With that, she decided to commit to putting out more regular videos. Everything grew from there—it started on YouTube, then on Instagram, and now on TikTok and other social media channels. As apparent from the channel’s name, Chef Hillyard often uses her stump as a tool in the kitchen. Juicing citrus is one of her favorite ways to employ it. Every time a lemon, an orange, or a grapefruit needs to be juiced, she gets into it enthusiastically. “It works so well because it’s such a nice shape. And I can twist, and it’s just so lovely!” Smashing mini potatoes is another fun example. She boils and cools them just so she can smash them on the pan and bake them again. Last but not least, she also uses her stump as a spatula for waffles, pancakes, or crepes. Similar to how she learned how to ride a bike— her father had built an extension on the handlebar, but she found it inhibiting, so she took it off and found a way to make it work— Chef Hillyard often finds her own way of cooking in the kitchen without too much extra help or tools.
paints her stump as different characters, similar to cosplay. These videos have become popular, so she wants to produce more content around that. It should come as no surprise that Chef Hillyard is involved in a great deal of community work and partners with different charities. One particular program that is close to her is The Lucky
She feels that there is more we can do in the kitchen to make it more accessible to people with disabilities. By lowering the tables and spaces in the kitchen, people who use wheelchairs or have leg amputations would be better served. Thinking about handles and food packaging would also be helpful. “Sometimes getting into packaging can be annoying. I use my teeth a lot!” she says.
“It’s this beautiful community spirit, in a way”
Fin Project. It is an organization based in the United States with global reach. Its goal is to educate and celebrate limb differences, and she is its first Canadian ambassador. It allows her to reach out and talk to families all around the world for mentorship, for guidance, or just for fun. They also do representation work and connect new parents whose babies are missing an arm or other limbs. The organization lets them know that there are similar people. They can ask questions and not feel alone. “They do such great work, particularly for children and new families. Which, I think, is so important when you don’t know anyone that’s gone through this. So yeah, that’s one of my passion projects, for sure,” she says. Chef Hillyard’s passion for cooking,
A while ago, she started inviting local children with missing limbs to take part in segments of her cooking show as guests. The idea came about organically when the mother of Kelly, a child with a missing limb, contacted Chef Hillyard via Facebook, asking if they could cook together. It was a healing and joyful experience for both of them. After that, more families reached out as Hillyard welcomed other kids to the show. When children come to cook with her, she makes sure they know it is okay to make a mess, as that is how they learn. She allows them to do anything they want with her supervision, including
The Stump Kitchen is not only a cooking show but a celebration of diversity, inclusion, and the human spirit. And those are things we all can undeniably appreciate.
using her Japanese chef knives. She believes that children are capable of much more than we think, as long as they have caring guidance and training. For example, her two-year-old child uses the same knife under her supervision, and her knife skills are wonderful! By letting them explore different things, it is amazing what they come up with. “It’s this beautiful community spirit, in a way,” she says. Outside the kitchen, she loves the ukulele and singing, which is clear to see since she teaches a small ukulele choir. She has recently gotten into art in her Instagram and TikTok, where she
community, and disability representation shines through regardless of setting—whether online, in a group, or in person. Her journey of finding joy in her limb difference offers us inspiration. The Stump Kitchen is not only a cooking show but a celebration of diversity, inclusion, and the human spirit. And those are things we can all undeniably appreciate.
@STUMPKITCHEN @STUMP_KITCHEN /STUMPKITCHEN @DIGITALWONG
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