MasterChef finalist inspires new menu for hospice

Anurag Aggarwal said food had the power to connect people Food inspired by a MasterChef finalist will soon by served to patients cared for at a hospice. Anurag Aggarwal, who appeared on the BBC show in 2023, will design the menu and share his secrets with chefs ahead of its expected opening in July. Profits from the eatery at St Luke's Hospice near Bulphan, close to Basildon in Essex, will support the charity's work but will be run separately. Aggarwal, from Basildon, said: "Food connects everything so nicely. It shows care, it shows compassion and everyone is happy when they are nicely fed." The 43-year-old grew up in Gurgaon, India, and moved to the UK in 2010. "I'm very much involved in the menu designing, so there will be a lot of impressing my own style of cooking," he told BBC Essex presenter Ben Fryer. Aggarwal was a finalist on MasterChef in 2023 The restaurant, called SEASONS @ ST Luke's, has been funded by both a government grant and the charity. Patients under St Luke's care will be served the food as part of their daily catering, while members of the public can also book a table there when it opens. "The beauty of that is not only do they come in and spend money with us, which helps us, but it also breaks down that mystery about hospices as well," said Eileen Marshall, the hospice's chief executive. "It's a fantastic opportunity here for local people to come and work with a MasterChef finalist and develop their career." The charity is advertising for new recruits to the restaurant.