Clarke is co-founder of the Pilot Light campaign alongside fellow chef Doug Sanham, created to support people in the catering industry struggling with loneliness and mental health problems.

It’s estimated nine million people in the UK suffer from loneliness, and a third (30%) of millennials admit they always or often feel lonely.

A recent SpareRoom survey found that most people who eat together say it improves their mood (87%) and spurred the idea for a loneliness chef.

Clarke has created original recipes that encourage cooking and eating together, in a bid to help combat the millennial loneliness epidemic.

His Food to Share recipe book includes dishes inspired by different cultures around the world that are known for communal eating, to encourage young people to cook and eat together to improve their happiness.

Clarke said: “Time spent together over a good meal will unite strangers, deepen friendships and leave people feeling more positive about the world around them. Sharing is at the heart of the recipes I’ve created, and they are simple enough so those who aren’t naturals in the kitchen or have loads of spare time on their hands can still get involved. I hope people will bond over preparing, cooking and eating this food together, and ultimately help those feeling lonely.” 

Despite the direct correlation between communal eating and social bonding, the survey also revealed that many meals in the UK are still eaten in isolation, with a third (33%) of those surveyed admitting they don’t eat together at all, and less than a fifth (17%) eat together regularly.

Daniel Pattison, head of communications at the Campaign to End Loneliness added: “We’re often asked ‘how can we end loneliness’? Well, one of the best things we can do is focus on what brings us together – and what better way to do that than by sharing a delicious meal? Research shows that the more we eat together, the happier we are so it’s more important ever before that people of all ages find the time to sit down, have a chat and share a meal.”