This is an interactive cookbook, and is constantly being updated...
This cookbook has been compiled with HIV positive people in mind. It is intended for use by The Food Chain Lead Cooks, people providing meals for HIV-positive people, or by HIV-positive people themselves.
Please use the navigation bar on the left to search for recipes by course, cuisine, meal type or by dietary need.
Please use the form at the bottom of every recipe page to send us some feedback!
About our Recipes…
Please click here to download our guide for donating recipes - it's only two pages long
To submit your recipe, click here
About Ian Craddock…
This cookbook has been created in fond memory of Ian, and is a tribute and continuation of all the good work he did as a part of the Food Chain.
"Ian was a lead cook with the Food Chain, he was also chair of the Kitchen Committee and then went on to become a trustee. He instigated the central purchasing system and used to purchase and deliver goods to all kitchens himself. Despite sometimes being incredibly unwell, Ian never gave in to his illness and continued to volunteer often. One of Ian's greatest gifts was that he cared about those who had not faired in life as well as himself. Alastair (Duncan) once told a lovely story about Ian which sums him up completely. They were travelling home on the underground one evening after a meeting. There was a homeless lady on the platform who was very smelly and rambling to herself. Everyone was moving away and pulling faces of disgust, Ian went straight up to her and put his arm around her to make sure she was OK and chatted to her until he knew she would be alright. You couldn't help but have a smile on your face when Ian was around".
(A message from one of Ian's closest friends).
About the Authors…
The authors of this cookbook have aimed to incorporate Ian's original recipes and new recipes to meet the varied and ever-changing needs of our Service Users and other HIV-positive people.
Contributors to this cookbook include our fantastic Nutrition Sub Committee which is comprised of dietitians, nutritionists, public health nutritionists, nutrition students, and our Lead Cooks, who design our menus, shop and produce delicious meals every Sunday, 52 weeks a year.
A special Thank You must be said to Sharon Burt, who has led the Nutrition Sub Committee and the cookbook steering group to produce such wonderful recipes, and also equally to Scott Ewing, who has donated his time and recipe-editing expertise that has enabled us to produce such high quality recipes.
Our special thanks also go to all our celebrity chefs who have kindly donated their recipes for our use.
All our authors are volunteers with The Food Chain.
Requests for further information or press should be directed towards rhiannon.mccorkindale@foodchain.org.uk
About The Food Chain
The Food Chain has been providing delicious nutritionally balanced meals for London’s housebound people with HIV since Christmas Day 1988. Food is freshly prepared, carefully packed, and delivered hot by hundreds of volunteers. People receiving the meals are often extremely unwell. They require tempting, comforting and nutrition-packed dishes. The Ian Craddock cookbook contains just a few of the dishes prepared every week.
The Food Chain is able to operate by means of volunteers giving their time and energy not only every Sunday 52 weeks a year, but also by giving their time mid-week to help manage and publicise the work of The Food Chain. To help our volunteers prepare delicious meals for our Service Users, The Food Chain regularly offers volunteers training courses, both to equip the volunteers and to help meet the requirements of our Service Users. Regular training courses include HIV and AIDS awareness, HIV nutrition, cooking for African people, vegetarians and children, and a range of specialist therapeutic diets.
Meals prepared by The Food Chain are tailored to the individual requirements of our Service Users. Every Sunday we prepare a hot main course followed by a lovely pudding. A light meal is also provided for later in the day. All meals are delivered to our Service Users by volunteer teams of drivers and navigators, using their own cars, so that Service Users’ neighbours don’t begin to wonder why meals-on-wheels are being provided. The Food Chain revolves around confidentiality and food is delivered in plain bags, again ensuring Service Users' identity is kept thoroughly confidential.
For further recipes and for more general information about The Food Chain, call the lovely office team on +44 (0)20 7354 0333 or click here to visit our website