amounts raised will be released in due course.

Photograph: Patrick Gwynn-Jones MBE, chair of the Fund Raising Committee