NEW DELHI, July 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --
Unique Fund Raiser Event in Delhi to Support Health and Nutrition for 1000 Underprivileged Children
The Smile Foundation and 3-time Michelin starred celebrity chef Vikas Khanna came together to create a unique charity cookout - 'Cook for a Smile', hosted by Hyatt Hotels in India on Sunday, July 27th, 2014, at Hyatt Regency Delhi. Funds raised from the campaign will be used to provide education and nutrition for 1,000 children for one year. Chef Vikas Khanna is associated with the Smile Foundation as a goodwill ambassador for its 'Nutrition for Better Literacy' initiative.
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Delhi's top corporate leaders spent their Sunday busy testing their mettle at Hyatt's cooking stations under the guidance of the MasterChef judge, Vikas Khanna. The CEOs took to recreating some of their favourite recipes in support of Smile Foundation's 'Nutrition for Better Literacy' initiative. Each CEO was accompanied by a child from the Smile Foundation, who acted as sous-chef and helped these leaders stir up their own magic.
The event was a collaborative effort between Hyatt, Smile Foundation and its partners - Cleo County, Western Digital, Philips Kitchen Appliances and CNBC, who share the same passion in bringing the underprivileged a healthier lifestyle. Elaborating on his fondness for the initiative, Chef Vikas Khanna, Goodwill Ambassador - Nutrition For Better Literacy, Smile Foundation said, "Lack of proper nutrition is a fundamental issue and one of the biggest roadblocks for the growth and development for children in our country. I am proud to be associated with Smile Foundation as their goodwill ambassador for 'Nutrition for Better Literacy', and I hope I am able to sensitize many more people about this issue that we face as a developing country. 'Cook For A Smile' has been a big step in helping us reach out to stakeholders and by the end of this year, I pledge to benefit around 5000 kids under this initiative."
"We are proud to be associated with an initiative such as 'Cook For A Smile' which is a seamless extension of our own efforts at making a difference to the community. Our mission to provide authentic hospitality constantly inspires us to help deliver an impactful change in society. Together with the Smile Foundation and committed individuals such as Chef Vikas Khanna, we are proud to have been able to raise funds and awareness for 'Nutrition for Better Literacy'. While we focus towards nourishment with this initiative, our company-wide philanthropic and environmental platform - Hyatt Thrive - continues to undertake various fund-raising and volunteer activities through the year that emphasize our belief in human care and the human spirit," said Yasmin D. Poonegar, Director of Corporate Communications, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts - Southwest Asia Ltd.
Knowing the children's fondness for all things sweet, Marin Leuthard, Executive Chef of Hyatt Regency Delhi, and his team also set up a special pastry counter for the children of Smile Foundation at the event.
Cook For A Smile Participants:
- Mr. Gulbahar Taurani, Director Marketing, Consumer Lifestyle - Philips India Limited
- Mr. Hicham Lahkim Bennani, Director Commercial - Air France KLM
- Mr. Rajat Jain, Managing Director - Xerox India Limited
- Mr. Avinash Venkat, Director, Human Resources, South Asia & Sub Saharan Africa - Avery Dennison
- Mr. Ashutosh Chadha, Director Corporate Affairs - South Asia - Intel
- Mr. Tapan Ray, Managing Director & CEO - Nature Bio-Foods Ltd.
- Dr. Shashi Kant Baliyan, Managing Director - ClearMedi Healthcare
- Ms. Ratna Chadha, Chief Executive (TIRUN Travel Marketing India Representative) - Royal Caribbean Cruise
- Mr. Sanjay Sethi, CEO & Co Founder - Shopclues.com
- Mr. Amit Modi, Whole Time Director, ABA Corp. - Cleo County
- Mr. Aseem Kapoor, Area Director - North West India - Hyatt Regency
Speaking about the association, Vikram Singh Verma, COO Smile Foundation said, "One in every three malnourished children in the world is from India. The consequences are long-term and it prevents children's overall growth, learning ability, schooling and a chance to come out of the vicious cycle of poverty for yet another generation. Thereby, it also prevents the country's growth. In order to bring some real and permanent changes in the lives of the most deserving children across India, we have brought together corporate leaders and trendsetters under our 'Cook for a Smile' initiative with celebrated Chef Vikas Khanna."
For more details on the campaign, visit www.smilefoundationindia.org
About Smile Foundation
Smile Foundation is a national development organization working with a lifecycle approach towards children, their families and community. With a belief that education is the means as well as the end, the foundation is reaching out to more than 300,000 underprivileged children, youth and women directly every year through 158 welfare projects on subjects such as education, healthcare, youth employability, and women empowerment across 25 states of India.
Hyatt Thrive -- A Commitment to People and Communities
In 2011, Hyatt launched its signature corporate responsibility platform, Hyatt Thrive. Focused on care and responsibility, Hyatt Thrive formalized the company's long-standing commitment to its people, the communities, where its hotels operate. Hyatt expanded its corporate responsibility commitment with the launch of Ready to Thrive in 2013, a multi-year philanthropic commitment to education initiatives in Hyatt communities around the world. Earlier this year, Hyatt also issued an update to its biannual corporate responsibility report, highlighting key milestones and initiatives for the calendar year 2012.
For more information on Hyatt Thrive, please visit www.HyattThrive.com.
About Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company with a proud heritage of making guests feel more than welcome. Thousands of members of the Hyatt family strive to make a difference in the lives of the guests they encounter every day by providing authentic hospitality. The company's subsidiaries manage, franchise, own and develop hotels and resorts under the Hyatt®, Park Hyatt®, Andaz®, Grand Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Hyatt Place®, Hyatt House®, Hyatt Zilara™ and Hyatt Ziva™ brand names and have locations in six continents. Hyatt Residential Group, Inc., a Hyatt Hotels Corporation subsidiary, develops, operates, markets or licenses Hyatt Residences® and Hyatt Residence Club®. As of March 31, 2014, the company's worldwide portfolio consisted of 554 properties in 47 countries.
For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.
Media Contact: Faiza Kapoor, [email protected], +91-9833313416, IPAN Hill+Knowlton Strategies for Hyatt Hotels & Resorts
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