“The kitchen is a place to gather”. Becky Schmookes has been saying this since she was diagnosed with type one diabetes at 23. This diagnosis inspired her to start her own baking business over ten years ago due to her increased interest in cooking and baking. “I started the business as a space to gather”, says Schmooke. But since over ten years ago when the business started, it has taken a large turn from cooking to mindfulness and philosophy. 

In 2011, Schmooke began hosting a variety of cooking camps and classes for many ages. From a bake-off for ten-year-olds to date nights for parents, she did it all. Every week of the summer her location was filled with kids and adults of all ages, gathering in the kitchen.

But when COVID hit in the spring of 2020, her business changed forever. Schmooke started teaching free online cooking classes over zoom, where she found great success. “It came to the point where there were thousands of people joining from around the world,” said Schmooke. Schmooke had always been interested in stoic philosophy and mindfulness but was never able to incorporate this practice into her business. But, when COVID hit, Schmooke decided it was time to incorporate another thing she loved into her business, mindfulness. But, this didn’t come without some challenges. 

“I needed to walk my talk” explains Schmooke. She was fighting a battle with Bulimia for many years and had been trying to recover for many years. She told herself after one year of recovery, she would tell the world about her eating disorder. “I was scared I would lose credibility” Schmooke explains. Despite, a scary situation Becky Schmooke shed a light on a life with Bulimia she gained more than she lost, “I feel like if anything, I gained more credibility from sharing my story”.