Meet Spoonie Chef Daan
Gourmet Spoonie was first created by Spoonie Chef Daan Katz in 2019. It never quite took off and quietly faded away less than two years later. Yet, the idea of building a nourishing community for chronically ill and disabled people stuck with him.
So, in June 2025, Daan decided to bring Gourmet Spoonie back to life—this time on Substack.
The unthinkable happened. Within a month, hundreds of chronically ill and disabled folks subscribed. The message was clear:
We need your Spoonie recipes, your disabled kitchen hacks, your stories and advice.
Stepping it up
Daan did the only thing he could: rise to the occasion.
He registered his domain and began building a proper website. He decided to treat Gourmet Spoonie not as a hobby but as a calling—with all the responsibilities this brings:
- Accountability to his readers
- A regular publishing schedule
- A commitment to learning food photography
- Investing in a simple home studio setup
- Building a resource library for Spoonies
- Creating practical guides and tools
But why Daan?
Diagnosed with Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, a long list of allergies and food sensitivities, and largely wheelchair-dependent, Daan knows exactly what it means to navigate life with chronic illness.
He still loves life. Loves food. Loves experimenting in the kitchen. Even when energy is low and spoons are in short supply.
Truth be told, he’s also rather broke. Being on disability pays—barely enough to survive. Even in the Netherlands. But that’s never stopped him. His fifty-plus years of home cooking experience (he started young in his mother’s kitchen) means he doesn’t even need recipes for most dishes. And when he does, he’ll already tweak and adapt them on the first try.
Why? Because it’s more fun than just following the steps. And because he can. That’s how he rolls.