The inner workings of a professional kitchen is alien territory for most of us - even more so if you are deaf or hard of hearing.

Lancashire Telegraph reporter NEIL ATHEY has been to visit the East Lancashire Deaf Society’s Courthouse Restaurant to find out how it’s chefs get around the problem...

I HAVE always taken my hearing for granted, I use it in my job, to talk to my family and friends and to help me drive.

I don’t know how I would cope without being able to hear, let alone cook for hundreds of people every week.

Meet Omar Zamir, he’s worked at The Courthouse Restaurant in Blackburn full-time for three years.

Without being able to hear a sound Omar uses British Sign Language to communicate with his fellow chefs and colleagues.

Born deaf the Nelson-born chef is fluent with communicating with his hands and is able to tell the other deaf chefs what orders are coming in and what needs to be cooked.

Omar, 28, signed he struggled to find a job before he came to the restaurant.

He signed: “I started here as a catering assistant way back in 2010 and things are vey different now.

“I was very shy, I found it hard to communicate with people because I had such low confidence in myself.

“But it grew and grew and grew, and now I’m so happy working here.

“I love cooking, I love food.

“It came from my mother, she cooked all sorts when I was growing up.”

I have never stood in a quieter kitchen, when I think of restaurant kitchens I think of lots of noise, people shouting at each other and a generally stressful environment.

It was the polar opposite, the calmness and friendly atmosphere was really good to see.

It was brilliant to see how someone with no hearing can go about their day to day life without holding them back.

A simple wave or gesture would get the chefs attention and then the signing would begin.

Omar, would have to stop cooking to sign back, but it only enhanced the importance of understanding and concentrating on what was being signed.

The father-of-two signed: “I love cooking Cajun chicken, I love the taste and it’s a favourite of mine.

“I don’t let the fact I can’t hear anything affect me, I feel like it doesn’t affect me.

“I have a lovely wife, who is also deaf and children who are able hearing.

“They have began to sign for the first time and are able to spell out milk and mum and dad, it’s really cute.”

The society is a charity aimed at supporting young people who suffer from deafness or hard of hearing.

It has trained lots of young people through its apprenticeship scheme that have gone onto employment.

Omar originally completed a building course at Accrington College before deciding his future lied with food.

Rachel McLean, who works front of house at the restaurant in King Street, is able hearing but uses sign language to communicate.

She said: “I think Omar is fantastic and seeing him develop and gain confidence over the years is a really great achievement for him.

“I love working here because there’s never any shouting.

“Everyone is always in good spirits despite the pressure and the food Omar and everyone produces is fantastic.

“Those who use sign language have their own slang words and nicknames like any language has.

“People are described through physical characteristics like long curly hair or if they have a beard.”

Watching Omar’s hands dance around so fluently was incredible to watch, it looked like an art form.

Rachel said: “Omar has a very good sense of where he is and when people want him. “His peripheral vision is very strong, he know’s when people want to communicate with him.

“I usually give him a gentle tap on the shoulder if he’s busy with his head down so he know’s im there.

“I do find it hard to keep up with his signing sometimes as he can be very quick.”

British Sign Language is classed as an official language and is separate from English, it is used by around 145,000 people in the UK.

It has its own grammatical structure and is not dependant on English, however it can differ with tis own regional dialects.

Mr Zamir’s talents have not gone unnoticed after he was awarded the Apprentice of the Year award by the North Lancashire Training Group in February.

He also took home the City and Guilds Medal For Excellence and the Apprentice of the Year in Retail, Hospitality and Tourism awards at the Asian Apprenticeship awards last year.

This comes as the society launches its authentic Greek restaurant this week, The Parthenon, which will be open three nights a week and has created around 10 jobs.

In June, the society will be celebrating its 140th anniversary.

Omar signed: “I hope I can continue to develop and become better and better.

“Eventually I want to have my own restaurant business.

“It would make me very happy to do that, I hope one day I get there.”