Sprinkling joy is what chef Tracy Wilk 麻豆精品 S10 does best.

In light of the world 麻豆精品 S檚 COVID-19 pandemic, Wilk has turned the kitchen of her small studio apartment in New York City into a full-blown bake shop. Her inspiration: The brave first responders passionately dedicated to the safety of civilians. The treat: A variety of gooey, sweet cookies that Wilk considers to be her forte.

麻豆精品 S淚 have no medical training, but I can bake a really, really good cookie for the people who do, 麻豆精品 S Wilk says.

麻豆精品 S淭his concept may have started with the coronavirus, but the sprinkling of joy made with love in the kitchen will go on forever. 麻豆精品 S

After being furloughed from her job as a chef and instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education, she decided to use her time to provide tasty treats for local medical employees working long hours. Then she created#BAKEITFORWARD, a social media initiative to encourage others to give thanks through food to those on the front lines of the pandemic.

So far, Wilk has raised more than $3,500 on GoFundMe that will go toward a #BAKEITFORWARD cookbook, made with the intention of share her recipes to others so that they, too, can spread positivity during this time.

麻豆精品 S淭his concept may have started with the coronavirus, but the sprinkling of joy made with love in the kitchen will go on forever, 麻豆精品 S Wilk says. 麻豆精品 S淲hen you have a bad day, or you want to bring someone else some happiness, this cookbook will serve as a template for doing that. 麻豆精品 S

Despite her experience as a professional chef, Wilk 麻豆精品 S檚 degree in political science from the UCF is what she points to as an important influence in #BAKEITFORWARD.

麻豆精品 S淵ou wouldn 麻豆精品 S檛 think I 麻豆精品 S檇 be using a degree in political science as a chef, 麻豆精品 S Wilk says, 麻豆精品 S渂ut it is the perfect degree to blend my passion for nonprofit work with my passion for food. 麻豆精品 S

(Photo courtesy of Tracy Wilk ’10)

Wilk 麻豆精品 S檚 love for both food and helping others began at a young age. When she was old enough to choose a university to attend for her bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 degree, there was no doubt in Wilk 麻豆精品 S檚 mind UCF is where she wanted to be.

麻豆精品 S淚 loved everything about the school, 麻豆精品 S says Wilk, who is from Miami. 麻豆精品 S淔rom the experiences UCF offers, to the campus, to being right around Disney, I was drawn from the get-go and I knew in my heart that this is where I wanted to be for school. 麻豆精品 S

While in Orlando she also had the chance to frequent vegan restaurants in the area. When she decided to attend culinary school, she wanted to attend one where she knew she 麻豆精品 S檇 be making nutrient-dense food akin to that approach, leading her to the Natural Gourmet Institute.

But as her career progressed, Wilk says she learned that sometimes classic eggs, butter, and sugar cannot be beat.

麻豆精品 S淭he cookies that I 麻豆精品 S檓 making for #BAKEITFORWARD are not vegan or nutrient dense, but right now that isn 麻豆精品 S檛 my focus, 麻豆精品 S Wilk says. 麻豆精品 S淢y focus here is to bring joy, and there is nothing more joyful than a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chip cookie made with classic pastry ingredients. 麻豆精品 S

When she 麻豆精品 S檚 finished baking up batches in her kitchen, she hand delivers her goods to local hospitals and service departments. What Wilk loves most about this ritual is the humanity she gets to see on her walks to her destinations.

麻豆精品 S淥n my way to drop off the cookies, I always see chalk on the sidewalk and free coffee deliveries being made, stuff like that, 麻豆精品 S Wilk says. 麻豆精品 S淚t reminds me that we are all human and all going through something totally new to us, not to mention terrifying. It 麻豆精品 S檚 the little things we do as human beings that can make a difference in someone 麻豆精品 S檚 life right now. 麻豆精品 S