Award-winning celebrity chef Richard Corrigan is giving away the prize of a lifetime for frontline workers – a wedding in his Virginia Park Lodge Hotel.
The initiative #CorriganVowToThe Frontline was launched in May, with the renowned chef offering to host an all expenses paid wedding at his 18th century estate for up to 160 guests.
The fundraiser for St Vincent de Paul has since raised €35,000 for the charity, but there are just hours left to get in with a chance of winning the dream day.
Speaking to Lottie Ryan on the Jennifer Zamparelli Show on 2fm today, he said: “It’s a real dream package, every penny that is being raised goes to St Vincent De Paul, which are badly in need of money right now.
“It’s fantastic. I’m delighted for St Vincent De Paul, quiet people in the background doing a great job.
“And the frontline workers, I mean this is for cleaners, nurses, doctors, anyone involved in frontline care can enter this competition.”
He added: “And you can buy and enter the competition and give it to a frontline worker if you win it. It has to go to a frontline worker.”
The Irish chef went on to call on the government to provide supports to help the restaurant and tourism industry recover.
While trying to remain optimistic, Richard said: “Eating and socialising is part of the human condition.. but I do believe in the short-term our industry is changed forever but i don’t want to be too negative.”
“In Ireland we are not open as of yet, because you can only have 45/40 people in the Gallery.
“We are following clearly the laid out Government guidelines and no one will go near those and we wouldn’t want to.
“Right now, just right now I think there is very little we can do.
“I think the hospitality sector overall has been extraordinary hard hit.
“Bars, restaurants, hotels and now everyone is seeing just a slight glimmer because it is August.
“But there will be a very dark cloud on the business by mid-October again.
“And really, Governments all over told all hospitalities to close, which they did.
“Therefore there has to be some help until we have some class of vaccine or else some class of a minimum living wage until people can get back on their feet.
The worried business owner, who has restaurants in Ireland and the UK added: “I mean this is doomsday really, what is happening - there is no question about it.
“But I think we can be positive and imaginative and we can be all-encompassing help for everyone because this is out of anyone’s control.
“Until there is a virus buster of some description we are in a very, very dark place.”
