[Nevada-Announce] Cooking Is My Passion

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Braille Monitor
Vol. 66, No. 4               April 2023
Gary Wunder, Editor
Cooking Is My Passion
by Regina Mitchell
PHOTO-CAPTION: (Wearing a chef’s uniform, Regina Mitchell spoons food
onto a plate]
https://nfb.org//images/nfb/publications/bm/bm23/bm2304/bm230411.htm
>From the Editor: This is taken from the Spring 2023 issue of Future
Reflections. This is what Debbie Stein said to introduce the article:
When Regina Mitchell received an NFB National Scholarship in 2017, she
planned to become a neurobiologist. Yet, as so often happens, life led
her in a
very different direction, back to her true passion—cooking. In this
article she recounts the long journey of this passion, from its roots
in her early
childhood to the work she is doing today.
I've loved cooking for almost as long as I can remember. I grew up as
a fully sighted child in southern California, the oldest of four. When
I was very
small, my mother allowed me to assist her in the kitchen when she
prepared small dishes such as salads and dressings. Later she taught
me to make meals
that included more steps, such as tacos, enchiladas, spaghetti, and my
childhood favorites: sloppy joes and awesome tuna melt. I grew to
appreciate every
process of cooking, and I loved creating dishes that my family enjoyed.
 Both of my grandmothers lived within a few blocks of one another, and
they shared their knowledge and love of cooking with me. My maternal
grandmother,
born in Arkansas and the mother of thirteen children, taught me the
secrets of making southern family-style meals such as casseroles,
burritos, fried and
smothered chicken, gravy, biscuits, and fruit preserves. My paternal
grandmother, born in New Orleans, taught me the secrets of refined
French Creole cuisine.
She also introduced me to the rustic fare of Cajun cooking with bold
flavors of étouffée, all kinds of gumbos, jambalayas, and seafood
Creoles. In addition,
I learned the magic of cooking vegetables such as squash, green beans,
beets, and the mysteries behind great salads.
 After I got married, I learned more cooking secrets from my husband's
mother, who was born in Texas. She taught me to make a wide variety of
dishes such
as smoked brisket, grilled salmon, pastas, and pilafs. One dish for
which I never got the recipe was her outstanding spaghetti sauce.
 After a few years of marriage, my husband and I moved to British
Columbia, Canada, and we also lived in Seattle, Washington. The
advantage of living between
two countries was that I discovered the totally different cuisine of
the Pacific Northwest. Instead of the Southwestern dishes I was used
to, I began to
enjoy the abundance and varieties of fresh coastal seafood and the
offerings of coffee houses, vineyards, farmers' markets, and herb
farms. My curiosity
led me on a quest for more knowledge of the fundamentals of food
science. I took my passion for cooking to another level; I decided to
pursue it professionally.
I followed a lead and enrolled at the Seattle Culinary Academy.
In culinary school we were taught fundamental, technical, and safety
skills. A huge emphasis was placed on proper knife skills. We moved
from basics to
advanced lessons in stocks, soups, sauces, international cuisines,
culinary trends, and the use of fresh herbs (I even started my own
herb garden). I learned
to cook for vegans, vegetarians, and pescatarians, and I studied
organization, discipline, and time management. I learned how to run a
kitchen, and I received
training in how to manage a restaurant. Although I chose culinary
cuisine, courses in the baking school were required. I hadn't had much
experience in
baking, and I found it a bit challenging, yet it was a powerful tool
in my creativity and understanding. During my two years in culinary
training, I learned
well over 120 lessons, concluding with several externships. All of my
training began with basic skills, then layered those skills upon
others, just as
one builds a dish by layering flavors.
 When I completed my schooling in Seattle, I applied for a fellowship
to train under master chefs in Great Britain. I lived and worked in
Scotland for four
months while I trained at the Stakis Hilton Hotel in Edinburgh. From
there I went on to train at the Metropole Hotel in London. I studied
in Paris, Barcelona,
and Rome, and I finished my fellowship at the film festival in Cannes
on the French Riviera. Altogether I trained in Europe for eighteen
months.
 I finally returned to the United States in the late 1990s. In the
early 2000s I worked with master chef Julia Child and Emeril Lagasse
at NOLA's. At Sur
La Table in Seattle, I worked with local and guest celebrity chefs,
and I assisted chefs behind the scenes at food shows on Seattle
stations. Eventually,
I created a wildly successful niche for myself, providing a
restaurant-style service in the homes of elite clients and creating
corporate executive team
building experiences.
One day I got a call from the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. They were
building a new boutique hotel in Las Vegas, and they wanted to hire
people who were
used to dealing with high-end clientele. I had worked with several
Fortune 500 executives and many celebrities, and I felt I would be a
good fit. I went
to Las Vegas for the interview.
 The interview was a grueling process that stretched over three days.
In the end I was one of fourteen people who were hired. My family
packed up and relocated
to Las Vegas. I transitioned from being a chef in the culinary
profession to being a butler in the hospitality industry that
specialized in personalized
elite services to global nomads, royalists, celebrities, and gamers.
My favorite guests were those who saved for months to enjoy just one
night of luxurious
pampering.
Then my life underwent a dramatic change. Between 2012 and 2013 I was
diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called lupus. Lupus can affect
any system in
the body. In my case I started to have severe eye pain. In 2014 I was
diagnosed with bilateral panuveitis (inflammation of all layers of the
uvea, from
the front to the back of the eye). To my consternation my doctors
suggested that I take a medical retirement. They were convinced that
my work in hospitality
would be impossible due to my vision loss.
 So I left my job. I sat at home week after week, month after month.
While sitting there I realized my losses; I had lost my sight, lost my
career, and
lost the independence of driving, cooking, and navigating my previous
world. I was utterly disheartened, discouraged, and disappointed that
life had dealt
me such a traumatic blow. I was a burden to myself, and I felt I was a
burden to my family and friends.
There had to be something I could do to become active again! I made a
decision to return to school to finish my bachelor's degree. I
enrolled in classes
at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV).
I had no idea what was ahead of me as a returning blind student. I
still had some residual vision, but I soon realized it wouldn't be
enough. I sat in
class and could barely see my professor's face. I ordered textbooks
and could barely see the print on pages. I truly didn't understand the
gravity of my
circumstances.
One day I met with one of my professors about the problems I was
having. He referred me to the Disability Resource Center (DRC) on
campus. There I met
my advisor, Raquel O'Neill. Raquel was the first blind person I ever
knew. Almost overnight my life was transformed. The DRC reformatted my
books and showed
me how to use a CCTV and the speech output on my smartphone. I learned
many other skills that I needed for academic success. Raquel later
referred me to
BlindConnect, the only blindness training program in Las Vegas, which
provides life skills training, employment training, and peer support
programs. At
BlindConnect I learned the basics of daily living skills and the use
of a long white cane. I signed up for paratransit services and gained
peer support.
In 2017, nearing my last year at UNLV, I found myself running low on
funds. I did a Google search for scholarships for blind students, and
I found a scholarship
program run by an organization called the National Federation of the
Blind. I applied for a national scholarship, and to my joy and
amazement, I received
a call from Julie Deden in Colorado. She told me I was a finalist, and
I would be attending the national convention of the NFB in Orlando,
Florida.
In July of 2017, I flew to Orlando and attended my first NFB National
Convention. I was the oldest student in my scholarship cohort, but
blindness and
NFB have no age barriers. At the convention I found a safe place where
I truly belonged! The whole experience was inspiring and beautiful! I
was honored
to receive a STEM scholarship contributed by Oracle.
When I returned home from the convention, I was eager to get involved
with the NFB of Nevada Southern Chapter. It wasn't long before I
became president
of the Southern Las Vegas Chapter.
 In 2018 I graduated with honors from UNLV. In addition to the general
commencement ceremony, I was asked to present as a guest speaker in
the African American
Heritage commencement ceremony.
In the summer of 2019 I returned to BlindConnect to attend weekly peer
support meetings. Shortly, I shared with Raquel O'Neill my desire to
join in partnership
with BlindConnect and share my cooking skills and passion with this
new community I am embracing. I had exceptional culinary skills, but I
needed some
techniques specific to blindness, which in time I would learn.
A few months later, however, the COVID-19 pandemic brought
face-to-face classes to a halt for several months. The cooking classes
later resumed on Zoom,
and for eight weeks I taught theory and techniques. People really
enjoyed the classes, but I wanted to give more. I decided to
demonstrate, describing
my cooking process step by step. I tried to describe everything I was
doing as I went along. I call it, "Intuitive Cooking." I give an audio
description
of what an ingredient should feel like and how it should taste and
smell. The students were thrilled. Many had never cooked on the stove
or in the oven.
Now they began recreating the same meals in their own kitchens.
 Because I held my classes online, geography was no barrier. My
classes opened up to people all over the country. The media was
curious: Who is this blind
chef who is teaching blind people? The media began to pursue
interviews for podcasts. The LA Times ran an article about my work.
CNN flew down and observed
one of my classes and later featured a small segment on The Human
Factor with Dr. Sanjay Gupta and the local paper's Review Journal.
 National Federation of the Blind President Mark Riccobono invited me
to chair a group for cooking and food enthusiasts. We called it the
NFB in the Kitchen
Group.
 As I reflected on my long history with cooking, I realized that it's
very important to give children experience in the kitchen from an
early age. The Wisconsin
Parents of Blind Children reached out to me to teach a few cooking
sessions to their families. We started with monthly sessions during
the summer. I've
taught them blindness skills and tool use, such as using a pizza
cutter and a food processor in place of a knife. Safety always comes
first! We've learned
how to make lava cake, meatballs, smoothies, quiche, and pumpkin pie.
Currently my youngest student is eight years old. These children are
fearless, learning
independence in their own kitchens and challenging obstacles!
I feel tremendously blessed as I look back over my life! Blindness has
brought its challenges, but it has enriched my life as well. I've
often said that
one of my superpowers is welcoming new experiences, and so it is here!
I have met many amazing people, people I never would have known if I
hadn't lost
my sight. I have learned new skills I never would have mastered as a
sighted chef.
I'll do whatever I can to encourage people to get into the kitchen! I
tell students to start without heat: making salads, sandwiches, and
vinaigrettes.
Visit the deli and find out what's available to taste. Discover herbs
such as lavender, verbena, basil, and rosemary. Be open to spices such
as anise and
cardamom, and try leeks, golden beets, wild mushrooms, and other
produce. Experiment with making your own spice blend. Don't be
intimidated by long-winded
recipes. Read them carefully and pare them down to the essentials.
Just make something. Enjoy eating what you create.
I learned patience from my mother and grandmothers, and I learned to
love what I do. I think my students sense that. They understand that
my knowledge
is freely given.
Sometimes every day becomes the same as the one before. Sometimes in
the midst of it all we lose our joy of eating, let alone cooking. And
we are desperate
for a little dose of kindness and an open, safe space.
The table is central to our lives. It's safe, open, and inviting. We
believe in sharing life through great food at our own table. Over
food, stories are
told, our days unfold, our family histories are gleaned, and often we
sort out our differences. The table is a safe space, the place where
we are nourished.
As blind people we can take that step into the heart of our homes,
make the kitchen our friend. We can make space at the table and fully
take part in our
nourishing traditions.
Editor's Note: You can visit Regina Mitchell at her website,
chefregina.com.
To get in touch, email her at
friendinthekitchen at gmail.com.