14 Oct 2024
Towngas and Hong Kong Blind Union host cooking contest to shine light on “Unseen Carers”
(14 October 2024) Visually impaired individuals are not just recipients of care; they can also be self-reliant. In anticipation of International White Cane Day on 15 October, The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (Towngas) partnered with the Hong Kong Blind Union to host a cooking contest titled “Unseen Carers: Delicious Culinary Idea-thon”. The event paired visually impaired individuals with Towngas volunteers to prepare dishes based on recipes designed by the visually impaired participants. From recipe design to food preparation and flame cooking, the visually impaired contestants demonstrated remarkable skills, proving their ability to overcome challenges and excel in caregiving roles. The initiative aimed to raise awareness and encourage more social support for visually impaired carers.
On the day of the event, 21 visually impaired contestants gathered at the Towngas Cooking Centre. Each contestant had one hour to prepare a dish. As the venue was unfamiliar to the visually impaired participants, each was paired with a Towngas volunteer who assisted by passing utensils and ingredients. The cooking process, however, was entirely led by the visually impaired contestants.
Throughout the process, the contestants demonstrated exceptional culinary skills in food preparation, seasoning, and flame cooking, producing dishes that were a feast for the senses. The champion, Ms Cindy Lai Lai-ling, skillfully deveined shrimp with a knife on the spot and prepared them alongside vegetables and fruits to create a vibrant course called “Smiles and Laughter Every Day”. The contestants’ performance proved that visually impaired individuals are not only capable of taking care of themselves but can also excel as carers.
Mr Alex Chan Chi-kong, Vice President of the Hong Kong Blind Union and the contest’s second-place winner, lives with his nearly 90-year-old father who has chronic health conditions. Despite being almost completely blind, Alex takes care of his father’s daily needs. “Many people assume we can’t do these things because we can’t see. I hope that through today’s event, as people watch me prepare chicken and cook, they’ll understand that visually impaired individuals can do almost anything – we just might need different processes, tools, or more time. For instance, many visually impaired cooks develop a heightened sensitivity to heat, making flame cooking safe. In fact, gas stoves with knobs or levers are often more convenient for us.”
Ms Lo Li-hua, aged 69 and winner of the “Best Teamwork Award”, has severe visual impairment but has been caring for her husband, who has diabetes, visual impairment, and has had three strokes, for the past 20 years. Li-hua needs a magnifying glass to sort her husband’s medication and must be extremely careful when administering injections. The round-the-clock care is undoubtedly stressful, but Li-hua remains committed, “Marriage vows are about supporting each other through thick and thin, so unless I’m no longer capable, I don’t want to send him to a care home.”
One of the contest judges, Mr Felix Lee Kin-ming, Head of Group ESG / Head of Group Corporate Affairs at Towngas, was thoroughly impressed by the contestants’ performance, “This is Towngas’ first flame cooking event for visually impaired individuals, and it’s been truly eye-opening. Watching the contestants’ knife skills and learning that they can judge when fish is cooked by sound alone has been incredibly educational. Towngas is deeply committed to social responsibility, and we hope this event, in support of International White Cane Day, encourages visually impaired individuals to approach life with positivity. We’ll continue to support the visually impaired community in various ways, from providing Braille bills and appliances to smart gas meters that allow automatic monthly readings via WiFi, bringing more convenience to their daily lives.”
Another judge, Ms Jackie Kwan Cheuk-yin, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Blind Union, added, “Many individuals with disabilities, including visual impairments, overcome barriers to take on caregiving roles and responsibilities. We know of numerous visually impaired persons who care for parents with chronic illnesses at home. They are society’s ‘unseen carers’, including some of today’s participants. Through this event, we aimed to give them a brief respite from their demanding caregiving duties and allow them to enjoy cooking. At the same time, we wanted to showcase the capabilities of visually impaired individuals to the public, demonstrating their ability to care for others and making these ‘unseen carers’ visible to society.”
Before the contest, the Hong Kong Blind Union arranged for a visually impaired ambassador to visit Towngas headquarters. The ambassador shared insights into the daily lives of visually impaired individuals, covering aspects from clothing and food to housing, transportation, and recreation. She also introduced basic concepts of audio description and tips for interacting with visually impaired individuals. Participating staff members had the opportunity to learn and practise sighted guide techniques, ensuring effective communication with visually impaired contestants on the day of the contest.
International White Cane Day is observed annually on 15 October to commemorate the invention of the white cane as a mobility aid for visually impaired individuals. The day aims to increase public awareness and understanding of visual impairment and promote inclusion.
“Unseen Carers: Delicious Culinary Idea-thon” Cooking Contest Winners:
| Award |
Winner |
Winning Dish |
| Champion |
Cindy Lai Lai-ling |
Smiles and Laughter Every Day |
| First Runner-up |
Alex Chan Chi-kong |
Chicken Pot with Chayote |
| Second Runner-up |
Sun Yin-mui |
Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs |
| Most Creative Award |
Tsui Yee-wah |
Rainbow Crisp Phoenix Delight |
| Best Theme Interpretation Award |
So Sai-mui |
Braised Eggplant with Minced Pork |
| Best Teamwork Award |
Lo Li-hua |
Golden Emerald Rolls |
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Press photos:
Photo 1:
Towngas and Hong Kong Blind Union host the “Unseen Carers: Delicious Culinary Idea-thon” cooking contest ahead of International White Cane Day. Twenty-one visually impaired participants team up with Towngas volunteers, promoting the message of social inclusion.
Photos 2 to 4:
Visually impaired contestants demonstrate their culinary expertise throughout the cooking process, skillfully handling knives, seasoning dishes, and doing flame cooking. Their cooking skills are on par with or even surpass those of sighted individuals.
Photo 5:
A contestant determines if fish is cooked by listening to the sound.
Photo 6:
Contestants explain their dish concepts and techniques to the judging panel. The panel includes Mr Felix Lee Kin-ming (centre), Head of Group ESG / Head of Group Corporate Affairs at Towngas; Mr Michael Ng Bing-tung (2nd from right), Honorary Secretary of Hong Kong Blind Union; and Ms Sally Lau Shui-ngan (2nd from left), Culinary Business Manager of Towngas Cooking Centre. Ms Jackie Kwan Cheuk-yin (1st from right), Executive Director of Hong Kong Blind Union, provides audio descriptions of the dishes’ presentation to assist Mr Ng.
Photo 7:
Mr Felix Lee Kin-ming, Head of Group ESG / Head of Group Corporate Affairs at Towngas, states that this flame cooking contest for visually impaired individuals has been highly educational for him. He hopes the event will support International White Cane Day and encourage visually impaired individuals to approach life positively.
Photo 8:
Ms Jackie Kwan Cheuk-yin, Executive Director of Hong Kong Blind Union, points out that many individuals with disabilities can overcome barriers to take on caregiving roles and responsibilities. She hopes the event allows them to enjoy cooking while helping society recognise these “unseen carers”.
Photos 9 and 10:
Champion Cindy Lai Lai-ling and her winning dish “Smiles and Laughter Every Day”.
Photos 11 and 12:
First runner-up Alex Chan Chi-kong and his winning dish “Chicken Pot with Chayote”.
Photos 13 and 14:
Second runner-up Sun Yin-mui and her winning dish “Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs”.
Photo 15:
Despite severe visual impairment, 69-year-old Lo Li-hua has been caring for her husband, who has diabetes, for 20 years.
Photo 16:
Alex Chan Chi-kong, who is almost completely blind, lives with his nearly 90-year-old father who has chronic health conditions and takes care of his father’s daily needs. He believes that with the right processes, tools, and time, visually impaired individuals can be as capable as anyone else.
Photos 17 and 18:
Before the contest, a visually impaired inclusion ambassador from the Hong Kong Blind Union visited Towngas headquarters to share tips on interacting with visually impaired individuals and teach volunteer staff members sighted guide techniques.
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The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited