Campaign Story

Food is an important part of life. Not just a necessity, food can be a source of happiness, a way of celebration. Be it a festival, a happy occasion, or a gathering, food is something we look forward to. To know how to cook is an essential life skill today. Every one of us can manage to cook at least a few things because we have grown up seeing our mothers cook. As we grow up, we also learn to identify the different flavours and aromas. But, what about those who do not know what colour salt is? How does red chilly powder look different from turmeric? Can visually challenged people cook? Or is it a distant dream for them? This is something rarely addressed. We out rightly laugh at the idea of a visually challenged person cooking. No wonder, it is the visually challenged women that this misconception hits the hardest. Because a country that still considers marriage as the ultimate test of worth of a woman, being blind negates the very notion of being a ‘good homemaker’. Despite being well educated and even employed, blind women are often overlooked as suitable life partners. Our idea is not to appease anyone, but just to prove once again, that blind people can learn anything, master any skill they want. Their approach might be different, they might take a little bit longer, but they can conquer anything they like.

Therefore, we propose to do something that has never been thought of before. We intend to organise a cooking contest that will see 32 visually challenged people display their culinary skills and compete for the ‘Golden Eye Chef’ award.

Golden Eye Chef 2019 – Cooking beyond seeing: A first-of-its-kind, national event, that aims to showcase the culinary talents of cooks with visual impairment. Scheduled to take place from the 17th to the 20th of October 2019, this unique and stimulating event is sure to open the eyes and stimulate the senses of all witnesses, as 32 candidates prepare and present their best meals, but with the help of minimal, or no sight at all. Agra will play host to these talented candidates passionate about cooking, and striving for a place in the mainstream hospitality industry among other able chefs. The competition will be tough and rigorous, as mainstream celebrity chefs will judge them on the same parameters as any other cooking competitions such as MasterChef. This event aims to break all stereotypes associated with blindness and ability, and hopes to open new doors for blind women and men striving for a career in the culinary arts.

We at Antardrishti, invite you to share this dream with us, and appeal to you, to be part of realising this dream, through your generous contributions.