Her Knee Surgery Made Her Change How She Cooks. Now Her Accessible Cooking Series Has Gone Viral (Exclusive)

Carolyn first stepped into the kitchen when she was just 4 years old. Her mother was battling lupus and severe arthritis, and even at that young age, Carolyn felt the urge to help. So she did what she could: she started preparing simple meals for the family.

Over time, her skills grew. By age 7, she was doing most of the household cooking — and loving it. She experimented with ingredients, flavors and methods. One of her earliest proud creations? A simple but special cinnamon toast.

“It was the first dish that didn’t come from someone else,” she says. “I just thought — what if I mixed butter, sugar, and cinnamon, spread it on toast, and pan-toasted it? I didn’t learn it from anyone. It came from my imagination, and that made it feel like mine.”

That early love for cooking never left her. Years later, as an adult with a family of her own, Carolyn decided to share that passion more widely. She launched a YouTube channel called EpicuriousExpeditions, originally intending to focus on food and travel.

But the direction of the channel — and her life — shifted unexpectedly.

Last summer, Carolyn tore her meniscus and had to undergo knee surgery. For weeks, she was stuck on the sidelines, unable to cook and feeling increasingly frustrated and restless.

That’s when inspiration struck.

“I started thinking about my mom,” she says. “And I started thinking about my son, who has autism. And I thought, ‘What if I did a disability-friendly cooking series?’ Even if it only helped one person get back in the kitchen, it would be worth it.”

The experience of being unable to cook confirmed something she had always felt: the kitchen was where she belonged. “That time away showed me this is what I’m meant to do,” she says.

So as soon as she was back on her feet — still not fully recovered and often relying on a stool — Carolyn got to work.

Her mission was clear: to create a safe, welcoming kitchen space for people of all abilities. Through the series, she didn’t just want to teach recipes — she wanted to help people regain a sense of independence, confidence and joy.

To do that, she established a few essential ground rules right from the start.

“One of the biggest rules for my series is: no stove,” she explains. “There are people with intellectual disabilities who can’t safely interact with fire. There are people with PTSD from burn injuries who have an aversion to flames. Some have experienced trauma involving fire, and it can be incredibly triggering. People don’t always realize how dangerous fire can be — it can cause house fires, and for those with conditions like POTS who may faint unexpectedly, it’s simply too risky.”

Her bottom line: “We don’t use fire. Period.”

Another non-negotiable in Carolyn’s kitchen? Knives.

For Carolyn, these decisions are deeply personal. Her eight-year-old son has Level 3 autism and a related developmental delay. While she’s been able to teach him how to use a toaster, she doesn’t feel comfortable having him handle fire or knives — at least not yet. So she designs each recipe with safety and accessibility at the forefront.

“I think about simple recipes he can eventually work on,” she says. “Sometimes I’ll even reshoot a scene just to include him — I’ll hand him a spoon and guide him step by step: ‘Dip this in, then put it there.’ With support and supervision, he can do it.”

“I want him to be able to cook for himself,” she says. “Not just rely on TV dinners or DoorDash. I’m easing him into it. And the best part is — he’s actually interested. That surprised me. But I love that he’s taken an interest.”

At first, the series gained modest attention. But then, with her third video, everything changed.

“It took off,” Carolyn recalls, still a little amazed. “I didn’t think it would reach the people it was meant for, but it did. And I’m so thankful.”

She credits part of that connection to her willingness to open up.

“I started talking about my family,” she says. “And that helped people connect on a deeper level. It wasn’t just about recipes anymore. It became about resilience, love, and finding joy in the kitchen again, no matter your circumstances.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The video’s success marked a turning point. Since then, Carolyn has built a growing community of nearly 260,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok, with many of her videos receiving over a million views.

The response to Carolyn’s videos has been overwhelming — and deeply moving.

“It makes me so emotional to hear people’s stories,” she says. “Even if I can’t respond to every DM — and I really wish I could — I read so many. People write to me saying, ‘I was injured,’ or ‘I was born with a disability,’ or ‘I haven’t cooked in years, but your video gave me the confidence to try again.’ ”

Some messages strike a particularly personal chord.

“My mom had lupus and arthritis. Eventually, her kidneys failed, and she went on dialysis,” Carolyn shares. “So when someone tells me, ‘I’m on dialysis too, and I made one of your recipes — it was delicious, and I felt proud of myself,’ I have to fight back tears. Seriously.”

Others highlight how far her reach has extended, far beyond what she ever imagined.

“I hear from so many moms of kids with autism who say, ‘I’m using your recipes to teach my child how to cook,’ ” she says. “Even occupational therapists have reached out. They’ve started using the recipes in their classes. That completely blew me away.”

She shakes her head gently, eyes misting.

“If I had known it would matter this much to people… I would’ve started sooner,” she says quietly. “But at the time, I just didn’t believe the algorithm would get it in front of the right audience.”

Despite all the emotional moments, Carolyn’s joy in the kitchen remains at the heart of it all — and it shines through when she’s asked about her favorite recipe from the series.

She doesn’t hesitate. “The mini meatloaves,” she says, smiling. “I love meatloaf, and these are so flavorful — they’re not missing a single thing from the original. The flavor, the texture — it’s all there.”

And best of all?

“There’s no chopping, no stove, no oven, no standing. It has everything the classic version has — just made in a completely accessible way. Maybe that’s my favorite… but honestly? I eat them all.”