The coronavirus-related shutdown of many businesses and most social activities has encouraged many folks to get creative with their time. One Irondequoit man has found a much-needed diversion from quarantine — which starts in his kitchen.

Terry Wolak loves to cook. And he doesn’t care if he makes a mess doing it. A real estate agent by day, for the past couple of months Wolak has become sort of a local internet celebrity through the videos posted on various online platforms.

He’s “The Messy Chef.”

“I think right now people yearn for the humor, the connection, the interaction,” said Wolak.

When he puts on his chef’s hat, people get all of it. Wolak prepares dinners of all kinds, while interacting with his Facebook Live viewers. He occasionally includes friends, like a socially distant friend who sang and played guitar during one recent broadcast, from outside the kitchen window. Wife Phyllis and daughter Lauren share video duty with their phones, while Wolak pounds away inside the kitchen — sometimes literally.

“We enjoy it,” he said. “We embrace the messy chef.”

The Messy Chef is an outlet intended to put smiles on people’s faces, which in turn — puts a smile on his own.

“People were dropping off balloons, saying thank you for what you did. thank you for touching our lives,” he said. “Thank you for helping us forget.”

Uncertain times have resulted in a lot of things.  In this house, boredom — certain isn’t one of them.

“Humor, man, in my opinion that’s the only thing that’s gonna get us through this,” said Wolak.