Nagi Maehashi, the celebrated cook behind RecipeTin Eats, has announced the death of her beloved canine companion, Dozer, on Sunday, saying the cover star of her bestselling cookbooks would be missed “forever”.
Dozer, a golden retriever, was Maehashi’s supporting star on her hyper-popular cooking blog and featured in many images and stories in her two books: Tonight and Dinner. Dinner was released in 2023, and became the fastest-selling cookbook in Australian publishing history. Maehashi’s blog receives more than 500 million hits each year.
Nagi Maehashi’s dog Dozer featured on the cover of the cookbook RecipeTin Eats: Dinner. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP
On social media, Maehashi said Dozer, who was 13, was hospitalised at the vet in January with a lung infection, which was complicated by his older age and existing medical conditions.
He died last Thursday, a few month shy of turning 14.
“Dozer was many things to many people,” Maehashi wrote on Instagram. “But to me, he was just my baby boy who loved me unconditionally. I loved him fiercely and completely and I will carry that with me forever. Thank you Dozer, for the best years of my life. I will love you and miss you forever.”
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The cook added that she had struggled to respond to people’s words of support after Dozer’s death.
“I know there will come a time when I can look at photos of Dozer again without sobbing. I just need to get through this grieving phase,” she wrote in an Instagram story. “And I know all these tears are because I loved him so much, and I wouldn’t trade this pain for a second that I got to spend with him.”
“I will be back soon with smiles and laughter and lots of good food. Dozer would not have it any other way.”
Maehashi shared some of her recent memories of Dozer in a blog posts during his hospitalisation, saying one of his preferred treats had become a plain water ice block.
“Funny how much the bar drops when you’re in hospital, gourmet expectations reduced to frozen tap water and he’s living his best life.”