In a previous post we talked about cooking techniques for cooks who are blind or have low vision, and closed our post with chef Christine Ha’s video. Christine is an amazing chef who gradually lost her sight between 1999 and 2007. She now hosts the TV program “Four Senses” with Carl Heinrich, winner of “Top Chef” Canada.

In a previous post we talked about cooking techniques for cooks who are blind or have low vision, and closed our post with chef Christine Ha’s video. Christine is an amazing chef who gradually lost her sight between 1999 and 2007. She now hosts the TV program “Four Senses” with Carl Heinrich, winner of “Top Chef” Canada.

Christine is not the first blind cook to have a cooking show. The TV show, from South Florida, “Cooking without Looking” started in 2001. The show, hosted by 3 chefs who are either blind or have visual impairment, has been aired on PBS, The Food Network and the Food Channel. Now it is going to be available on Foody TV. You can watch Foody TV online through Amazon Fire Tv, Roku, YouTube, and other virtual channels. Congratulations to “Cooking without Looking” for its new network!

Besides the TV show, “Cooking without Looking” delivers cooking bootcamps for visually impaired students that want to work professionally as chefs.  “Cooking without Looking” is also part of Vision World Foundation, an organization that provides advocacy and services for people who are Blind or have visual impairment.  In addition, Vision World Foundation goes to other countries and provides free eye care services to people who can’t afford them.  Renee Rentmeester is the person behind these initiatives and they are her way to give back. Renee, without a doubt is producing a tremendous impact in the lives of people with visual impairment! 

Apart from the TV shows, there are a couple of radio shows hosted by people with visual impairment. Dale Campbell and Cheryl Cummings, who are both blind, host a weekly program on ACB radio called “Cooking in the dark.”  Dale and Cheryl chat, cook and have a good time together. You can listen to their show live on Saturday nights from 10 to 11 p.m.  If you missed the show, you can either listen to it on Sundays or simply go the archived episodes, that go as far back as 2007. You can also subscribe to “Cooking in the dark” message list and share recipes, ideas and cooking tips with other visually impaired cooks. Learn how to subscribe at ACB Radio.com

ACB radio offers another cooking program, “Cooking with the Hazelnuts,” hosted by Debbie Hazelton and Randy Rusnak. Debbie and Randy are both blind and started the program 2 years ago. It covers a variety of cooking methods in a lively atmosphere. They are nuts! Debbie says she asked Randy about starting the cooking show together because she wanted to find another “grill-friend.” This comment gives you an idea of what to expect on the show. Listen to “Cooking with the Hazelnuts” live on Saturdays at 9 p.m., or, if you prefer, listen to the podcasts on iTunes.

What all these chefs have in common is a passion for cooking, and they do not let a visual impairment stand on their way of their passion.  Such determination is infectious!  I feel like cooking.

Sources:

• “Four Senses, my new cooking show premieres.” The Blind Cook, http://www.theblindcook.com/2014/01/16/four-senses-my-new-cooking-show-premieres-christine-ha/
• Cooking without Looking, http://cookingwithoutlooking.net/about/
• “Cooking Without Looking: A Cooking Show with Blind and Visually Impaired Hosts.”  American Foundation for the Blind, http://www.afb.org/info/living-with-vision-loss/for-job-seekers/our-stories/culinary-arts-and-food-service/cooking-without-looking/12345
• “ACB Radio Mainstream.” ACB Radio, http://www.acbradio.org/mainstream
• Cooking in the dark. Where you don't need sight to cook dinner tonight, http://www.cookinginthedark.libsyn.com/
• Cooking with the Hazelnuts, https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cooking-with-the-hazelnuts/id1035373535?mt=2