News
Curtis Stone Visits Guide Dogs Victoria to Cook and Connect with Clients
Michelin-star chef and Coles Ambassador Curtis Stone recently visited Guide Dogs Victoria’s state-of-the-art Accessible Kitchen in Kew to give cooking tips with four of our Clients living with low vision or blindness.
Together with Occupational Therapist Kerryn, the group prepared Curtis’s signature meatballs and a fresh Greek salad. The session focused on building confidence in the kitchen, covering safe knife skills, measuring, and stovetop cooking techniques using accessible equipment in a purpose-built space with height-adjustable surfaces, contrasting colours, and wheelchair-friendly layouts.
“Talking weighing machines, the specialised gloves that help us, so we don’t burn ourselves. It’s just opened my world,” Guide Dogs Client Maria Hamilton said.
Our guests also met our latest puppy litter, including Mocha, named by Coles team members through an internal competition. In a special moment, Curtis was invited to name a puppy in his honour.
“I think it’s only appropriate that we call him CJ: Curtis Junior.”
As part of the visit, Coles officially presented us with a braille-transcribed giant cheque for $300,000, raised through the recent Pet Essentials campaign, which donated five cents from every dog food or treat sold in-store and online from Wednesday 23 April until Tuesday 20 May.
We’re incredibly grateful to Curtis Stone for generously sharing his time and expertise with our Clients, and to Coles for supplying the ingredients for the session and raising these vital funds. Their support plays a crucial role in helping us breed, raise, and train the next generation of life-changing Guide Dogs.
You can watch the full segment on Nine News: Guide Dogs Victoria: The special kitchen providing a boost to Aussies with blindness and low vision.
