Unox UK bravely took on the task of climbing Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK, while carrying a 140kg CHEFTOP-X oven.
Watch their journey and witness the extraordinary dedication and strength that made this feat possible.
We’ve asked the climbers to share their emotions and experiences from the challenge, and their heartfelt responses have truly moved us. The stories of perseverance, camaraderie, and the highs and lows of this incredible journey have left us in awe. Each response reflects the passion and dedication that went into this remarkable feat.
We are deeply grateful for the strength and unity displayed by everyone involved.
Let’s dive into the details of this epic journey and hear inspiring tales from the legends of this challenge!
How did you overcome the challenges and what kept you going?
"I remembered the memories of I have of a chef who is no longer with us and how the The Burnt Chef Project could have potentially changed that. I envisioned his hand next to mine helping carry the oven every step, sharing the burden, giving me strength and keeping us moving forward."
"I recall it being similar to running a marathon, other walkers and climbers giving great encouragement and giving us high fives -this was amazing. These challenges are not about your body being knackered, your mind gives up long before the body does, so you just need to keep pushing. Also, as Unox leader, I wanted to lead by example and push. Everyone was amazing and helped everyone take those extra steps. "
What was your favourite moment?
"Arriving back at the car park! Nah, in all seriousness, the best bit was the constant good wishes/comments from those overtaking us on the way up and then the sheer amazement as the same people came back past us on their way down again… So many people were intrigued and wanted to know more – one man even gave us cash on the mountain to add to the total!"
"Seeing how proud everyone was of themselves afterwards, and rightfully so! There was one person that had never climbed a mountain and they ended up getting badly injured - I thought there was no way they would be doing any challenge like this again, but they messaged me a couple days later saying they were signing up to our Snowdon challenge! Wow! The group just refused to be defeated, and it is so infectious."
What was the biggest challenge you faced?
"Accepting that due to H&S time constraints we were not being allowed to carry on and make the summit. I was disappointed at the time and didn’t want to let the team know. I felt we had failed to do what we set out to do – I struggled for a bit and was getting grumpy! On reflection, it was the correct thing to do and getting everyone back safely was a great feeling."
"It was easily just as mentally challenging as it was physically challenging. It's easy to slip into a defeatist mindset when the odds are against you - there were torn muscles, falls, backs and knees giving out, the threat of hypothermia, time restrictions.. and we really had to push through the pain and stay positive. I hardly even carried the damn oven and I was ready to pack it in on so many occasions, but then you kind of looked around at all these incredible people who had come together to do this, and it gave you that little boost you needed to keep going."
How did you feel when you got back?
"Personally I've never been more proud of the people at UNOX, I believe that despite not reaching the summit we overachieved, phenomenal total raised and to see so many people give 100% to the point of injury was inspirational!"
"Relief… It had been such an exhausting 14 hours on the mountain, so to reach the car park, without any serious injuries and knowing that not only had we helped to spread the message, but also raise tens of thousands of pounds for the cause, was fantastic."
Why it was successful/important for you personally, for The Burnt Chef Project and as a business?
"I feel we really added to the awareness and getting the word out there was brilliant. Bringing a team together to do the challenge and having that togetherness was just wonderful. Having our business, unox allow our team to do this I hope shows lots about our team spirit and culture. As a manufacturer, we are involved in hospitality, and we need more companies like ours helping. It isn’t just about chefs. "
"I wanted to be part of something that would make a meaningful difference to so many people within the hospitality industry. The Burnt Chef Project is such an important cause, one that’s on its own journey to drive awareness and reduce the stigma around mental health – to be part of that was incredibly rewarding."
"The money raised will hopefully save someone’s life, I don’t think there is anything bigger than that you can possibly do in this world!"
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Unox team for their dedication and incredible efforts. We also want to give a massive thanks to all sponsors who made significant contributions in raising money!
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