Heart, art and à la carte – a culinary collaboration

Royal Brompton Hospital has brought together chefs, patients, staff and some of South Kensington’s most iconic institutions to create a unique recipe book celebrating the comfort, nourishment and joy of food.

Culinary contributions to 'Heart, art and à la carte' include enticing recipes from the V&A, Natural History Museum and Imperial, as well as the hospital’s own chief executive and celebrated chef, Rick Stein, a former patient.

'Heart, art and à la carte' was inspired by the challenges faced by the hospital’s patients who live with complex heart, lung and other health conditions – where breathlessness, fatigue and loss of appetite can make eating difficult, and sometimes joyless.

Part of the South Kensington community for 185 years, Royal Brompton collaborated with neighbouring museums, parks, cultural venues, and educational institutions, as well as patients and staff, to curate a book of 21 tempting, assorted recipes. From decadently sweet treats including Brussels cake – a favourite of Queen Victoria – to flavour-bomb dishes like the Goethe-Institut’s Jollof rice.

The book features vibrant illustrations by students from the University of Westminster, their course leader, and an adult cardiorespiratory dietitian from Royal Brompton. They all generously donated their artistic talents to this project, bringing the recipes to life.

With a blend of heritage, culture and community spirit, each page hopes to remind readers that food is more than fuel.

Respiratory dietitian Rasleen Kahai treats patients who experience challenges with food in her clinics and on ward rounds every day. She was inspired by them to create the book. She says: “Food is at the heart of all life, it enriches our health, our relationships and our culture. For malnourished patients struggling with a poor appetite, this joy can be harder to experience. So we hope this collection of recipes gives them back a bit of the sparkle that food offers to us all.”

University of Westminster course leader in illustration and visual communication, Emma Dodson, was glad to contribute to the book with her students. She says: “This project has provided an excellent and genuinely fun opportunity for illustration students to bring their individual visual voices to a collaborative project with real warmth and purpose. The experience has greatly boosted students’ confidence in applying their skills and ideas - helping to create something that can brighten and improve the everyday lives of others. We are very grateful to the team at Royal Brompton for this opportunity.”

A limited number of copies of 'Heart, art and à la carte' has been printed for Royal Brompton Hospital’s patients. Download a copy of 'Heart, art and à la carte' below.

Royal Brompton Hospital is part of the South Ken Culture Quarter – a collective of world leading cultural and educational institutions where scientific and creative minds collide. The hospital offers a fresh perspective on the intersection of art and health to the community and its commitment to sustainability make it an integral part of the neighbourhood’s drive to improve its environmental impact.