Jersey Hospice head chef opens up about making last meals for terminally ill patients

• 'We make every meal special because it may be their last': Jersey Hospice head chef Sam Sherwood tells ITV News reporter Alex Spiceley about the importance of food in someone's final moments

A head chef who prepares food for patients receiving end-of-life care says it is a privilege to cook for them.

Sam Sherwood works at Jersey Hospice and explains his team's sole focus is to make sure the meals islanders have towards the end of their lives are meaningful.

He successfully interviewed for the job two days after the death of his father, something he says made the new role even more poignant.

Sam explains: "I think the food we do is a good distraction for the situation that people are in. Food invokes memories of better times and family gatherings. Every time I eat Oxtail I think of my Mum. It really does bring back memories of happier times."

The team also go to great lengths to make sure they can deliver every special request.

Sam adds: "We never say no or try our utmost to not say no. For example, a patient wanted Lady Grey tea so I jumped on the motorbike and got some. If they want a lobster for their lunch then we go and get them a lobster."

When it comes to preparing the food, Sam always makes sure that standards are at their highest.

He says: "Because we don't know which meal is going to be their last, we try to make every one as good as we possibly can.

"People come and people go but whilst we're here we do whatever we can and it's just a really fulfilling job. Making that time a little bit better is what it's all about for us."