At just fifteen years old, Chase Bailey has done more than many aspiring chefs double his age. However, it is not just his cooking skills that make this teenager special. It is the fact that he does it all under the auspice of having been diagnosed with autism as a toddler.
“When Chase was little, he had some serious food aversions, which is common among people with an autism diagnosis. He would only eat five different foods. Then one day I noticed how drawn he was to TV cooking programs,” comments his mother Mary. “Long story short food became his world—he started overcoming his aversions and even started trying exotic foods. He also decided he wanted to be a chef and have his own cooking show.”
And he has done just that! Going on two years now, Bailey has hosted the popular YouTube show, Chase ‘N Your Face and he has amassed a cult-like following with noted chefs such as restaurateur and Food Network personality, Guy Fieri among his biggest fans. Bailey, has shared the kitchen with the likes of Roy Choi, Mario Batali, Becky Reams, and Choc-Chick founder, Galia Orme.
“It bean simply enough with me filming Chase cooking at home and posting the results on YouYube,” Mary explains. “People loved it! Soon Chase started inviting chefs and other foodies to join him on the show. Roy Choi, Becky Reams, Galia Orme, Anne Scioscia, and Fuschia Sumner are just some of the stars who have shared their recipes with him on Chase ‘N Yur Face.”
Now, with the success of his cooking show, Bailey has taken it a few steps further—launching his first cookbook and raising money for his new foundation. The Chase ‘N Yur Face Foundation, focuses on celebrating life as well as raising money to provide grants to people with autism to help them chase their dreams and live independently as well.
The Official Chase ‘N Yur Face Cookbook, that includes an endorsement from Chef Mario Batali, and features 75 simple, quick, and easy recipes is now available online via amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, or in bookstores everywhere. In addition to a gastronomical smorgasbord, the book is also accompanied by fun fats and anecdotes by Chase.
To learn more about Chase’s cookbook, click here and here to visit the Chase Yur Dreams Foundation.
