Take a class with Chef Bob Scherner and you’ll quickly understand the depth of his culinary knowledge and experience. From start to finish, you’ll be amazed at the stories he shares, the techniques you learn and the fun you’ll have along the way.
Bob has been cooking for over forty years and his stellar resume includes Sous Chef positions at Flagstaff House in Boulder and Charlie Trotters in Chicago, and Executive Chef/General Manager positions at 221 South Oak Bistro and Allred’s Restaurant in Telluride. While in Telluride, he was twice nominated for Best Chef of the Southwest by The James Beard Foundation and invited to cook there as part of the “Rising Star Chefs” series. He was featured in Food and Wine, Wine Spectator and Gourmet, which called Bob’s cooking at 221 South Oak, “the future of American cuisine.” In Esquire magazine, journalist John Mariani said Bob’s work at Allred’s placed the restaurant “among the top 10 the US.”
But cooking 80+ hours a week takes its toll. “I started to realize how important it was to focus on my kids and wanted to spend time with them while they were young,” Bob said. “So, I moved into catering for high-end clients and got to be a stay-home dad.” When the kids got older, he pivoted to teaching and was a Chef Instructor, then Executive Chef of Academics at Boulder’s Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts for 12 years.
“I met Carolyn, the love of my life, here in Loveland, and I was in a position where I could work part time,” Bob said. “We came to Ginger and Baker for dinner with my daughter and as we were leaving, there was a class in the Teaching Kitchen, and I stopped in my tracks so I could watch for a bit. I thought this would be a fun place to work – the building is unbelievable, and everyone is so friendly, so I jumped at the opportunity.”
“One of the best parts of teaching is when I see people have that ‘aha’ or lightbulb moment and get a technique or recipe,” Bob continued. “It’s an honor to be a part of that. I love the connection between teacher and students.”
When not teaching, Bob enjoys remodeling his house, gardening and taking care of the couple’s two crazy dogs, Maddie and Josie. He’s also immeasurably proud of his kids; his daughter Samantha just finished her master’s in biomed science at CSU, his son, Henry, is a senior at CU, and his stepson, Charlie, is pursuing a career in Seattle.
His favorite pie? “The peach tarte tatin at L’Arpège in Paris, I’ll never forget it.”
