What inspired the idea for the LCP Cookbook?

The idea for the cookbook came from a meeting Avneet Gill (Co-chair of the Network) and I had with Frances Heath. We sat down in the Hub to see a cookbook she’d created with her family. It was genuinely impressive — a hardback book that looked like it was pulled off the shelves of Waterstones.

As soon as she put it on the table, we were full of questions. "How long did it take? How many family recipes are there? How much did it cost?" But there was one question we didn’t need to ask — we already knew the answer: "should we make one for LCP?"

What started as a practical idea — sharing recipes — quickly became something more meaningful: a way for people across different offices and departments to share their stories, cultures, and connections in a way we hadn’t seen before.

Why do you think food is such a powerful way to bring people together?

Because food carries meaning. It’s not just what we eat — it’s who we are, where we come from, who we’ve shared a table with. It opens the door for stories to be told and understood. Even if two people don’t have much in common at first, a dish or a memory around food can spark something. In this cookbook, we saw people open up in ways they might not have otherwise. That’s the power of food — it connects us without needing permission.

What are some of your favourite stories featured in the cookbook, or favourite moments from pulling it together?

It’s honestly hard to choose just one. We had stories about Sunday breakfasts, football traditions, childhood memories, grief, and joy. From the Ukrainian borsch that honours tradition in the face of ongoing conflict, to the comforting chilaquiles made far from home, to a recipe born from supporting a child with diabetes — every contribution felt personal and deeply human.

One of my favourite moments was right at the start, when we were just trying to gauge interest. We asked people to submit a dish if they had one to share and I was genuinely surprised at how many responses came in. It showed a real hunger across LCP (pun intended) to share not just food, but culture and identity. That spirit of openness is what made this project so powerful.

What does it mean to you to see the finished book?

It means more than we can put into words. This was our first time creating something like this and to see it brought to life with the care, creativity, and leadership from so many people has been incredible. Olivia [Buah] and Avneet helped shape the vision, James [Stanley] and Dorothy [Mendoza] brought it to life visually, and every contributor gave a piece of themselves. The finished book is more than a collection of recipes - it’s a celebration of LCP community. And it's raising money for a great charity “Action Against Hunger”!

What would you love people to take away from the cookbook?

That everyone has a story — and often, we don’t realise how interesting or meaningful it is until we take a moment to ask. This cookbook is a way of showing that the people we work with have rich lives, memories, and cultures beyond what we see day to day. If it encourages someone to have a chat they wouldn’t normally have, or see a colleague in a new light, then that’s a win.