Cookies for Breakfast? That was our student’s incredulous response when the year began by baking Peanut Butter Banana Breakfast Cookies and Apple Cinnamon gluten-free breakfast cookies. They could not believe that cookies could be a part of a healthy, grab and go breakfast plan! But this year, the students with visual impairments attending the IU1 Washington County H.O.M.E.S. Program worked diligently on their cooking and baking skills- beginning with breakfast cookies!
And what about dinner? Grilled chicken sounded pretty boring… until some students experimented making a spicy cajun rub. The more timid among us utilized a simple Italian dressing marinade, while the more adventurous tried their hand at blending the ingredients for a Thai Peanut Sauce. Then, off they went to meet the famous George Foreman—grill, that is! But, seriously, this year, our students did have the opportunity to meet a real-life, famous person (via skype), Ms. Christine Ha, the 2012 Winner of the Master Chef Contest on the FOX Television Network.
Christine, a.k.a. “The Blind Cook” was the first Master Chef contestant that was blind, and she was one of the top 100 home chefs from across the country that were competing for the $250,000 grand prize and the opportunity to publish his or her personal cookbook. Anyone who has watched the television show knows that Chef Gordon Ramsey is one tough cookie (pun intended) and winning would be no piece of cake (groan)!
Students were amazed to see that Christine utilized some kitchen tools similar to the adaptive tools we use at H.O.M.E.S. There is a vibrating liquid level indicator to alert you when the liquid is one inch from the top of the container, and a double spatula turner to help you keep your meat together when you are turning it.
Prior to interviewing Christine, H.O.M.E.S. students viewed excerpts from the Master Chef competition and YouTube videos of Christine’s inspirational speech at the NMO Patient Day. Ha lost her eyesight to Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) but refused to relinquish her goal of becoming a Master Chef and publishing her own cookbook.
Students composed at least three open-ended questions that they utilized to interview Christine about her physical challenges and the strategies she uses to reduce the impact of blindness on her daily life activities. Christine was brutally honest when she discussed not only her many accomplishments, but how she had to learn to handle disappointments and setbacks. As a result of NMO, Christine lost her vision and was paralyzed. Christine relearned to walk but never regained her vision. She was initially rejected from a master’s program in creative writing- her life’s goal, but she did not give up and eventually earned her Master's degree. She advised our students to “seek that courage within yourself and develop a good support network." Christine encouraged our students to ignore the naysayers who attempt to discourage you from pursuing your dream. She encouraged us “not to be afraid. We are all more capable than we think we are.”