Beware: chefs on bikes

There's no stopping Derry Clarke, the L'Ecrivain celebrity chef.

Fresh from a heart bypass operation, he has teamed up with several other kitchen warriors for a 700km charity cycle through France later this year.

Clarke, along with Chapter One's Michelin man Ross Lewis and about 10 others, are riding the Paris2Nice event in September to raise money for Console, the suicide prevention charity.

Clarke and his wife Sally Anne sadly lost their young son Andrew on New Year’s Eve 2012.

Sponsor them a few bob, if you can. Their group wants to raise about €100,000, says Clarke.

The event is organised by a group including Kevin Hui, who owns China Sichuan restaurant in Sandyford.

About 95 cyclists are taking part overall, raising money for various charities. Last year’s Paris2Nice raised almost €600,000.

Recovered from his operation, Clarke is also back behind the hot plate at L’Ecrivain.

He tells me there is a “massive shortage” of chefs for hire: “I think we need to send an SOS out to Australia or Canada to get them all back.”