Master Cook is a series of unique cooking programmes by caregivers and people living with dementia. The objective of this segment is to prepare nutritious and quick-fix meal for your loved ones and yourself to enjoy. Simple and easy recipe allows your loved ones to participate in the cooking process. Sharing a meal together encourages deep connection between people as eating the same food suggests that we are both bringing the same thing into our bodies.

Familiar food connects us to the past, to our memories, to our family, to an event or incident, a special moment or day, to friends, sometimes to strangers. It connects us to the mysterious lands never visited or places we have been. Familiar taste of the food connects our senses and triggers stories to be told.

Story

Hi my name is Daniel

In 2009, when my mother was diagnosed with cancer, I had no idea idea what I should be feeding her after her chemotherapy and radiology. At that time, I was working at LASALLE College of the Arts located off Princep Street and we had a new Thye San Coffee Shop (coincidentally, Selegie House was my parents marital home and it sits above the old Thye San Coffee Shop), there was a stall owner who sold fishball noodles, my dad would buy fishball noodles for my mum when they were living there whenever he came home from work.

At this instance, it made me realise that fishball noodles is somewhat a familiar yet comfort food for my mum when days were trying and tough, this made her feel loved and cared for. It keeps her going. Since then, I have been learning to cook this for my folks even until today. Food memories like this will forever be etched in my memory because I know it gave my mother a better day after a hearty bowl of fishball noodles.

Daniel Lim

Affectionately known as Enable Asia’s “Enabling Maverick’, Daniel is a single-child-full-time working caregiver to my father who has been living with dementia and my mother who is a cancer survivor living with frailty. Both were diagnosed with their respective conditions in 2009.

Daniel will be sharing 2 delicious recipes - Rojak and Fish Ball Noodles and the heartwarming stories behind these 2 familiar local dishes.