Stephen Ewen, AGC, M.Ed, CFPM,
Founder & Executive Chef, Northwoods Catering

Chef Stephen’s culinary journey spans decades and continents, shaped by a lifelong passion for food, culture, and human connection. His move into boutique catering—designing custom menus and crafting immersive, deeply personal dining experiences—is a natural extension of his diverse background and global path.

A cultural anthropologist, linguist, educator, restaurant consultant, and private chef, Stephen began his culinary career as a plongeur in his teens. He quickly rose through the ranks—chef de partie by seventeen, sous chef  by nineteen—at the fine dining establishment that first recognized his talent.

While continuing to hone his culinary craft, Chef Stephen pursued advanced academic studies and spent two decades teaching language and linguistics in higher education, both abroad and in the U.S. Ultimately, he returned to his first love and founded Northwoods Catering, where he fuses culinary artistry with a deep love of people, place, and personalized hospitality.

Today, his greatest joy lies in curating unforgettable meals and meaningful moments for those he’s honored to serve.

Outside the kitchen, Chef Stephen enjoys life with his wife and family, continues to teach, and trains remarkable service dogs. He also performs as a multi-instrumentalist, stage actor, and stand-up comic. When time allows, you’ll find him fishing, reading voraciously, or writing his forthcoming humor book, The Corgi Chronicles—inspired by real-life antics with Maddie, his rescued corgi and first trainee in certified therapy dog work at hospitals, schools, and anywhere a healing doggie tumble or oversized smooch might be needed.