Dr Who chef starts work at care home near Uckfield

Dr Who and Cliff Richard are among celebrities who have sampled food prepared by chef Gloria Satterfield but she now has a new list of diners to tempt with her culinary skills.

Gloria reels off the names of personalities she has met and catered for over the years.

She has toured in Europe with Cliff Richard, Sade, Van Morrison and Elvis Costello.

She has also done location catering for television shows including Dr Who - when Christopher Eccleston was in the starring role with Billie Piper - Blind Date, The Kumars at 42, Have I Got News for You, Room 101 and Clive Anderson.

Another special memory is making afternoon tea for Tony Blair when he was Prime Minister.

Gloria still does the catering for Royal Variety Shows and private functions but her main role now is as chef at the Manor Gardens Care Home at Herons Ghyll, just outside Uckfield.

She is very happy with her new job which presents a fresh challenge. She says it is not as easy to tempt elderly people to enjoy their food as it is younger and fitter people.

“I think one of the reasons I am still asked to do the catering for Royal Variety Shows is that I can provide for all the different tastes, from a huge salad bar for the dancers to meat and two veg for the truck drivers with more sophisticated choices in between,” said Gloria.

“Cooking for people who are not always feeling well is different again and I feel great pleasure when a relative tells me somebody is looking much better because they are enjoying a variety of food all freshly prepared.

“This is like a holiday job for me. I absolutely love it,” added Gloria, aged 53, who is married with two grown-up children.

New owners of Manor Gardens, Kevin Powell and Joanne Ellison, are delighted that Gloria has joined their team.

One of the things they are planning to do in the future which will please Gloria and add an interest for residents is build a herb garden.

“It is important to us that our residents are able to choose from an extensive daily menu using predominantly fresh, locally sourced produce and that is exactly what Gloria likes to provide,” said Joanne.

More than 30 residents have moved into the new care home, which has been built in the grounds of the former Temple Grove School and eventually 60 people will live there.

There are currently 38 full and part-time members of staff. Facilities on site include a hair salon, shop and home cinema and plans for the future include welcoming people in need of day care and opening a library.