Buried under the rubble, along with shattered bodies and valued possessions, was a young woman’s passionate dream.

Rosaura Hernandez wanted nothing more than to be a chef, sharing her love of life through her gift of food.

But her plan was tragically cut short Wednesday when her East Harlem home blew up, killing her, her mom and at least six others.

Hernandez, 21, was a line cook at the posh Triomphe Restaurant at the Iroquois Hotel in Midtown.

“Check me out having some fun at work,” she wrote on an Instagram photo taken in the Triomphe kitchen. “I love it because I have to challenge myself and always prove even being the only female that I can f–king handle it.”

Her mother, Rosaura Barrios, 44, perished with her in the rubble, and her brother, Oscar, 15, is in critical condition at Harlem Hospital.

Her friends and colleagues are heartbroken.

“We are all devastated,” said Robert Holmes, general manager of the Iroquois, where Hernandez was scheduled to work a 2 p.m. shift Wednesday.

“We were impressed with her talent. The kitchen staff is a small and close-knit group. It’s a shame for her life to be cut so short. We really cherished having her.”

The aspiring chef’s Facebook page is filled with condolences and tributes from colleagues.

“I can’t believe my culinary mate Rosaura Hernandez passed away in that explosion,” wrote Nia Jones. “You were so young and passionate about the dream. Rest easy, my love.”

The family belonged to the storefront Spanish Christian Church, which was leveled in the explosion.

Its pastor, the Rev. Thomas Perez, spent Thursday at a makeshift shelter comforting survivors.

He barely spoke above a whisper as he talked of the tragedy at Park Avenue and East 116th Street that claimed five of his parishioners.

“It’s difficult. It’s very sad for these families that have lost their loves ones, but we are praying for them,” he said. “I have no words to explain how I feel, but I know everything will be in God’s hands.”

Given the scope of the devastation, Perez said he was amazed that “only” five of his parishioners were killed in the two buildings — 1644 and 1646 Park Ave. — that were leveled.
He said the explosion was “God’s will, though we don’t understand his doing.”

“With the blessing of the Lord, and with the help of all these gentlemen in the churches around us, we’re going to rebuild the church,” Perez added.

Of the eight bodies pulled from the rubble, seven had been identified by Thursday night.

They included Greek national Andreas Panagopouolos, 43. Originally from Athens, he lived in one of the buildings for more than a decade with his wife, Lisbeth Perez, who was not at home at the time of the blast.

“I can’t go back to where we lived,” Perez told The Wall Street Journal. “It is too painful to go and see.”

The couple had been together for 13 years and married for eight. Panagopouolos had worked for a website from home.

“He was very smart and very Greek,” Perez said. “He was very proud of his heritage, and he went back every summer to see his family there.”

The body of George Amadeo, 42, was also found in the rubble, and was identified late Thursday.

He was home at the time of the blast, and was planning to help his 69-year-old mother, Carmen Pagan, move out of the apartment they had shared at 1646 Park Ave. for the last six years.

Amadeo’s sister Jacqueline said their mother was devastated.

“Our mother didn’t want to admit George was dead,” she said. “She didn’t believe us, but when she saw it on TV, she started crying immediately.”

Jacqueline, 48, was at the blast site on Thursday and held out hope until she was finally taken to identify Amadeo’s body.

“We’re still in denial, but at least there is closure,” she said Thursday night. “I just don’t understand why it happened. It will never make sense to me.”

Also identified as dead late Thursday was Alexis “Jordy” Salas, who attended John Jay College of Criminal Justice and worked in The Bronx.

Salas’ wife is expecting their child.

“My sister is five months pregnant,” said Jessica Ortega, 22. “My sister is really upset. I just want to be strong for her.”

Salas’ grieving friend Alfredo Martinez, 22, of Yonkers, said he was shocked when he learned of the explosion.

“When I saw what happened on the news, I nearly had a heart attack,” he said. “I prayed to God that Jordy and his family weren’t hurt in the explosion.”

The names of the newly discovered dead join the growing list that includes dental hygienist Carmen Tanco, 67, who would travel to Third World countries on her vacations to help those in need.

Also identified on Wednesday was Hunter College peace officer Griselde Camacho, 48, the single mother of a 15-year-old son.

Additional reporting by Amber Sutherland, Rebecca Harshbarger, Lorena Mongelli and Natasha Velez