Chef Yuba Bhandar will prepare dinner for a fundraising event for the Nepal quake relief
Items signed by Sir Edmund Hillary are to be auctioned at a formal fundraising dinner to help Nepalese earthquake victims.
The auction includes a "very special painting" which was a gift to Hillary from the son of someone he used to stay with in the Khumbu region, said Peter Gibbs, who runs the Nepalese Consulate in New Zealand.
"He was a painter and he painted it and gave it to Ed, and then Ed signed it and he's had it all this time," said Mr Gibbs.
The painting was donated by Lady June Hillary, who will be attending the formal dinner.
There are also $5 notes, signed by Sir Edmund Hilary, up for auction which were donated anonymously.
Mr Gibbs said the painting and the cash were "collector's items".
The fundraising dinner gives Bay locals the opportunity to donate to the building of a school or hospital in Nepal.
Ramesh Gurung, chairman of the Bay of Plenty Nepalese Association, said the money raised would be used to help communities in the worst effected areas of Nepal.
"Our association is thinking we should be helping the educational institutes ... instead of just focussing on the individual we are focussing on the whole community," he said.
The money raised from the dinner tomorrow night will add to the fundraising effort by the local Nepalese community, who have raised about $26,000 since the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in April.
Mr Gibbs said "people are looking for a way to help and often are not sure how, so this dinner is a good way to do that".
Nepalese-Indian chef Yuba Raj Bhandari will be in charge of preparing the meal for 220 to 250 guests. Photo / George Novak
The food on the evening will be traditional Nepalese food, prepared by Nepalese Indian chef Yuba Raj Bhandari, who is the chef at Mumba Masala, an Indian restaurant at Fashion Island. Mr Raj Bhandari said Nepalese food is similar to Indian food, using similar ingredients.
Mr Gurung said a variety of Indo-Nepalese food will be on offer on the evening. The menu includes selroti (traditional Nepalese bread), chicken sekuwa (classic Nepali chicken skewers), and chicken bhutuwa (Nepali stir-fried chicken).
Entertainment for the evening will include a performance by soprano Blaire White, and cultural Nepalese performances.
The dinner will be held at Kiwi 360 tomorrow at 7 pm.
Nepal •The Earthquake on April 25, 2015, was Nepal's worst natural disaster in 80 years. •6204 people were killed in Nepal. •The United Nations estimates 8 million people have been affected by the quake. •More than 14,000 people injured across the country. •Unicef estimates 1.7 million children live in the worst hit areas.
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