Guests are forking out big money to enjoy an evening of fine dining from celebrity chef Josh Emmett at Graeme Hart's house. Photo / Herald on Sunday.
Guests are forking out big money to enjoy an evening of fine dining from celebrity chef Josh Emmett at Graeme Hart's house. Photo / Herald on Sunday.
Guests are spending $1250 for an evening of fine dining by celebrity chef Josh Emett at the house of New Zealand’s richest man, Graeme Hart, whose wealth was recently estimated at $9.6 billion.
On August 29, Melanoma New Zealand's charity dinner, A Winter Dinner at the Summer House, will behosted at Graeme and Robyn Hart's home in Glendowie.
Emett — an ambassador for Melanoma New Zealand — is promising exquisitely prepared Michelin Star food and award-winning wines to match.
"I have been an ambassador for Melanoma New Zealand since 2014, a charity I chose to partner with after my father died of melanoma in 2011," he tells Spy.
The swimming pool and changing room at Graeme Harts property on Riddell Rd. Photo / NZ Herald.
"Given the event will be held in such a unique and exclusive location, the private summer house of Graeme and Robyn Hart . . . I am creating a menu that will be exceptional. We want guests to have an amazing evening they won't forget."
The Harts throw great parties with fancy dress a favourite theme. Previous events have featured Bollywood, Disney and Mexican themes.
However, lending out their palatial home to a charity is thought to be rare.
The exclusive invitation that circulated around moneyed folk who can afford $12,000 for a table of 10, is a win for Melanoma New Zealand and has sold out.
Melanoma New Zealand chief executive Andrea Newland used to work closely with Robyn and her daughter Gretchen when the latter was chairwoman of the Friends of Starship committee. They raised funds with successful High Teas for that charity, so it is a natural progression for Newland to work with them in her new role at Melanoma NZ which she took on earlier this year.
Celebrity chef Josh Emett. Photo / NZ Herald.
Singer Mitch James will be performing. His hit song No Fixed Abode has racked up 17 million streams and he is no stranger to the big stage. He's previously supported global sensation Ed Sheeran. America's Cup sailor and fellow melanoma ambassador, Blair Tuke will also be in attendance.
Funds raised on the big night will help Melanoma NZ provide information and support to patients and their families and also to champion the prevention and early detection of the disease.
Last December the Harts donated $10 million to the University of Otago, the most significant single donation in the university's almost 150-year history. The funding will be used to help develop a new $28.2 million dental teaching facility in South Auckland.
