The award winning pastry chef and culinary instructor gives back to the local community via his Ginger Bread Houses program. Every year, Don the Baker oversees school kids to construct 200+ Ginger Bread Houses, which are sold by the children to raise money for science programs. Some of the gingerbread houses are donated to a local skilled nursing facility.
“I told him what I wanted and he went above and beyond with what he created! AND the price was incredible! Thanks so much!”
Melissa S.
San Mateo, CA
Since opening its doors in 1999, Don Ewing has been the owner operator of Cakes by the Lake, the South Lake Tahoe scratch bakery with the most delicious uniquely designed cakes. His credentials are numerous and his passion for what he does endless. With state-of-the-art experience on both Coasts in hotel bakeries, donut shops, pastry kitchens and restaurants, Chef Don has created top rated desserts and cakes for famous clients such as Jay Leno, Graham Kerr, Julia Child, the Prince of Malaysia, Japanese Royalty and more. But it’s also his everyday friendliness people remember when they visit his Bakery to experience free tastings and talk with him personally about their next special occasion. His customers have named him and know him more as ‘Don the Baker’.
- American Culinary Federation Certified Pastry Chef
- 30+ years of experience in the baking and pastry field
- Executive Pastry Chef for numerous prestigious Hotels
- Opening Pastry Chef of Palace Hotel in San Francisco
- Graduated top of class from Baltimore’s International Culinary College
- A.A. in Pastry Art and Science
- Culinary Olympics training in Wolfgang Puck’s Spagos, Los Angeles
- 1996 California Olympic Team Gold Medal, Culinary Olympics in Berlin, Germany
- 1996 ranked in top 5 Culinary Olympics ‘best group of Chefs in the world’, Berlin, Germany
- 1998 Pastry Chef for 2000 Olympic Team California
- Culinary Instructor Lake Tahoe Community College and helped develop the baking program
Don the Baker and his wife Sally live locally and have two grown children; Christopher and Melissa.
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