Golden Eye Chef 2023
When the World Cooked with Heart, Not Sight
In a quiet kitchen in Delhi, the hiss of steam filled the air. A young woman, her fingers expertly pleating dough, whispered a prayer of hope. Across the Himalayas in a Nepali village, another woman crouched by a handmade chulha, feeding the fire that would breathe life into a dish passed down for generations. Thousands of miles away in Uruguay, a retired neurophysiologist stirred lamb and citrus over a hot stove, thinking of a dear friend named Kenny.
None of them could see clearly. But each of them cooked with vision.
This was Golden Eye Chef 2023—not just a cooking contest, but a global stage where blindness was never a barrier, only a different lens through which brilliance was seen.
A Recipe for Courage
It began with a spark in 2019, when Akhil Srivastava of Antardrishti launched a culinary competition for blind individuals in India. What started as a small initiative grew into a full-blown international movement. By 2023, Golden Eye Chef had expanded to 11 countries, welcoming 32 blind and low-vision chefs from Nepal, India, Uruguay, Mexico, North Macedonia, South Africa, Malawi, Mauritius, Russia, the U.S., and Spain.
The theme this year: “Traditional Dishes with Locally Sourced Ingredients.” The goal wasn’t just to cook—it was to preserve culture, to honor ancestors, and to remind the world that identity isn’t something you see; it’s something you taste, smell, and feel.
David’s Lamb, and a Taste of Uruguay
In Uruguay, David Bogacz, a 66-year-old retired neurophysiologist, had lost much of his vision due to a rare disorder. But he hadn’t lost his love for food—or his courage. Supported by his wife Mariella and their two sons, David entered the competition with a dish called Kenny’s Lamb: tender meat marinated in Dijon, ginger, tomato, lemon, and Uruguay’s native arazá jam.
The dish was more than flavor. It was memory. It was friendship. It was a tribute to a life fully lived, despite loss.
David won not just the Jury Prize for Most Creative Recipe, but also the People’s Choice Award. “They’re proud—not just for the prize—but because I accepted the challenge,” said Mariella. And David? He simply smiled and said, “I plan to try every single recipe. They’re all amazing.”
The Momos That Changed a Life
In bustling Delhi, Annpurna stood at the edge of disbelief. She had always loved cooking, but being partially blind and discouraged by many around her, she never dared dream too big. That changed when she entered Golden Eye Chef with her Veg Momos—soft, spicy, handmade parcels of flavor that wowed the judges.
She won the Best Recipe Award (Partially Blind Category).
But more than the trophy, something inside her changed.
Fueled by newfound confidence, she opened a tiny restaurant near Delhi University North Campus. And now, students line up for her momos—not just for the taste, but for the story they carry. “This competition made me believe in myself and in my food,” she says, her eyes shining brighter than ever.
Firewood and Heritage: Navina’s Legacy
High in the hills of Nepal, Navina Gyawali cooked Dhido and Gundruk on a handmade chulha, just like her grandmother used to. Completely blind, Navina relied on memory and instinct. The fire, the texture of millet flour in her hands, the aroma of fermented greens—all guided her.
Her dish won the Most Creative Recipe Award in the Totally Blind Category.
But the story didn’t end there.
Soon after, she opened her own restaurant, Tik-Tik Bite, named after the rhythmic sounds of cooking. Her dishes now nourish more than hunger—they feed a cultural revival in her hometown. “Cooking is not just about food,” she says. “It’s about identity. I want people to taste my heritage.”
A World That Cooked as One
From Mexico’s Katarzyna Bukowska, who brought memories of her mother to life through green salsa chicken tamales, to Pushmawtee O Kane of Mauritius, who prepared Fish Vindaye with just a week’s notice, every dish told a story.
Stories of resilience. Of flavors passed down. Of challenges overcome.
Daniel Aronoff from the USA, blind since childhood, made Hake in Green Sauce as a tribute to his wife. His dish was loved both by the jury and the public, winning multiple honors. “This has been a gift,” he said. “I hope we can collaborate again.”
More Than a Competition
Golden Eye Chef isn’t about who chops fastest or plates the prettiest dish. It’s about something deeper.
It’s about a global community united not by what they lack, but by what they bring: tradition, taste, innovation, and inspiration. With tools like talking thermometers, smart kitchen devices, and voice-guided apps, the modern blind chef is redefining possibility.
And as Chef Nazim Khan (USA) said, after blindfolding himself during the judging, “They didn’t just cook—they transformed.”