Hearing impaired student accepts chef’s position

Bloggers note: "Anybody can cook." This is a famous line from Disney/Pixar's movie Ratatouille. This was the first thing that came to my mind when I read this article. A good story...read on.

Hearing impaired student accepts chef’s position

Having a disability never stopped Larry Henderson from pursuing his goals. Although he is hearing impaired, Henderson recently graduated from the Nova Scotia Community College Culinary Arts program and is heading to Calgary to work as a cook there.

Henderson is originally from Plaster Rock and is the 25-year-old son of Stanley and Louella Henderson. When he was just a young boy, Henderson left home to attend school in Fredericton and later in Amherst, NS. When the APSEA (Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority) School for the sight and hearing impaired there closed, Henderson returned to Plaster Rock to attend Tobique Valley High School. With the help of an interpreter, Henderson successfully integrated into the school, made lots of friends, got involved in sports programs and graduated in 2001.

Larry’s mom Lou noted her son was grateful to the village of Plaster Rock for giving him his first work experience through summer employment. After high school, Henderson went on to attend college in Halifax for a year of adult learning language followed by three years of computer arts with photography and two years of culinary arts. Henderson won a gold medal
during one culinary competition at the school and will take part in another competition in Calgary.

Due to his success with the culinary arts program, Henderson’s professor was able to secure him a position at the Redwater Grill Restaurant in Calgary as a line cook.

“Larry said he would be happy to see anyone from Plaster Rock who is living out there,” his mother noted.Henderson worked as a line cook in Brampton, Ont. last year as part of his course work. He also worked for Maritime personality Pete Luckett of Pete’s Frootique when he moved to Halifax.

“Larry was one of the first people to go to work for him when he made the move to Halifax,” Louella Henderson recalled.His parents credit the early education Larry received in giving him the skills he needed to be independent and to pursue his goals. As a child, Larry spent time during the summer at a camp for the deaf at Magaguadavic Lake and he was able to return there in later years to work as a counselor.“He liked being able to give back,” his mom said.