In August, we told you about the virtual cooking class with MasterChef winner Christine Ha hosted in the Culinary and Conference Center for six Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ISBVI) students.
Chef Jody May, Ivy Tech’s first blind Culinary Arts graduate, and Chef Jeff Bricker, Hospitality Administration Department Chair, were two of several adults in the kitchen helping the ISBVI students follow Ha’s instructions for Chinese cold sesame noodles.
May and Bricker are pivotal in bringing a Culinary Arts program to ISBVI, enabling blind and visually impaired Hoosiers to become independent in the kitchen.
In the video below, by the Indiana Blind Children’s Foundation, see how the cooking class with Ha went, hear from May and Bricker on the importance of building a cooking curriculum for everybody, no matter their disabilities, and from the ISBVI students themselves on their excitement to learn how to cook for themselves.
“It brought it all full circle for me because I, for the past two years, have been the only blind student in these labs. And having six other blind students in the labs, really putting together a dish and enjoying themselves, this is what it should be like. This is why I did this. To make sure things are accessible and adaptable for everybody.”
– Jody May, 2023 Culinary Arts & Education Graduate
On October 7, the Indiana Blind Children’s Foundation held its annual Through the Looking Glass Gala, which raised over $200,000. Not only was the above video played for those in attendance, but May, Bricker, and Ha were also in attendance that evening.
About Ivy Tech Community College
Ivy Tech Community College is Indiana's largest public postsecondary institution and the nation's largest singly accredited statewide community college system, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Ivy Tech has campuses throughout Indiana and also serves thousands of students annually online. It serves as the state's engine of workforce development, offering associate degrees, long- and short-term certificate programs, industry certifications, and training that aligns with the needs of the community. The College provides a seamless transfer to other colleges and universities in Indiana, as well as out of state, for a more affordable route to a bachelor's degree.
