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I WILL COOK FOR YOU

Yet, when you no longer get pleasure from food, you realise it is so much more than that.
Caring SocietySocial CareWellbeingFood

Cooking and the communal act of sharing food represent a significant ritual, serving as a bridge that spans both space and time. It connects us not only to the places where we source our ingredients but also to the individuals with whom we enjoy the meal. Through this process, a profound bond is forged between food and our sense of self, transcending familial histories.

Sharing meals goes beyond mere sustenance, it creates a sense of belonging akin to a second home. This practice is rooted in deeper connections that extend beyond the physical act of cooking. However, recent studies have brought attention to a pressing concern: a projected 42% increase in dementia cases compared to previous estimates, with forecasts indicating a continued upward trend.

Hence, this cookbook and its associated initiative embarks on understanding this intricate yet vital system, and delves into understanding how diverse mediums, from system-based thinking to storytelling can potentially assist in alleviating social inequality and simultaneously engender practices of care and support.

Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs
Dal Bati and Churma
Butter Beans
Human Simmer Fish
Burnt Chilli
Tofu MeatBalls

The Cookbook

“Yet, when you no longer get pleasure from food, you realise it is so much more than that. It’s how we show love as a parent, it’s how we bond with friends, it’s an apology for saying the wrong thing, it’s a welcome to the neighbourhood.”

Perhaps to consider our relationship with the holding of memories through food when faced with a diagnosis of dementia, is to observe the division of labour across racial, gender and class distinctions. How can love and care continue through a period of hardship and how can culinary practices be a method to remember, support and maintain relationships.

With an ageing population in the UK, alongside extreme inequalities, how can we provide spaces of care for families living with dementia? This work is an exploration into the sharing of food, friendship and love. We interrogate how to protect both bodies and memories, capturing stories through recipes and teaching culinary skills to people placed in situations where they become a carer.

Package Design
Stakeholders
Food distribution system