‘Prime Chef’ Finalist Dan Jacobs Shares 3 Go-To Adaptive Cooking Instruments

In season 21 of Prime Chef, you could have cheered on James Beard nominee and Milwaukee native Dan Jacobs as he impressed judges along with his inventive dishes. Except for undertaking challenges with aptitude in his hallmark turquoise glasses, Jacobs additionally brazenly shares his journey as a working chef navigating frenzied skilled kitchens whereas dwelling with Kennedy’s Illness. 

Jacobs was recognized with the genetic neuromuscular situation in the identical yr that he opened DanDan and EsterEv in Milwaukee with co-owner Dan Van Ceremony. The illness, which may typically be mistaken for ALS, causes muscle weak spot and atrophy over time. Since his analysis, Jacobs has helped elevate greater than $100,000 in funds for Kennedy’s Illness by way of native initiatives, together with Milwaukee’s first annual Kennedy’s Illness fundraiser known as Dim Sum + Give Some, a charity gala placed on by Jacobs and different trade professionals.

Kennedy’s illness impacts mobility and Jacobs makes use of adaptive instruments to remain nimble within the kitchen. Thanks to those instruments, he maintains pace and dexterity to ship the right dish, each on set and in his personal eating places. Jacobs not too long ago shared with us his prime three instruments, together with a rolling garlic peeler, these easy-to-pinch tweezers, and tremendous sharp kitchen scissors.

Cestari Silicone Straightforward Roll Garlic Curler

“It is nice as a result of you’ll be able to put the cloves of garlic inside it and use your hand for stress to rub the skins off,” Jacobs shares. “Whenever you’re peeling garlic and not using a instrument like this, and also you wish to hold it complete, it’s a must to use a knife — and due to the best way my fingers have misplaced their precision, that is difficult for me.” The silicone garlic curler can be dishwasher-safe and the peels simply shake out into the trash for fast cleanup.

Coutelier Nola Tweezer

A pair of easy-to-pinch tweezers is one other must-have adaptive cooking instrument. In response to Jacobs, these Coutelier Nola tweezers “actually act like dexterous fingers. They permit me to place issues the place I wish to put them with precision. I additionally like to make use of the longer tweezers for grilling. In terms of grilling, tongs are too exhausting for me to squeeze, so these lengthy tweezers are available in actually helpful.”

Joyce Chen Authentic Limitless Kitchen Scissors

“First off, they’re actually sharp,” Jacobs says of those Joyce Chen kitchen scissors. “This makes it tremendous simple for me to chop issues and use that ‘push’ or ‘squeeze motion’ as I might with a pair of conventional kitchen scissors. That thumb squeeze that you just want with a pair of scissors is admittedly exhausting for me, so these shears are an amazing instrument.”

On competing as a Prime Chef contestant with Kennedy’s illness, Jacobs shares, “A giant cause I needed to compete on Prime Chef was to encourage folks with disabilities. I hope this platform permits me to encourage people who find themselves differently-abled to pursue their passions, particularly within the culinary world, the place bodily constraints generally is a large barrier.”