News
Curtis Stone joins Cook to Connect OT program
Celebrity chef and Coles Ambassador, Curtis Stone made a surprise visit to our Cook to Connect class, joining our Clients in our new purpose-built accessible kitchen. Clients were delighted to cook alongside Curtis, preparing two of his signature recipes – homemade meatballs and salad – as part of a hands-on, confidence-building cooking class.
Curtis experienced first-hand how adaptive kitchen features such as adjustable benches, tactile controls, and high-contrast finishes help people with low vision or blindness cook safely and independently. He also shared cooking tips, explored accessibility tools, and heard personal stories from Clients.
Curtis Stone smiles at a Client during a cooking class with a Guide Dogs staff present.
His visit was part of Coles’ Pet Essentials campaign which ran from 23 April to 20 May and raised funds for Guide Dogs by donating 5c from every dog food or treat purchased in-store or online.
To celebrate the incredible fundraising efforts, Curtis and the Coles team presented a donation cheque of $300,000 to Guide Dogs Victoria CEO Nicky Long. Together, they had the honour of naming two gorgeous future Guide Dogs, CJ (Curtis Junior) and Mocha. Their support plays a cruical role in breeding, raising and training the next generation of Guide Dogs just like CJ and Mocha.
Coles Team presents a large donation check to Guide Dogs. Two Coles staff stand with Nicky Long and Curtis Stone. Cookie, a yellow Labrador wears an orange training coat in front of them. A Guide Dogs branded media wall is in the background.
We are deeply grateful for our strong partnership with Coles. Without their ongoing support – and that of many others – the life-changing services we provide would not be possible.
Cook to Connect OT Program
For people who are blind or have low vision, the kitchen can feel like a challenging space. Our Cook to Connect program is designed to change that. It gives Clients the chance to build essential cooking skills, learn safe kitchen practices, and develop greater confidence and independence in a supportive environment.
Led by Occupational Therapists, the class covers essential kitchen skills including safe knife handling, measuring and stovetop cooking. Clients also had the opportunity to explore our state-of-the-art accessible kitchen, featuring height-adjustable benches, high-contrast colours, tactile appliances, and wheelchair-friendly layouts.
If you are someone with low vision or blindness and would like to join our next class, please call our Customer Service Team on 1800 804 805.
