Chef with Stargardt launches new cookbook for people with sight loss

A chef with Stargardt disease has written a new cookbook designed to make cooking accessible for anyone living with sight loss. 

Faith has spent the last two years developing her own cookbook “Faith’s Fakeaways”, which includes healthy and balanced versions of family favourites  that can be made by anyone, regardless of their sight or ability in the kitchen.

After several years of working in professional kitchens, Faith now works as a disability wellbeing coordinator, educating people about healthy eating and practical tips for everyday life. 

Talking about why she came up with the idea, she said: “I was creating lots of recipes for my current job. I'm working in the health sector, working with nutritionists and dealing with people that are visually impaired, have learning disabilities and also other physical impairments. 

“I was developing a variety of different recipes that were practical for people to use, and I just thought, 'wouldn't this be good in a cookbook?'." 

Easy recipes anyone can make 

The 35-year-old has been a professional chef since 2011 and worked in restaurants until four years ago. The mother of one was diagnosed with Stargardt when she was 17 years old, after having symptoms since she was 13. She's passionate about helping other people share her love of food, whether they have a visual impairment or not.  

She said: “The idea is that they're easy for anybody to make, especially someone with a visual impairment. So, anyone that's not quite comfortable with cooking, it would be a good starting block. Anyone with eyesight that's declining naturally as well. Kids would be really, really good with it too, because it's simple and it's clear.

“I also tried to make sure that the language was really clear too. Because I work with a lot of people with learning disabilities, I have tried to keep it plain and simple.” 

All the pictures in the book are of food that Faith has cooked and prepared herself and it also includes a list of the equipment she relies upon as a VI chef. 

Faith's top tips 

Being a visually impaired chef doesn’t come without its challenges but Faith said the biggest problem she had encountered was other people’s misconceptions. 

“The biggest problem I've had is mainly other people not understanding that I am still quite capable,” she said. “But they come around pretty quickly when they realise how capable I am.” 

She shared her top tips for cooking with a visual impairment. 

She said: “My absolute staples are; really good lighting, a good colour contrast chopping board, knife guard gloves, if you're really scared of chopping your fingers. A decent knife, not a blunt knife and also a sharpener to go with that."

Faith recommends a safety sharpener, which are available from Amazon and have got suction pads on the bottom so they can't move and you can't hurt yourself when you use it.  

She added: "Creativity would be a top tip as well. Just have a go, because it's not wrong. If you're having a go, it's great.” 

The community of food 

Despite cooking being her profession, Faith said it was more than just a career for her. “Food is life,” she said. “It's my de-stress. Even when I was a professional chef, I still came home and cooked another meal. It is fun times with my little kiddo as well. She's always in the kitchen with me doing bits and bobs.” 

She added: “I love the community of food as well. The fact that it brings families together, people together, everyone together. Food is life for me, always has been. And even if it is healthy, it can be really tasty.” 

Just some of Faith’s favourite recipes in the book include homemade doner kebabs with garlic yogurt sauce, a fried chicken style burger, a cheeseburger salad and smoky pork tacos. And there are plenty of curries too.  

“Obviously, being a Brummie girl, I had to include a good curry sauce,” she said.

Coping with visual changes

As Stargardt is a degenerative condition Faith has recently seen further deterioration in her vision, which means she has to adapt all over again. 

Talking about how she manages, both at home and at work, she said: “I just have to go back to basics and slow down. It's just realising my capabilities have changed and that I need to take a little bit more time. And also making the people around me aware that I have had a decline, so they are a little bit more appreciative of giving me more time or space to either move around or do a task.

She added: “It's mainly about kindness more than anything because it's really frustrating when you're so used to it and then your vision declines. Especially with Stargardts as it is gradual and then it gets to a point where you notice it, and you think ‘I could do that last week’. So, it’s just about being kind and giving more time.” 

Faith’s book is available to buy on Amazon and is available as an e-book too.