UK chef puts himself for eBay auction

BY OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

LONDON

Dec. 1: A top chef in London has put himself, or rather his cooking skills, up for auction on eBay for this Christmas.

French David Duverger, 32, is the head chef at award winning restaurant Papillon at Chelsea in London. He has offered his cooking skills to for any one who bids highest on eBay. The bid will include all of the food for the meal.

He is raising money for Children with Leukaemia, a charity which is dedicated exclusively to the conquest of childhood leukaemia through pioneering research, new treatment and support leukaemic children and their families. "All of the money I raise will be given to Children with Leukaemia (http://www.leukaemia.org), a charity that is very important to me," Mr Duverger said on the eBay bidding page.

Having decided to do something different for charity, Mr Duverger said, "I won’t be returning home to the Auvergne in France for Christmas. Instead, I am offering you the chance for me to come to your home and professionally cook a full Christmas lunch of your choice for you and up to seven guests."

He has some rules: the number of people he will cook for are eight and he has put a reserve of £800 for bidding, which will end at 10.01 GMT on December 10.

"The only rules are that I need to limit it to 8 people, I have put a reserve of £800, but obviously would like to raise as much money as possible for charity."

The chef from France said he will travel anywhere in the UK to cook the Christmas lunch. "If you live more than 100 miles from central London, I would ask that you provide a hotel room the night before," he said.