Providing delicious, nutritious meals at St Margaret’s Hospice Care goes far beyond a traditional catering role. The hospice’s catering team plays a vital part in supporting patients’ comfort, wellbeing and quality of life, while also creating opportunities for colleagues to learn, grow and develop their careers.
That commitment to nurturing talent has recently been recognised beyond the hospice, with Production Chef apprentice Dan Still being awarded joint first place in a culinary competition judged by renowned food critic and BBC Masterchef judge, William Sitwell.
Dan, pictured fourth from the right
At St Margaret’s, chefs are an integral part of the wider multidisciplinary team, working alongside nurses, doctors, and other healthcare colleagues to support every patient as an individual. On the In-Patient Unit in Taunton, the catering team works directly with patients to understand their appetite, nutritional needs and food preferences, creating meals tailored to each person. They also prepare fresh meals and refreshments for patients attending the hospice’s Sunflower Centres, helping to make every visit as welcoming and enjoyable as possible. Recognising that eating can become one of the biggest challenges during serious illness, the team works to ensure food remains a source of comfort, agency and enjoyment wherever possible.
Dan has been developing these skills as part of his Production Chef apprenticeship, gaining practical experience in the hospice kitchen while contributing to the care and support provided every day.
Recently, he had the opportunity to put those skills to the test.
The competition challenged apprentices to create two dishes demonstrating a range of cooking techniques while incorporating seasonal ingredients and meeting a detailed technical brief. Dan chose to prepare an authentic Katsu curry, followed by an exquisitely presented Key lime pie.
Reflecting on the competition, Dan said: “I wanted to create dishes that reflected the way I like to produce food. The Katsu curry and Key lime pie met all the competition requirements, but most importantly I knew I could keep them authentic, clean, and full of the right flavours.”
“I was relaxed and really enjoyed the experience. There was one moment where I wasn’t sure if my pie filing was going to set, but it all came together and I was able to present both dishes on time.
“I wasn’t expecting to be announced as one of the winners. William said he appreciated that I’d stayed authentic with my curry rather than overcomplicating it, and he complimented the clean presentation of my Key lime pie, saying it tasted phenomenal. To receive feedback like that from someone of his calibre was amazing.”
Senior Chef Chris Taylor said Dan’s achievement reflects both his own dedication and the supportive learning culture within the hospice. “We are blown away by Dan’s achievement in winning joint first place, and to be judged by none other than William Sitwell himself speaks volumes about the quality of the dishes he produced. We are incredibly proud of Dan and having him as part of the St Margaret’s catering team is a breath of fresh air. We look forward to supporting Dan as he completes his chef training over the next few months. Well done, Dan.”
Dan’s success is a proud moment for the catering team and demonstrates the value of investing in people. By supporting colleagues to develop new skills and build rewarding careers, St Margaret’s continues to strengthen the compassionate, person-centred care it provides every day. Whether Dan is preparing an award-winning competition dish or a comforting meal for a patient, family member or someone attending a Sunflower Centre, the same care, attention and dedication are at the heart of everything he does.