Stars cook for charity

Artist Dick Frizzell. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Some of our best-loved celebrities are giving a sneak peek into their kitchen secrets in a charity cookbook curated by leading artist Dick Frizzell.

Dubbed the ultimate celebrity cookbook, Cooking 4 Change will feature favourite recipes of 101 identities from sport, politics, media, film, television, art and music.

It includes contributions from Olympic gold medallists and world champion rowers Eric Murray and Hamish Bond, Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum, former All Black Kees Meeuws, TV presenter Erin Simpson, actor Sam Neill and musicians Tiki Taane and Gin Wigmore.

Approaches have also been made to Sir Peter Jackson and Prime Minister John Key.

Musician Gin Wigmore.

Frizzell said the book would have a scrapbook feel and each recipe will be accompanied by a personal food story.

Cookbook executive producer Christian Casper said it was different from other recipe books as there was a social aspect to the way it was compiled.

Cooking 4 Change was paid for by a crowdfunding campaign.

New Zealand Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The Starship Foundation, Auckland City Mission, Paws for Justice and Leukemia & Blood Cancer NZ will benefit from sales.

The contribution of Simpson, the makeover queen on TV One's Kiwi Living show, is a lasting tribute to her late grandmother Violet Simpson who died soon after photographs of her signature homemade blackberry pie were styled for the book.

Simpson said the pie was a childhood favourite. Her nana always asked the grandchildren to gather the berries, which grew wild on bushes at their Waikato family farm.

New Zealand actor Sam Neill as João Havelange in the film United Passions.

"We would pick them and she would make the pie. The dish that we used [for the cookbook] is her dish and we used blackberries from the farm."

Simpson said her nana was excited the pie recipe was going to be used. "This will be a lovely legacy."

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