Chef relearns how to cook after crash altered sense of smell
White Earth chef Candace Stock said she rebuilt her confidence in the kitchen after a brain injury distorted the way food smells and tastes
Candace Stock, a chef from the White Earth Reservation in northern Minnesota, said in an interview with MPR News that she had to relearn how to cook after a car crash left her with dysosmia, a condition that distorts the sense of smell.
Stock said she suffered cracked vertebrae, broken ribs and a concussion after falling asleep at the wheel while working long hours at a country club in Deer Lodge, Montana. She later learned the crash affected the way she experienced food, making some fruits taste like chemicals and fresh meat smell spoiled. Despite the condition, Stock said she relied on years of culinary training, memory and feedback from coworkers to continue cooking professionally.
Now the incoming executive chef for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, Stock said support from coworkers, donors and family helped her regain confidence in the kitchen. She also said memories tied to Native foods and traditions continue to inspire her cooking.
- 1.Harshawn Ratanpal. MPR News, .
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