More than a meal: Alder Hey’s recipe for recovery this World Food Day

At Alder Hey, food is much more than just fuel – it’s a vital part of care, comfort and recovery.

For Tom Knight, the dedicated ward chef on Ward 4C, every day is about more than just cooking. It’s about working closely with patients, families, and healthcare professionals to create food that supports both physical healing and emotional wellbeing.

Ward 4C supports a diverse group of patients, from children newly diagnosed with diabetes to those recovering from eating disorders. Unlike most hospitals, where meals are prepared in a central kitchen, Tom is based directly on the ward — allowing him to work face-to-face with children and their families every day.

“Food makes up a big part of their recovery. They’re having difficulties, and we want to be there to support them,” says Tom.

Tom works hand-in-hand with Alder Hey’s dietitians to design meals that meet each child’s unique medical and nutritional needs. Whether a patient is underweight, overweight, or rebuilding a healthy relationship with food, every meal is carefully balanced and adapted as recovery progresses.

“If the dietitian comes to the ward and says, ‘The little one in room 18 needs extra support,’ we can make changes straight away,” Tom explains.

For many families, especially those adjusting to a new diagnosis like Type 1 diabetes, food can suddenly become a source of stress and uncertainty. Tom offers calm, practical advice — often answering questions parents might feel too nervous to ask their clinical team. “Sometimes parents might be a little nervous to ask the doctors and nurses a question, but they’ll talk to the chef,” Tom says. “They ask us the questions they think might be silly — but they’re not.”

He helps parents understand carb counting, balanced meals, and how to cook healthily on a tight budget — something especially important for families in Liverpool, where access to affordable, fresh food can be a challenge. “We include lots of fruit, pasta, proteins and fresh vegetables – and talk about how they can be introduced easily and affordably at home.”

This approachable, down-to-earth support means parents leave with practical tools to help their children continue eating well at home. Every day, children on Ward 4C can choose from around 20 different starters, main courses and desserts, offering a wide range of options to suit different tastes, dietary needs and medical conditions.

Meals are served throughout the day — breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus snack packs in between for extra energy. Breakfasts range from cereals, yoghurt and fruit to full cooked meals for children with higher calorie needs, such as those with cystic fibrosis. “For cystic fibrosis patients, they’re coughing all the time and burning loads of energy — so we pack in the calories where we can,” Tom explains.

Tom also ensures that all allergies, religious diets and texture-specific needs are catered for, from halal and kosher meals to soft diets for children post-surgery or undergoing cancer treatment.

“Being based on the ward makes a massive difference. If a child isn’t eating, we notice straight away. We talk to them, find out what they will eat – and then we make it.”

The ward chef roles at Alder Hey — including Tom’s — are funded through generous donations to Alder Hey Children’s Charity. This support means chefs like Tom can be based right on the wards, building relationships with patients and families, and helping to make every meal part of the healing process.

Thanks to donors, Alder Hey can continue to go beyond ordinary hospital food — delivering personalised care that truly nourishes children in body and mind.

Tom’s journey to Alder Hey began in hospitality — he worked in hotels before joining the hospital in 2015. He’s been on Ward 4C ever since, becoming an integral part of the team and a familiar, friendly face to countless families. “That one-to-one contact – I can’t emphasise how strong it is,” says Tom. “Now we’re getting more kids back into the community, back home, and moving forward. That’s what it’s all about.”

This World Food Day, Alder Hey celebrates the power of food not just to nourish the body, but to comfort, connect and heal — one meal, one child, one family at a time.