The Independent’s Food and Drink Editor to swap pen for pan at charity dinner in aid of Action Against Hunger

I’ve spent most of my career judging other people’s food. On 16 June, it’ll be my turn to be judged – by actual chefs, no less.

That’s the premise of Too Many Critics, the annual charity dinner where food writers hang up their notebooks and don aprons in support of Action Against Hunger.

Now in its 18th year, the event sees a group of critics cook a four-course dinner for a room full of paying guests – and a panel of chefs who are only too happy to return the favour.

This year’s event will take place at Roe in Canary Wharf, the latest opening from the team behind Fallow St James’s and FOWL, known for their creative use of modest British ingredients and a root-to-stem, nose-to-tail ethos.

In keeping with the zero-waste philosophy of both restaurants, each of us will be tasked with recreating a dish from the Roe or Fallow repertoire – no pressure, then.

I’ll be joined in the kitchen by fellow critics Tom Parker Bowles (Mail on Sunday), Leonie Cooper (Time Out), David Ellis (Evening Standard), Kate Krader (Bloomberg), Adam Hyman (CODE and The Good Food Guide) and Molly Codyre (Foodism), all of whom are likely as terrified as I am.

Our judges on the night – chefs including Ashley Palmer-Watts and Shaun Searley – are not known for mincing their words, so we’ll be bracing ourselves for feedback normally reserved for errant line cooks.

The evening isn’t just an exercise in ego-bruising. It’s also a major fundraising event for Action Against Hunger, a global charity working to end life-threatening hunger in over 50 countries, including the UK.

Last year’s event raised more than £145,000 – enough to provide life-saving treatment, clean water and mental health support to thousands of people in crisis. Every ticket bought and every auction bid helps fund this vital work.

Speaking of which, alongside the dinner, guests will be able to bid in both a silent and live auction for an impressive array of prizes. Highlights include private dining experiences, wine tours, luxury hotel stays and chef-cooked dinners at home.

I’ll be aiming for survival in the kitchen – but if you’re after something more rewarding, the auctions are well worth your attention.

Tickets are £250 and include a Champagne reception with canapés, a four-course meal with matching wines curated by Liberty Wines and a healthy dose of schadenfreude as critics flounder in the kitchen.

If you’ve ever read a review and thought, “I’d like to see you do better,” well, here’s your chance.

Too Many Critics 2025 takes place on Monday 16 June at Roe, 5 Park Drive, London, E14 9GG. Tickets are available now via Action Against Hunger’s website, here.