Our Story
Steve Ellenberg has always had a way with food.
About Chef Steve…
While only in elementary school, he learned to cook eggs while standing on a box at a local diner named Louie’s Coney Island in his native New York. During high school, he excelled in the BOCES food service program eventually winning a scholarship to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. A highlight of his college years was his baking team winning a professional grand prize at the Boston Food Show. The large trophy is still on display at the CIA! Upon graduating 7th in his class, he ventured to Kansas City to work as head chef at the prestigious Plaza III restraunt. He befriended KC Royals owners Ewing and Murial Kauffman often catering events at their Mission Hills home. It was impressive that as a young chef he won the American Culinary Association’s Chef of the Yearaward. His unique recipes for chocolate and spun sugar desserts and spaghetti squash casserole won accolades at the St. Louis and Missouri Restuarnt Associations, respectively.
After five years at Plaza III, he decided to open Bagel Works Cafe in Westport. In addition to the popular eatery, he ran Mr. Muffin’s Bagel Chip Company and Enzo’s Pizza.
After a dozen years in Westport, he expanded his bread production and moved to a large bakery warehouse off of Metropolitan Avenue in KCK and Bagel Works Bread Company was born. Major hotels such as the Sheraton, Marriotts, Hyatt’s and Crown Center were serviced by his new baking company. Arrowhead Stadium, Sam’s Town Casino. J. Alexander’s, BRG, and Cheesecake Factory are only a handful of places he supplied with fresh bread.
In addition, his catering company was picking up steam. Weddings, dinner parties, luncheons and business events were the norm. A simple drop off or sit down reception with serving staff was a weekly occurrence. He eventually became an expert kosher caterer designing menus and facilitating hundreds of bar and bat mitzvahs and numerous bris’, weddings, shiva meals over the years for area families and synagogues. Chef Steve served over 1000 youth when Kansas City sponsored the Maccabi Games. Last fall, he was honored to provide dinner for over 500 people at the 25th anniversary of the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education with host actor, Henry Winkler.
After over two decades in the baking industry, he recently sold Bagel Works Bread Company, thus the birth of the Ellenberg Experience Catering.
Steve and his wife and business partner, Denise
live in Overland Park , Kansas. They have two children Grant and Blaire and a dog named Coco.