Bernice Etchells - Head Cook

Bernice Etchells cooks up a treat not only for the patients and their families but for the staff too!

As Head Cook, Bernice has become well-known for her wide selection of mouth-watering dishes in the subsidised Dining Room since she joined the restaurant in July 1999. Bernice, who simply says she "just loves cooking for people", creates a different well thought-out menu on a daily basis.

"It's very varied day to day, as we get patients with different dietary requirements, which we need to take into account, such as their appetite, swallowing difficulties and medication", added Bernice.

Although Bernice aims to keep the menu varied she says there's always "something with gravy" and a choice for those who require a liquidised diet. "The most popular meal options tend to be the mince and dumplings, which always goes down well. And of course mashed potato - we took it off the menu one time and people were very disappointed, so there's always a mashed potato option now!"

As well as making sure the kitchen is ticking along as it should be, Bernice sometimes gets the challenging task of catering for large parties, such as a birthday celebration, for which the kitchen staff are only too happy to make a delicious birthday cake. Bernice and her team have also put on an impressive spread for a wedding before now!

Nothing is ever too much trouble for Bernice and her friendly team.

The restaurant is open for breakfast from 8am-10am, lunch from 12pm-2pm and dinner from 4.30pm-6pm.