Today's Festival of Europe events

Some of the country's top chefs will be cooking up a storm for charity at the top of an Auckland hotel this Saturday.

Judith Tabron, Horst Wellmeyer and Tony Astle will be in charge of catering for the Festival of Europe Finale Ball, organised by the Herald Foundation, on the top floors of the Somerset Grand Metropolis.

The foundation's executive director, Richard Holden, said the chefs were donating their time and expertise to the event, and were being asked to cope with conditions more trying than their usual kitchens.

The two penthouse floors of the hotel were concrete shells and had not yet been finished.

"It literally was a shell," said Mr Holden. Carpet had been donated, along with furniture and silk wall-linings.

The glittering bash will include a 20-piece string orchestra followed by Del Piranha and the Rhythm Kings.

Mr Holden said the ball was a "not-to-be-missed event" on any social calendar.

The 300 tickets for the event, priced at $250 each, sold out within a week.

All proceeds will go to the Child Cancer Foundation.

The festival is a three-week celebration of Europe, which runs until November 18. It ends with a black-tie charity ball.