15-year-old Chase Bailey is more than an autistic teen. He is the host of his own cooking show, “Chase ‘N Yur Face,” a first-time cookbook author and a future philanthropist and restauranteur. Together with his mom, Mary Bailey, he is following his dreams and putting a new face to autism with the goal of helping others with the disorder do the same.
“Cooking is like science. You're mixing things together and seeing what happens. You don't have to be perfect or put pressure on yourself. You can just try and if it works out, great. If it doesn't, then you can throw it out and start over again,” says Bailey who battled with severe food aversions when he was younger, eating only five different food items.
More than Five
The journey to expanding his food choices started with the cooking show “Eat Street,” where he could safely watch without having to touch, smell or even try what the chefs were cooking. All the while, he was learning and becoming more and more interested in a new world of food. Slowly, his list of five food items began to grow and now he has an amazing palate for his age. “The first thing I ate was a hamburger. I had never had one before. Now I'll try just about anything. I've had beef tongue, foie gras, pigeon, etc. My cooking skills are now trying to catch up with my palate.”
In his cookbook released in November, “The Official Chase ‘N Yur Face Cookbook,” Bailey shares 75 mouth-watering recipes that can be enjoyed by all ages and cooking levels. “I didn't want it to be just a boring cookbook that only one kind of person would like. I like all kinds of people, cultures and food so I wanted my cookbook to have something for everyone. I have recipes that are vegan, gluten-free, omnivore, etc.”
He continues, “I have recipes for every meal of the day too, including drinks. One of the coolest things about my cookbook is that I have a lot of fun facts as well so people can learn and cook at the same time. There are also some amazing illustrations that my uncle drew for my cookbook. It's like a cookbook and a coffee table book.”
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A portion of the proceeds from each book sold will benefit his foundation, Chase Yur Dreams, that he set up to provide grants to individuals with autism to help them get the education and vocational training they need to secure jobs.
For more information about Bailey, his cookbook and foundation, visit www.chasenyurface.com.
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