At Sobell House Hospice in Oxfordshire, chef Spencer Richards is proving that food can be far more than sustenance—it can be a source of comfort, dignity, and joy in life’s final days. For Richards, cooking for terminally ill patients is not simply a profession, but a heartfelt calling.

Speaking to The Mirror, he described the privilege of his work:

“My own philosophy is that there can be no greater privilege as a chef than serving someone their final meal.”

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More Than Just a Menu

Richards explained that adapting food to each patient’s needs and wishes is at the heart of his role. Standard menus rarely suit everyone, particularly young patients. “Recently a 21-year-old didn’t connect with anything on the menu,” he recalled. “We talked, and he said he liked street food—so we made that happen.”

The chef’s dedication also shines through in small, deeply personal gestures. He recounted the story of a 93-year-old woman who had never celebrated a birthday in her traditional household. Richards and his team surprised her with a cake.

“She was in tears. She was absolutely over the moon,” he said.

In fact, birthday cakes are one of the most common requests at Sobell House, offering moments of joy and connection to patients who often feel isolated or lonely.

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The Delicate Art of Comfort Food

Preparing meals for palliative patients comes with unique challenges. Many lose the ability to swallow, experience changes in taste due to medications, or become highly sensitive to salt. Richards notes that cancer patients, in particular, often develop a strong sweet tooth—something he thoughtfully incorporates into their meals.

“Food is a powerfully emotive medium,” he explained. “It can summon childhood memories and create new lasting ones. That’s what we do here.”

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A Legacy of Compassion

Through his cooking, Richards provides not only nourishment but also dignity and delight during life’s most fragile moments. Whether it is street food for a young man, or a first-ever birthday cake for a 93-year-old woman, his work is a reminder that kindness often lives in the smallest of gestures.

For the patients of Sobell House Hospice, every plate is prepared with love—and every meal becomes a memory.