Known to many in the shed as 'Daggles', Mr Priddle used his chef skills to found the shed's food program to ensure many of the men get at least one square meal a week.

Sebastopol Men's Shed president Les Shimmin said before Mr Priddle started the food program, the shed was only able to offer snacks rather than meals.

"He developed the kitchen and the meal program which we still have today. That's why we have a lot of respect for the man," he said.

"We've got a garden which grows all our vegetables which come back into the kitchen and all our kitcheners put in and we do meals four or five days a week.

"Because we're a men's shed, there are a lot of guys that turn up and it's about making sure that the ones who can't, get at least one good, balanced meal a week."

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Mr Shimmin said Mr Priddle was as 'proud as punch' of the food program and developing a healthy eating program in conjunction with the shed and Ballarat Community Health.

"All he used to do was love to cook, he would come in two or three days a week and he'd just go into the kitchen and off he'd go," he said.

"We've put a photo up there in recognition or appreciation of the work he did to actually get that food program going."

Mr Priddle's mother, Carolyn Priddle, said her son would spend all week thinking about what to make for the shed.

"When Darren started, he was doing roasts and casseroles and substantial meals with meat and three or four vegetables because he used the produce out of the garden and it became a whole gamut of the men growing the vegetables... he was very proud of what he achieved, he received lots of compliments and lots of clean plates," she said.

"He had such an admiration for most of the guys at the shed and even though he was a lot younger than a lot of them... he was just one of the guys.

"He was a very gentle soul. He loved life."