Cooking is one of my biggest passions and something I get a great deal of enjoyment from. As the saying goes, I live to eat rather than eat to live.
Because of my cerebral palsy, preparing food naturally takes me longer. I do almost everything one-handed, occasionally using my left hand to steady things, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying it.
Cooking independently
Of course, I have my go-to recipes that I could comfortably make with my eyes shut—not literally. I’m always looking to grow and expand my repertoire of meals. I live on my own so I batch cook. This way, I only have to cook once or twice a week.
I think I’m subconsciously preparing for a dinner party. I enjoy setting myself challenges with what I cook, but I have to allow enough time, particularly when a meal involves considerable preparation as well as cooking. I’ve made paellas and risottos from scratch, for example, so on those days I start preparing early.
One of my go-to Saturday morning shows is Saturday Kitchen Live, which gives me plenty of recipe ideas alongside my trusty recipe folder. I’m also particularly fond of Great British Menu and MasterChef: The Professionals. I’m always in awe of how the Great British Menu chefs interpret each year’s brief, while the skill and precision displayed on MasterChef regularly make even complicated dishes look deceptively straightforward.
Adaptations that help me
I use some special adaptations around the kitchen to help me. My chopping board has a spike to hold food securely in place, and I prefer preparing my own ingredients to buying them pre-cut—although I do have to watch my fingers.
Much like discovering that a decent hoover miraculously makes cleaning easier, investing in a decent set of kitchen knives made food preparation considerably less difficult. Who knew?
One of my favourite chefs is Michael Caines. He lost his right arm in a car accident in 1994, but returned to professional kitchens and continued a highly successful career. I see him as an example of what is possible in a kitchen.
Trial, error and variety
I have difficulty opening non-ring pull tins and jars. I sometimes need support from my left hand, which is very unpredictable and depends on the mood it’s in. I use an electric can opener to reduce the faff and save myself time.
As I’ve adapted to living independently, I’ve had to learn and accept the concept of trial and error. I have tried certain adaptations that aren’t particularly suited to me. That’s okay because what doesn’t work for me will work for someone else. No two people living with cerebral palsy are the same.
I’ve recently started ordering a HelloFresh box once a fortnight to introduce more variety. I enjoy exploring each week’s menu and choosing meals that I know I’ll enjoy and can batch-cook. The smallest box serves two people, which works well for me because each recipe provides two meals. The ingredients arrive pre-portioned and the instructions are easy to follow. The pre-portioned ingredients are particularly useful for someone who has never knowingly judged the correct amount of pasta or rice. You do need a few basic ingredients and pieces of kitchen equipment at home, but luckily I usually have those covered.
Cooking independently with cerebral palsy takes planning, patience and a willingness to experiment. The right adaptations help, but so does accepting that not every tool or technique will work for me. What matters is finding ways to keep cooking enjoyable and maintain the independence it gives me.
