DineAid are extremely excited to be involved with the upcoming Taste of Auckland show which is taking place at The Infield, Ellerslie Racecourse, Auckland, Thursday 19 – Sunday 22 March 2009.

12 of Auckland’s leading restaurants are currently preparing to amaze you!  Fancy an entrée from dine by Peter Gordon, a main from Clooney and a dessert from The French Cafe?  Taste of Auckland, presented by Metro and Principal partner Singapore Airlines is unlike any other food and drink event.  For 4 days, 12 selected Auckland restaurants will set up full professional kitchens to deliver a degustation menu like no other, offering 36 tantalizing signature dishes.  Restaurants include The French Café, Euro, Mudbrick, Vinnies, Rocco, and Q Restaurant and Bar to name a few.

A Taste Session lasts for 4 hours (5 on Sunday) and allows you enough time to browse around the event and enjoy the various features such as The Fisher & Paykel Chefs Theatre, Taste Magazine Chefs Table, the Taste Masterclass and the Arano Producers Market featuring over 80 food and drink exhibitors.

The inaugural event takes place Infield at Ellerslie Racecourse from 19 – 22 March and will be the ultimate dining experience so we definitely urge every one of you to make your way down there at some point during the show.

(Click here to visit the Taste of Auckland website for more details)

The 2008 Dineaid campaign came to a close on the 31st December.

To all those establishments that took part, and of course all of the diners who gave the donations, we wish to offer our thanks.

We will be back soon with news on how much we were able to raise and subsequently able to donate to the 2008 charities.

Once again. To everyone.

Thank you.

The DineAid Team

Even more restaurants have now joined DineAid, we are way past the 150 mark now which is a great testament to the fabulous restaurant and entertainment community that we have in New Zealand.

We have just updated the list of establishments, but also added in a link at the top of the page if you own or run a venue and would like to be part of DineAid 2008 – just click on “Join” and get in touch. (With six weeks still to go it is not too late).

With huge thanks to RadioWorks for their support, our radio advertising campaign is now live, playing out across Radio Live for the next few weeks.

This airtime will be supported by spots in various programmes such as Marcus Lush’s Breakfast Show, the Saturday Kitchen & Garden Show and the Saturday evening Taste Life show.

We are extremely grateful to everyone at RadioWorks for all of their support.

Thank you guys!

(We at DineAid are very grateful for this exposure as we know how valuable this airtime is, as Radio Live is an excellent way to reach a valuable New Zealand audience with your message. If you want to promote your own business we suggest that you call 09 373 5000 and talk to Paul Hancox who will be able to sort you out).

We are now 17 days into the campaign, more and more establishments are joining the campaign every day, and we are getting some great feedback.

The list of participating establishments has now been updated. There are now over 150 venues involved with DineAid 2008, so now diners have a huge choice of where to go in order to support New Zealand charities whilst eating out.

Once again, we offer a huge thanks to all of these very busy businesses.

Please support us by supporting them.

thx

The DineAid Team

“DineAid will be making a huge contribution towards families at risk, youth training and mentoring – all for much less than the price of a flat white. By agreeing to add just $2 to your restaurant bill you’ll be helping people in need of real help throughout NZ.”

(Read original article here)

Kerre Woodham: Sweet charity
4:00AM Sunday Nov 02, 2008

As New Zealand Breast Cancer Month comes to an end, November ushers in a month of new charity initiatives.

I don’t envy fundraisers in this gloomy economic climate. When people are being told to tighten their belts and prepare for a rocky couple of years, it’s difficult to get them to open their wallets even for the most worthy of causes.

Compassion fatigue is a real and recognised condition. If they don’t get you at home via the telephone or letter box, they try to grab you on the street corner or at the supermarket.

You’re not even safe from friends and colleagues as they hit you up to (more…)

Great article on DineAid in the recent issue of Mindfood.

(click here to read the online version)

We are now live! The 2008 campaign commenced today the 1st November and will run through until the 31st December.

Please support DineAid over the next 9 weeks by selecting a DineAid participating restaurant when you are out and about over the Christmas period. The ever expanding list of venues can be viewed via the “restaurants” link at the top of the page.

(Article from New Zealand Herald, 1 November 2008 – read original here)

Do Your Bit

Chances are when you go out to eat over the next month, you’ll be asked to add an extra $2 to your bill. It’s all part of an international charity called DineAid which is aimed to raise money for families in need. Leading Kiwi chef Mark Gregory, who lived and worked in the UK for many years saw a similar concept start there and roll out into other countries including the States, South Africa and Australia. So far over $9 million dollars has been raised internationally. Here in Auckland restaurants taking part include The French Cafe, Clooneys, Dine, Q, Bracu, The Engine Room and more. “It’s a simple and painless way to make a big difference,” says Gregory. www.dineaid.org.nz