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Jeremias Muggli cooks for people in the last days of their lives. He can bring back good memories with dishes.
The Central Switzerland Hospice is located in the Littau district of Lucerne, right in the center. For two years, people have been accompanied in this brick building on the last steps of their life. They are very old or sick people who are no longer concerned with healing their illness but have accepted that they will probably die soon.
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Cooking with a mask, for the photo without: Jeremias Muggli in the kitchen of the Central Switzerland Hospice.
ZVG/ Hospice Central Switzerland
“Food is very important”
And these days – with the farewell in mind – food is of great importance to people. That’s what someone who should know says: Jeremias Muggli has been cooking in the hospice for over a year. “Eating is an important fixed point in the day for the people here. Something positive that you still have.” The disease and its further course are usually no longer in the hands of the residents. “But what you eat, you can decide for yourself.”
Hospice Central Switzerland
It happens again and again that menus are requested. Interestingly but not exclusive dishes. “Elderly people often want dishes that they know from before and that they would like to enjoy again.” These are classic Swiss dishes such as rösti, sliced cream or mashed potatoes.
gratitude and appreciation
“You can feel that there is more to it than just the food. The dishes bring back memories of one’s own childhood or of special events.» As an example, Muggli cites a woman who, as a girl, was always given apple rösti if she was obedient. “For her, apple rösti is associated with good memories that I can trigger again.”
Working in the hospice is more fun than roasting 200 beef fillets in the Gault Millau restaurant.
In general, there is great appreciation and gratitude for his work as a chef. Jeremias Muggli used to work in top restaurants. He does not regret the move to the hospice. «The appreciation of the guests opened my eyes to what is really important in life.» He finds the work in the hospice much more fun “than frying 200 beef fillets in the Gault Millau restaurant”. It is much less hectic in the hospice, the guests have much more time to eat.
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View from the dining table into the living room. There is a calm atmosphere in the Central Switzerland Hospice.
srf
Birthday dinner at the end
There are always touching moments. One of the things Koch Muggli particularly remembers is meeting a woman who was in poor health. “She wanted bratwurst, noodles and vegetables for her birthday meal.” The food tasted good to her and afterwards she said to him: “It was so good, I’ve eaten enough in this life”. She then stopped eating and died a few days later.
It is experiences like this that impress Jeremias Muggli in his work. «I can make a difference and make people happy.» The work changed him too. “I ask myself questions about my own transience, which I didn’t do before.”