Top chef cooks up a treat for patients

Chef Russell Lee preparing the food at the Royal Preston Hospital for patients who have had their voice boxes removed.

Russell Lee, who ran the Fusion Room in Friargate, decided to work with specialists at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, after he was treated for sleep apnoea and had eating problems as a result.

He helped run taster sessions to help the local laryngectomy support group determine which smells, tastes and textures work best, in a bid to stop depression and social isolation.

The team, lead by Dr Thomas Moors, are now hoping to collate a range of recipes to turn into a cookbook and run a monthly support lunch.

Russell said: “I wanted to work with Thomas to help laryngectomy patients enjoy food again and enable them to create simple dishes that they can change to suit themselves and their families.”

Karen Partington, chief executive of the Trust, said: “People who have had their voice box removed have to learn to live in a different way and we are committed to helping our patients live their lives to the fullest.”