Global Family Favourites – Tallaght Hospital staff launch cookbook

TALLAGHT University Hospital (TUH) recently launched a cookbook featuring dishes favoured by staff in the hospital from all around the globe.

Titled ‘Global Family Favourites – Recipes and Stories from Our Families to Yours’, the book is a collection of recipes and stories from hospital staff, and includes starters, main courses, and desserts.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who previously worked in TUH as a medical student and a non-consultant hospital doctor, shares one of his favourite Indian dishes in the book.

His recipe for Indian butter prawns is just one of 62 recipes contained in the book from 25 countries, including Ireland, China, the Philippines, Nigeria, Poland and Granada.

A spokesperson for TUH said: “Many of our international staff leave behind their homes and families to come and look after our patients, and each other.

“Take, for example, Jun Cao, a Clinical Nurse Manager who works in our cancer services.

“Jun grew up in the city of Shijiazhuang near Beijing, in the Hebei province of northern China.

“In ‘Global Family Favourites’, Jun shares her grandmother’s recipe for Chinese dumplings.

“We also have some Irish recipes, like the one for boxty from our head of catering, Valentine Farrell, which she learned to cook during her childhood in Killeshandra, Co. Cavan.”

‘Global Family Favourites’ was edited by TUH’s head of library and information services, Jean McMahon, who shared her enjoyment of editing the book.

“This book contains joyful stories of celebration, and poignant stories of loved ones no longer with us,” she explained.

“The one thread running through all of the pages is love – love of home, love of family, and how love is shown through preparing and sharing food, with family, friends, colleagues, patients, and community.”

The CEO of TUH, Lucy Nugent, who included a family-favourite recipe for beef bourguignon in the book, said the book served as a tribute to the hospital’s multicultural workforce.

“This new publication is a real tribute to our very multicultural workforce of just over 3,500 staff,” she said.

“There are around 60 different nationalities working at the hospital and that diversity enriches us all, which is so evident in our new cookbook.

“There are heartwarming and fascinating tales together with appetising recipes from all over the world, making this the ideal Christmas gift for the food lovers in your life.

“It is also a lovely way to end our year of celebrations as the hospital marks its 25th anniversary.”

The project was supported by the Meath Foundation, the Adelaide Health Foundation, and the Tallaght University Hospital Foundation.