A young woman born without arms has sparked online interest by sharing videos of herself expertly cooking complex dishes with only her feet. Emily Rowley started cooking for convenience, using frozen meals and pre-cut materials.
Despite being born without arms and suffering from microgastria, severe reflux, and scoliosis, the 23-year-old master’s student from Southern New Hampshire University found mixing in a bowl or pan bearable.
Emily’s cooking talents improved after she moved from Oceanside, California, to Florida in 2021, where she learned to chop onions, peel potatoes, and even fold wontons with her feet.
“I remember the first complex meal I made was some type of pasta,” Emily tells PEOPLE exclusively. “I did not cook the pasta from scratch, but I did make the sauce myself. Cooking with fresh ingredients introduced me to an entirely new universe.”Emily, a vegetarian since high school, has subsequently documented her cooking adventure on social media, acquiring over 200,000 TikTok followers and 240,000 Instagram followers.
Her films highlight her strengths, causing viewers to reconsider their assumptions when they meet her in person. She appreciates the opportunity to educate others about her life without arms using her platform.Emily enjoys creating crème brûlée, handmade pasta, blueberry muffins, and cinnamon pull-apart bread.
Initially scared by crème brûlée’s complexity, she persevered and eventually became proficient in its preparation. “When it comes to cooking, it can intimidate a lot of people,” Emily told me. “I was intimidated at the beginning, and you’ll make messes and mistakes, but if you keep at it, you’ll be surprised by the outcome.” Rowley used one leg on the counter to assist with cooking as a child.
Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram