Cooking Blind--Not As Dangerous as You Think It Is!

By Linda Bartram

“Many believe it is dangerous for people with vision loss to cook because it involves working with sharp objects and sources of heat. This is not true!”  says Debra Erickson, executive chef and founder of The Blind Kitchen. 

Like Debra, I too proclaim that vision loss does not have to end your love of cooking or prevent you from learning how if you are already blind. There is no evidence--that I am aware of--that blind persons are more likely to seriously injure themselves while working in the kitchen than anyone else. Everyone has kitchen accidents now and again, sighted or otherwise. These usually happen when someone is not paying attention, but it is not necessary to have sight to be aware of what you are doing. Let’s accept the fact that there are risks in the kitchen for anyone, and that everyone needs to exercise caution, but just like sighted cooks, blind persons can use tools and learn techniques to minimize these risks.  The tools and techniques may just be different to what a sighted individual would use.

So lets address the two safety concerns that make sighted folks cringe when they see or even think about a blind person picking up a knife or working with a heat source. 

First, the use of sharp objects--in particular knives. Practice is important and learning how to slice without sight should start with something easy like a banana and a plastic knife. Blind persons do need to feel what they are doing, but once we have assessed the situation, we move our fingers away before putting pressure on the knife. Once a blind person graduates to a regular kitchen knife, we tuck our fingertips under and cut away from the hand holding the item being sliced. There is also a protective glove that can be worn while learning this technique. 

The use of the correct type of knife for the job is also critical as it is for all chefs. And that knife needs to be sharp. A dull knife requires more pressure increasing the risk of it slipping and causing a more serious injury. Experienced blind cooks like myself can even safely peel a potato with a familiar pairing knife. I have been cooking without sight for over 60 years and can probably count the number of times I cut myself on one hand. Nothing more than a Band-aid was needed in each case.

The second safety concern is working with sources of heat, particularly the stove top, oven and boiling water. All cooks should avoid clothing with loose sleeves or fringes that might brush against a hot element, but this is critical for persons who are blind. Tying back long hair is also an essential safety precaution. It is important to check the stove top for flammable items before a burner is turned on and put away any pots that you will not need leaving plenty of clear space on the stove top to work with.

Again practice is important. Learning how to put things into the oven while it is cold teaches muscle memory. We can feel where the oven racks are and how much space there is between them. We can determine exactly where to stand to lift the cookie sheet in and out of the oven; and on and off of the stove top. We can get used to grasping dishes and trays wearing the oven mitts we will be wearing when the oven is turned on. 

Similarly practicing finding the handle of a pot on the stove top, and moving it on and off of the burner can be practiced before the burner is turned on. Flat top stoves can be a bit more challenging as the element is not so easy to feel, but with practice and strategic tactile labeling these can also be mastered safely.

Once there is heat involved, long silicone oven mitts need to be worn when dealing with things in the oven. I don’t wear the gloves when cooking on the stove top, but I often use my cooking utensils (metal not plastic) to feel exactly where a pot is on the element and on which side the handle is located.

Pouring boiling water into a cup or teapot can also pose a safety concern. Mastering cold liquids first can again teach muscle memory. Placing the cup or pot in the sink prevents spills on the countertop and in time it will become possible to know how full the container is by the sound.

All cooks will inevitably touch something hot occasionally, but holding the burn under cold running water, followed by the application of aloe vera, was all that was needed the few times this has happened to me during my lengthy kitchen career. 

So don’t give up on cooking if you are losing your vision. There are lots of resources online and experienced blind chefs ready to share their tips and tricks. And if you are the parent of a blind child, give them the opportunity to learn just as you would a sighted child.