'Off the Clock' with Ike Okafor, Senior Service Learning and Diversity Outreach Officer

What is your name, position / title, and how many years have you been at U of T?

My name is Ike Okafor and I am the Senior Officer for Service Learning and Diversity Outreach in the Faculty of Medicine’s Office of Health Professions Student Affairs. I have worked at U of T for 11 years.

What do you do off the clock?

I love to bake macarons and cakes for weddings and charities. For a few years, I have been baking under my own brand, “Guy Who Bakes.” The largest charity event I took part in was for Tsunami relief called Toronto Bakes for Japan. It was an effort with bakers and bakeries across Toronto that raised over $60,000 for the Japanese Red Cross Society. Since then I have been baking for student charitable events like EarthTones and Toronto Humane Society. For fun, I also took part in a World Record challenge for the “Most Layers in a Layer Cake.”                                                         

What sparked your interest in baking?

I have been baking since I was a kid. My grandma would make these awesome apple pies. She taught me how to bake them, and I eventually taught myself how to make other desserts. I think I was reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the time as well, which gave me lots of ideas!

What inspires your baking? 

My sweet tooth! I also love to travel, so I make it a point to sample the desserts of the country I visit. I then come home and try making them. I want to be able to make desserts from every country in the world. I think I’ve mastered French macarons — I can do 20 flavours! Desserts from Russia, Croatia and Japan are next on the list!

Suggested by Effie Slapnicar, Manager of Business and Administration, Undergraduate Medical Education in the Faculty of Medicine.