Inspiring chef to open cafe in western Sydney

Sydney chef Craig Shanahan will open his own cafe later this year, proving that nothing — not even a brain tumour the size of a mango and loss of vision — will stop him achieving his dreams.

Chef Craig Shanahan cooking in the TAFE kitchen. Picture: Angelo Velardo

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Craig Shanahan will open his own cafe later this year, proving that nothing — not even losing his vision — will stop him achieving his dreams.

“I’m a very strong minded person,” he said.

The resilient St Clair chef has been the same way his entire life.

Shanahan, 27, was diagnosed with childhood cancer at two and lost the vision in his left eye at three before going into remission at five.

He went on to study cooking at TAFE NSW and began his career working around western Sydney, The Hills and the CBD, easily adapting to the kitchen environment.

Craig Shanahan in the TAFE kitchen. Picture: Angelo Velardo

Shanahan with his guide dog Rocko at Kingswood TAFE. Picture: Angelo Velardo

A few years later, Shanahan was training to be a sous-chef when he began feeling tired and getting headaches but he put it down to the long hours at work.

In 2014 he was living in Queensland when he finally went to the doctor and was diagnosed with a brain tumour the size of a mango.

“I knew it was bad,” he said.

He went in for surgery and prepared for the worst, but doctors successfully removed the benign tumour.

While the treatment was a success, it caused Shanahan to lose the vision in his right eye among other complications.

He spent six weeks in hospital and another full year in Sydney recovering, learning how to walk with a cane and use voice commands to operate his phone and computer.

It was during this time that Shanahan decided to continue chasing his dream of opening his own cafe, and went back to TAFE NSW to study hospitality management and learn the business side of running a restaurant.

“As a chef I’ve always had a dream of opening my own cafe with or without someone,” he said.

“When I became blind, you really realise … there’s nothing else that I wanted to do, so I thought, ‘Why not chase my dream and give it a go?’.”

Shanahan’s dream to open his own cafe is close to reality. Picture: Angelo Velardo

The Blind Chef Cafe and Dessert Bar will operate as a cafe during the day with a modern and contemporary menu in an industrial-chic fit out.

From late afternoon the kitchen will serve tapas, desserts, wines and craft beer.

Shanahan is in the process of securing a lease in the Penrith area, and hopes to have the venue up and running within three months after he finds the right location.

Despite the challenges he has faced, it is clear nothing will stop Shanahan from achieving his goals.

“I think it’s just my personality,” he said.

“Something I’ve done my whole life, I’ve always just thought there’s someone worse than me and it’s not that I mean to do it but I like proving people wrong.”

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