A Glasgow chef is collecting favourite recipes from people living with dementia for a charity cookbook.
Marc Mazoyer, 40, was inspired by his 72-year-old mother Therese who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease last year.
Therese, from Bearsden, was a keen baker her whole life but as her illness developed, she lost all interest in cooking.
Not wanting his mum's recipes to be lost, Marc began writing copies of her recipes before deciding to bring together recipes from other families whose loved ones are living with dementia to create a charity cookbook.
(Image: Marc Mazoyer)
He said: “Recipes can so easily be lost and that’s what gave me the idea to start saving my family’s favourites.
“Everyone loved my mum’s cooking, and she was famous for making things like Christmas cake and chocolate mousse.
“As mum’s Alzheimer's developed, she lost her confidence and stopped cooking altogether. I just didn’t want us to lose those special dishes that had become such a family tradition.
“My gran had dementia and she was also a great cook, so I’ve made a point of saving her handwritten recipes too so we can keep the family tradition alive for future generations.
“It feels like a small but meaningful way of counteracting the many small losses that characterise this illness.”
Marc, who previously worked as a dessert chef in Butterfly & Pig, now serves as a cognitive behavioural therapist for the NHS.
Living in Mount Florida, he posts his recipes and wellbeing advice on his Instagram handle, Cooking_Therapist_Glasgow.
He's reaching out to other families affected by dementia to share their recipes.
He said: “I’d like to bring together sweet and savoury recipes from people living with dementia and their loved ones.
“Ideally recipes that make you smile and bring back memories about good times in people’s lives. It doesn’t even have to be your own recipe, just a dish that you and your loved one enjoyed together.
“All the profits will go to Alzheimer Scotland. They’ve been a great source of information for me and we’re arranging for them to provide support to mum too.”
The project will also raise funds for Alzheimer Scotland.
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