Chef who rode routes of all three Grand Tours writes charity cookbook

A chef is releasing a charity cook book inspired by his efforts riding the routes of this year’s three Grand Tours. Back In The Saddle features 63 recipes – one for each stage of the Giro d'Italia, Tour De France and Vuelta a Espana.

The Hertfordshire Mercury reports that Hayden Groves was part of the five-man team that rode the routes as part of Geoff Thomas’s Three Tours Challenge.

Job done.
An Epic challenge with an amazing team.... now for family time xx pic.twitter.com/8MuSLuT9ke

— Hayden Groves‍ (@Hayden1974) September 9, 2017

“When I rode the Tour de France with the group back in 2015 I raised £63,000 and I thought the book was something that would help me raise more than that total,” he said.

He has already passed his £50,000 fundraising target, but hopes the book can get him past £100,000.

Groves trained by cycling to work. As well as allowing him a charity sabbatical, his employer, BaxterStorey, has also funded the book, meaning that all money from sales will be donated to Cure Leukaemia.

“The food is simple, delicious, and driven by the landscapes of Italy, France and Spain,” says the blurb – which goes on to describe the book’s contents as “a cycling and food odyssey of 10,403km.”

Groves says he’s avoided ‘fantasy ingredients’ and that all dishes can comfortably be made at home.

Wow....
here’s a quick flick through some of the 280 pages... pic.twitter.com/G1XE9CZzJw

— Hayden Groves‍ (@Hayden1974) November 21, 2017

The book also features contributions from Michel Roux Jr, Laura Kenny, Chris Froome and Phil Liggett. This writer still has feverish nightmares about the time he heard Froome waxing lyrical about eating an apple, so hopefully the Tour and Vuelta winner has contributed something other than a recipe.

The book is available from the Three Tours Challenge website for £30.