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THUMBNAIL DESCRIPTION: Black and white photo of Chef Riq, a Black man with a shaved head and dark glasses, wearing a black chef coat, looking down as he works in a kitchen. A solid cyan bar across the bottom of the image displays the words: Blind. Hospitalized. Still Cooking.
In this episode of Thriving withVision Loss, Michelle sits down with Chef Riq, a blind chef and creator of Unseen Cuisine - an audio-first cooking channel teaching every recipe through sound, timing, and texture. No sight required.
Riq spent nearly 30 years in fine-dining kitchens. He was four months from completing a nursing degree when a chemical accident took his vision. Placed in a nursing home with few options, his documented dairy allergy was repeatedly ignored - leading to hospitalizations. That experience redefined his mission.
Unseen Cuisine teaches blind and disabled people to cook with confidence through instruction that centers whatyou hear, feel, and taste. Since this conversation was recorded, Riq has released Cook With Your Senses and the Culinary Cockpit eBook - together forming the Unseen Cuisine Method, a system for teaching cooking through sound, aroma, and touch that builds confidence and control in the kitchen without relying on sight.
Thriving with Vision Loss is an eleVIVO original series sharing stories, practical tools, and lived wisdom from people building meaningful lives with blindness or low vision. eleVIVO supports individuals and families navigating vision loss, and is designed to scale in partnership with agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve them.
In this episode, you will learn:
- How a chemical accident ended a 30-year culinary career
- What a nursing home placement revealed about institutional gaps and safety
- How repeated medical harm from an ignored food allergyreshaped his mission
- What audio-first, sensory-based cooking actually soundsand feels like
- Why allergy-aware instruction is a matter of safety,not preference
- What independence in the kitchen means for someonenavigating vision loss
What part of Chef Riq's story resonated with you? Share yourthoughts wherever you listen to podcasts.
If this conversation inspires you and you would like to share your story, email michelleb@elevivo.com
If you or someone you care about is navigating vision loss, eleVIVO offers a free six-month individual trial.You will find the link below.
https://elevivo.com/#/freetrial
Learn more about eleVIVO:
More from Chef Riq and Unseen CuisineOfficial Website:
YouTube (audio-first cooking):
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpgEAGOowjX7ORIS7OiToJw
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/unseen_cuisine
Facebook: Chef Riq UnseenCuisine
The Unseen Cuisine Podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and Audible.
Interested in sharing your story or collaborating?
Email: michelleb@elevivo.com
Special thanks to Scott Joffre(The Blind Striker) for accessibility insights that helped shape this episode.
The Blind Striker YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMVgNxzK-zbyBhHtC3uAM8g
Ending music:"Circles" by Classless Act
Used with permission.
Deep thanks to our friends in Classless Act for generously sharing their music and supporting Thriving with Vision Loss and the blindness community. The closing lyrics reflect the heart of this series - choosing your own path, making it happen, and finding your way to happiness.
Learn more about Classless Act:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/classlessact
Live fan performances (shared with permission):
YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0t2bhMk4U9ILm3SlJdNWgg
This conversation reflectspersonal experience and is not intended as medical or legal advice.
