Life Kitchen is a cookery school for people living with cancer and taste loss. We are a not-for-profit organisation focused on helping people rediscover and revive their love of food. All our cookery classes are free, so we are grateful for any support to keep our organisation running.

Our Story

During chemotherapy, radiation and other cancer treatment, a lot of patients lose or experience changes to their sense of taste, this was also true of Covid-19. This can be a really difficult side effect that can make mealtimes isolating and unenjoyable. Often food can seem unapproachable and a lot of people lose their appetite altogether.

Life Kitchen supporter Nigella Lawson refers to this as your taste buds ‘taking a bashing’.

Life Kitchen is run by Ryan Riley, author, cook and food stylist. We are backed by science, advised by Professor Barry Smith, the founder of the Centre for Study of the Senses. Professor Smith advises the Life Kitchen team on our recipes and ingredients so that people living with an altered sense of taste can get enjoyment out of food.

Both Ryan was inspired to launch Life Kitchen after losing his mum to cancer. Throughout Ryan’s mum Krista’s two-year battle with cancer, Ryan saw how chemotherapy was affecting her ability to taste and enjoy food. After her death, he wanted to honour his mother’s memory in some way and use his cooking skills to help cancer patients find flavour and enjoyment in food again. And so, Life Kitchen was born.

In 2018 the Life Kitchen won the award for Best Ethical Food Project in the Observer Food Monthly Awards.

Why do we need your help?

We are a not-for-profit, and rely on support from our charity partners, the NHS and from members of the public.

We are trying to raise £57,300 to support the delivery of our Life Kitchen classes in Sunderland in 2022 and 2023. This pays for:

- The ingredients for our cookery classes.

- Wages for our cookery teachers and support staff who put on the classes and make sure you have the best experience.

- Organisational costs for the Life Kitchen lodge such as heating, water and electricity.

- Recipe leaflets and literature supplied to guests.

Any contribution is incredibly helpful.

If you want to find out more about what we do, head over to our website www.lifekitchen.co.uk and sign up to our newsletter.

Thank you.

Ryan and the Life Kitchen team.

Instagram: @lifekitchencookery

Twitter: @LifeKitchen

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LifeKitchenCookery