 
Special Chefs encourages people with developmental disabilities to comfortably and enthusiastically embrace the vital independent living skill of food preparation so their lives will be healthier and richer. We sponsor national recipe and cooking competitions to celebrate the culinary capabilities of these inspired chefs. In addition, through direct mailings and this Web site, Special Chefs provides ongoing support related to many aspects of cooking, including: meal preparation tips, nutrition, kitchen safety, community integration, and competitive vocational opportunities.
PhotoStep™ and VideoStep™ recipes (formerly Recordable Recipes™) are now available nationwide! Click to view.
"The contest energized our organization. Administration, day habilitation staff, and the persons served were involved and excited by the opportunity and the challenge. This created a spark that will have carryover well beyond the contest." - Kate Jesko, Director of Residential Services
To learn more about why Special Chefs was founded, please click on Mission.
There are significant outcomes
As a result of the innovative Special Chefs program, individuals with developmental disabilities are:
- More excited and knowledgeable about food preparation, kitchen safety, and proper nutrition.
- Increasingly comfortable in using food as a vehicle and catalyst to participate more fully in their community and to seek out new opportunities.
- Better prepared to enter competitive employment in food service and related industries.
We're counting on you!
The Special Chefs program exists through the support of charitable contributions from organizations and individuals, and through the participation of contestants. With enthusiastic involvement, Special Chefs offers a unique, important avenue of enablement to more and more individuals with developmental disabilities across the United States. If you are interested in becoming either a contestant or a sponsor, please click on Contest Winners to see how Special Chefs makes participants' lives healthier and richer.
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