Cooking Without Sight: Tips from Masterchef Contestant Christine Ha and Other Blind Chefs
Think blind chefs can’t possibly cook at full speed? Just watch Christine Ha blaze through the competition on MasterChef. She shares some amazing tips and tricks on how she can cook without being able to see, with BBC News. Many tips apply to all chefs, too.
As one would imagine, blind chefs rely heavily on their sense of smell, taste, and touch. But the extent of this skill blows our minds:
“If you have a refined sense of hearing, it is sometimes possible to tell that a sponge cake is done “when it stops ticking”, or sizzling.”
Blind chefs have to deal with all sorts of challenges in the kitchen, and many come down to precise organization. Some use Braille labeling on jars, while others rely on rubber bands or sticky tape to distinguish identically-shaped containers. Markers on stoves and ovens to indicate temperatures help, as do deep-sided saucepans to keep all ingredients securely in the pan. And one tip we can never stress enough, for all chefs: use only well-sharpened knives!
Read more: Blind cooking: 10 tips from chefs at BBC News
Visit Christine Ha’s food blog: The Blind Cook
Related:
Kitchen Gadgets for the Visually Impaired Cook
(Images: Emma Christensen)