An international truffle auction held in London on Sunday (13 November) has raised a record breaking £123,107 for charity. 

Ristorante Fiore in St James held the Christie’s-run auction of the first Alba white truffles of 2005, an event attended by restaurateurs Marco Pierre White and Claudio Pulze. 

The event was even broadcast to bidders at the Ritz Carlton, Hong Kong and the Grand Hyatt, Shanghai, China.

An anonymous bidder in Hong Kong smashed last year’s record £22,877 for a single truffle by paying an incredible £63,908 for a 1.2kg Alba.

Proceeds will go to international charity the Hands & Hearts Foundation and the Pelican Cancer Foundation in the UK.

Alba white truffles are available for two months of the year in the Piedmont region of Italy and are highly sought after due to their unique taste and texture. 

By Chris Druce

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