The Craig’s Royal Hotel chef consultant is leading a team for serve a paddock to plate, four-course meal in Art for a Cause, a multi-layered charity gala for The Ballarat Foundation. Art for a Cause will feature food as art, live performing arts and a high-end art auction.

Mr Curley said he liked the idea of what the event could do in giving back to the Ballarat community.

“They say chefs are artists, but it’s more that I’m about chefs doing social change and making things happen,” Mr Curley said. “...We’re donating everything for the night. We want to see Ballarat survive for a long time. This place, Craig’s, has been here for 150 years. We want to be here another 150 years as part of the Ballarat fabric in a positive way.”

All proceeds will go to The Ballarat Foundation, an honourary trust working with charities across the region to create social change. Funds raised in the art auction will go to #FeedBallarat to create a food bank in Ballarat.

Mr Curley has been travelling to Ballarat to work with Craig’s for about four years. He has quickly become enamoured with this city, its people and history and said this compelled him to want to serve the wider community so Ballarat can grow as a whole.

“We never really realise when we’re here how good we’ve got it in Ballarat,” Mr Curley said. “The produce is amazing, the cafes, bars and restaurants are first class. It’s awesome to give something back.”

Mr Curley will “French it up”, as they say in chef speak, for the grand dining experience, drawing on local produce as much as possible to complement high-quality features.

Late last month The Ballarat Foundation also launched Run for a Cause, a re-branded revival of Run Ballarat, to boost support on regional issues. The inaugural event in November will focus on awareness and fundraising for food security.

Art for a Cause is at Craig’s Royal Hotel on September 6. More details: theballaratfoundation.org.au.