John Cooper: A Tribute

Head Gardener Michael Pirie and Head Chef Chris Lyford pay tribute to former Green College Head Chef John Cooper who died recently.

John Cooper, who died in June 2021, was Green College’s head chef from c.1990 to 2008 when he retired. He oversaw the expansion in college catering that accompanied the increase in student numbers from 180 to 320 during Sir John Hanson’s term of office as head of house. It was under him that our current head chef, Chris Lyford, honed his culinary skills and was in a position to take over following John’s retirement. Chris fondly remembers John’s sociable side when they took up golf with other members of staff as a light relief from the intensity of kitchen life. John also gave support to our Romanian kitchen porter Constantin Uta, better known as Dan.

As John admitted, his employment at the college was the longest of any during a long and varied career, which says something for the contentment that he felt in working here. His range of work prior to coming to Green College spanned catering for large companies to running a floating restaurant in Oxford, the canal boat Rosamund the Fair.

A Mancunian by birth, his family were hoteliers and moved to Swanage to take advantage of the trade to be had on the south coast. However, John never forgot his roots and his season ticket to Manchester City F.C. was for him a necessity of life that saw him make the fortnightly pilgrimage to Maine Road. It was convenient during his time as head chef, though not because of it, that college catering did not extend to weekends.

John was obliged to retire due to ill-health at the time of the merger between Green and Templeton Colleges, when the dining and common rooms switched over, and the more rational arrangement of dining hall on the ground floor was enacted. In retirement he embraced the opportunities that it gave him and his wife Caroline to travel, particularly on cruises. They were planning a restorative trip this autumn but his final illness intervened.

John was an ebullient and amiable person who was devoted to family life, being especially supportive of his daughter Sarah and grandson. Our sympathies go out to them.