Cooking class student Eileen Edgcomb learned to hold her hands over a pot to make sure it’s centered on the stove top and confirm that contents are boiling
Expanding culinary horizons for people with disabilities.
written by Susan Winters
photos by Donna Victor
“Most fun training I do — noisy and smells good,” says Mark Tadder, associate director of Northern Nevada Center for Independent Living in Sparks, about teaching the organization’s cooking classes.
Having lost his sight in 2014, Tadder understands the challenges of navigating a new normal. His two-session classes cover shopping strategies, available resources, and kitchen safety, as well as hands-on cooking. A recent class on fajitas involved complex preparation with chopping and timing, ultimately yielding delicious results. Tadder notes some of his students return to share what they have learned.
“I learned so much. I cooked most of my life before I was blind,” says Eileen Edgcomb, one of Tadder’s former students.
Although NNCIL has regularly offered cooking classes for people with disabilities as part of its life skills programming, May 2025 was when the first class took place in the center’s remodeled kitchen. The updated kitchen is configured for accessibility for people who use wheelchairs or have mobility challenges, including sink and stove knobs located within easy reach. The oven is accessible via a smartphone app. The kitchen features a C-shaped training counter, enabling the trainer to stand in the center. Class sizes are kept to four to six participants, each having their own hot plate or a place at the stove. Classes are scheduled as needed.
Helpful Tools For his classes, Tadder brings in a huge box of spices and a variety of tools, including a talking thermometer; a peeler that is easily held in the cook’s palm; and PENfriend, a device that records and saves audio labels for spices, containers of leftovers, or favorite recipes for those who don’t see. While Tadder has his own favorite tools and techniques, he recognizes cooks of any level prefer to have choices. Having awareness about what choices are available is key to living independently.
Edgcomb uses a palm peeler, which is easier to grip for those with dexterity issues
The PENFriend Voice Labeller is a product designed to help the visually impaired by allowing them to record discreet audio labels for products
“Health outcomes of being independent are phenomenal,” Tadder explains.
Science backs this up. People with disabilities who live independently are found to enjoy better mental health, life-skills development, enhanced confidence and self-esteem, and improved health and well-being overall.
Future plans include extending beyond the NNCIL kitchen to a class on grilling techniques in the lot outside the facility as well as hitting the road to teach classes in outlying areas such as Fallon or Pahrump.
“As a person with a disability, you want to do the thing you want to do,” Tadder says. “A resource like a cooking class can help you live the life you choose.”
Northern Nevada Center for Independent Living 999 Pyramid Way, Sparks 775-353-3599 ·Nncil.org Open 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Mon. – Thurs.
