edgar p. ievins

chef & baker extraordinaire

Edgar has been cooking since he was a small child, thanks to the influence of his grandmother, who believed that "The good Lord does not subtract the amount of time you spend cooking from your lifetime," and whose own mother had trained in St. Petersburg as a chef. For his first kitchen adventure, at age 3, Edgar was sent out to the garden to harvest dill. He carefully snipped off some carrot tops instead, then received a patient lesson on how to tell the difference next time. He carries this calm and nurturing style into his own teaching, where he creates a comfortable and good-humored environment for learning and practice.

Though Edgar's previous careers have included psychology, bookkeeping, and film production, he has always loved baking. Twenty years ago he began formal classes in cooking and baking. He was also gaining lots of experience as personal chef for his family, developing a broad expertise in designing gourmet meals to accommodate dietary restrictions. He loves the challenge of incorporating personal preferences and medical needs into inspired custom-designed menus. He also delights in accomplishing these feats with surprising economy, and offering tips for sticking to a tight budget.

Edgar enjoys sharing his passion for food, for cooking, and especially for baking, by educating others in the culinary arts. His popular public classes inspire enthusiastic followers to sign up for each eagerly awaited new offering, and he joins the culinary staff of Wellesley College's prestigious EXPLO Chef summer programs for students entering grades 8–10. In spare moments, you'll find him in the kitchen, perhaps with a cooking show on TV, recipes open, pans ready. And he'll be smiling.

Edgar holds a ServSafe certification to ensure safe handling of food in your kitchen, and is an invited member of the elite organization for professional chefs, the ACF / Epicurean Club of Boston.