Wow! What an amazing experience we had with our chef Ed. He exceeded any expectations I might have had for the evening. The portions were quite generous, the food was high quality, perfectly seasoned and delicious. He interacted with us, answered some of our cooking questions and created a special night for our bride to be. 10 out of 10! Book Ed if you have an event in the Charleston area. You won’t be disappointed

We had such a fun time and Chef Ed’s food was delicious! Would 100% recommend having him join you!

This was our first experience with Food Fire and Knives and we could not have chosen a better chef! Chef Ed was every bit the professional and prepared our selections with the freshest ingredients. The portions were plentiful and we had a difficult time finishing everything. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone.

Ed was awesome! Laid back, so accommodating, easy to work with, and the food was unbelievable. So fresh and perfectly prepared. He kept to himself and wasn’t bothered by 11 women laughing and singing. And the “Is that a banana in your pants?” Was so perfect!!!! Highest recommendation!!!!

Chef Ed Renken made some amazing food for our bachelorette group. But not only that, he made us laugh and let us be our crazy selves in front of him! We had the best time and it was way better and more memorable than going out somewhere to dinner.

It was my wife’s 60th birthday and I thought it would be fun to hire a chef to prepare our dinner for us, including our family. Chef Ed Renken and his sous chef Mary did an amazing job. The food was superb, and they just made the evening more enjoyable with their personalities and the way they interacted with our family. I would highly recommend them to anyone! Great Evening!

We had a great dinner. Chef Ed was very easy to work with and helped us create a unique menu that everyone enjoyed. We loved his crab cakes, shrimp and grits and key lime pie!!!

Working with Chef Ed was so easy! We had to make a few changes to the menu and he was happy to make the substitutions. His food was inventive & creative, while remaining classic. Our guests enjoyed his personality & conversation as much as the meal!

Ed provided a great experience for us! I would book again given the opportunity!

If you could guarantee yourself an amazingly unique culinary journey around the world, filled with great stories and amazing conversation, book Chef Ed. He’s become our favorite chef and he brings a 5* meal made from scratch that leaves you amazed every time. After having Ed’s version of a BLT you won’t look at a traditional BLT ever again. Any protein you choose he makes turns into perfection. I wish he’d jar his French onion soup for sale, I’d by it by the case. I can’t say enough great stuff about Ed!

Ed’s menu was perfect to feed my large group. I didn’t want to deal with a dinner reservation at a restaurant for 13 people, so decided to go through FFK for a private chef to come to our VRBO. It was perfect, we all sat around the living room and chatted while Ed made us a delicious 3 course meal. Everyone really enjoyed the experience and the food was excellent. He even played the leftover charcuterie so nicely and left it in the fridge and we continued to munch on it later into our weekend. Would absolutely book with Ed again!

Everything went smoothly from start to finish! The food was amazing, especially the She Crab soup!
Chef and helper cleaned up and were efficient in their use of time. Chef also described each course and was a delight to have in our home.
I would definitely recommend Chef Ed!!!
A five star experience!!

Chef Ed was amazing!!!! Our dinner was so very delicious and we were talking about the mashed potatoes for the rest of the night! His energy was so fun and he made our last night in Charleston so unforgettable !

Our experience could not have been better. Our group enjoys very nice restaurants in Charleston and our dinner with the Chef was just as good if not better! Do not miss the opportunity to have him come in to prepare a meal for family, friends, corporate group. He will not disappoint. Food, service, willingness to meet multiple special requests all done with a smile and executed perfectly. We will definitely be return customers!!! Many thanks for an exceptional experience.

We went to Isle of Palms for a week with four families and nine total children ages 3 and under so we treated ourselves to a Parents Night In with Chef Ed Renken. Ed was wonderful and the food was delicious. We will definitely be having him back on our next vacation!

The food was delicious, he cleaned up after he was done, and made jokes and really interacted with our group of girls. He remained professional and so very kind. We loved having Ed as part of our Bachelorette celebration, and would without a doubt book with him again if we ever decide to book an at home chef again

Chef Ed was a great addition to our bachelorette weekend! The food was incredible and we all talked about the butter “nut” me up soup for the entire trip. Chef Ed’s personality also made our night and we enjoyed his conversation and his jokes. I definitely recommend Chef Ed.

I hired Chef Ed Renken through Food Fire + Knives for a private dinner for joint bachelor party of 28 people. Chef Ed and his team knocked it out of the park! We started with roasted artichoke hearts in a butter, white wine, and tomato sauce on crostini, followed by a choice of steak with chimichurri and mashed potatoes or shrimp and grits with peppadew and banana peppers and andouille sausage and ended with a choice of banana pudding and luxardo cherry brownies. The food was fantastic, and our friends were talking about the food (and eating leftovers) for days! Over the course of the night, I had heard that nearly every single menu item—from the artichokes to the chimichurri to the grits to the banana pudding and brownie—was the best that a person had ever had. It made for a memorable experience. Chef Ed was so accommodating of our three guests with Celiac and made almost the entire meal gluten-free and you would have never known. I shopped around before hiring Food Fire + Knives and I can confidently say that they were the best value and delivered an extraordinarily enjoyable experience. Chef Ed and his team, as well as the staff at Food Fire + Knives, were very friendly and great to work with and I would recommend them hands down.

Ed communicated well via e-mail prior to the event (bachelorette dinner) and arrived on time. The food was incredible! Portion sizes are very generous and the conversation Ed provides about the flavors and textures of the foods was a nice touch. He and Chef Drew tidy the kitchen after they were done and it was cleaner than when they arrived. Highly recommend!

Chef Ed was amazing and the food that he prepared was delicious from the mixed green salad with the Dijon mustard vinaigrette, oven baked snapper on a bed of Caribbean peas and rice with the pineapple salsa, down to the peach and blueberry cobbler. Everything was delicious and worth every penny. Our whole experience from the Airbnb to the motorboat ride was a great experience. Will definitely be booking Chef Ed again.

Ed did an awesome job creating a delicious dinner for 20 ladies for a bachelorette party. Scheduling was super easy as was making changes to head count and menu as we got closer to the date of the event. The food was amazing, and Ed was on time, got the food out perfectly as planned and cleaned up the entire place so it was spick and span. Super easy way to enjoy a night in with delicious, customizable food!

Chef Ed is the best! Our food was AMAZING. They settled right into the kitchen of our Airbnb and needed no direction. Just started cooking away which we loved so we could be hands off while we had our happy hour. We had a bachelorette party with 11 people and all had great things to say about the food and commentary. Next time we are in Charleston we will certainly be looking to get a meal from Chef Ed one way or another. (: 10/10 chef!!!

You will not regret booking Ed for your bach party! was given his name by a recommendation from a friend and it was the best meal we had all weekend! We did the chicken marsala and vegetarian meals as well as a salad and dessert. 100% worth every penny!

Chef Ed could not have been more accommodating and we love him! From our initial connection to his arrival at the house he strived to make sure we got exactly what we were looking for. We were celebrating a 60th Birthday; in planning the menu we had a few issues like shellfish allergies and Chef Ed was so flexible with menu options. Dinner was prepared and served with perfect grace, it was such a pleasure to have Chef Ed we just wish he lived closer to us.

Chef Ed was amazing- couldn’t recommend more! He came to cook for my best friend’s bachelorette party, which unfortunately the girls’ original flight got cancelled. Ed still came, cooked an amazing meal, and plated it all for the girls to eat when they finally got here. He was so sweet and caring, and cooked a delicious meal! We still had a great time even though it was a small party. Thanks again for everything Ed!

Chef Ed was a delight! The food was delicious and we enjoyed his company while he was preparing and serving our meal. Our young granddaughters were big fans too. He even left us with extra lasagna! Thank you for a memorable last evening in Isle of Palms.

Chef Ed and his team were amazing and professional with great personalities from start to finish and the food was AMAZING. It was so nice that they just came to our Airbnb, whipped up dinner, cleaned and everything! I absolutely 1000% recommend booking with him for any occasion.

We celebrated our last vacation meal and our father’s 80th birthday having Chef Ed cook for us. He also brought a helper Kyle. Both were professional and the food was great. 15 Adults. We enjoyed the menu, especially the cobbler for dessert. We would recommend Ed and this website again. It was so easy!

Chef Ed and his team exceeded all expectations for our golf group of 16! The food, presentation, and service was beyond first class. It was the perfect ending to our full day of golf and everything was taken care of. Each course was delicious and perfectly planned out and the kitchen fully cleaned up before they left. Whenever we come back to Kiawah for another trip we will definitely be giving Ed a call! Thank you again!!

Chef Ed hosted my friend’s bachelorette party dinner to kick off our weekend and he did not disappoint! Each of his courses tasted amazing (especially the tuna – WOW!) and the presentation was on point! He talked us through each of his dishes thoughtfully and we really appreciated his company. Chef Ed is the best!!!!

All of the courses he made for us were delicious, and it was so fun to learn about the recipes and pick his brain re: all things food related. From start to finish it was such a great time, you 100% have to book Chef Ed for any private dinner you are hosting!

The 3rd time’s a charm! We tried to do a family dinner with Chef Ed twice. The 1st time we had to cancel due to COVID. The 2nd time Chef Ed was totally booked. We finally achieved our goal of a family dinner right before Easter and it was worth the wait! We had a truly wonderful experience in the comfort of our own home. Chef Ed is an amazing chef and was so accommodating to our family’s tastes and food allergies. His buttermilk pie is to die for and is now a fan favorite! Thanks, Ed!! We look forward to planning more group dinners with you in the future.

Chef Ed cooked a DELICIOUS meal for my cousin’s bachelorette party. We were not an easy group to accommodate, and he did it with ease and expertise!

We had Chef Ed come to our Air Bnb in Charleston for my sister in laws bachelorette. He cooked us an incredible four course meal (technically 5 as we did two different entrees). Every single dish was fantastic and the portions were plenty! I wanted to do a wine pairing with each course and he offered recommendations for each dish so that I could order the wine ahead of our arrival. He engaged with us throughout the dinner, but also read the room and allowed us to enjoy ourselves. I would absolutely recommend him for a fun dinner for any occasion. Thank you Ed!!!

Ed was great from start to finish in the process. I requested an item for his BBQ that wasn’t listed on the menu. He responded quickly that he could accommodate the side dish I wanted. He was thorough in his responses and left me with no questions. I highly recommend Ed for a private chef experience. Great work sir!

Chef Ed and Helen were absolutely amazing! They were incredibly accommodating and made our special day 10 times better! People could not stop raving about the food! We would hire Chef Ed again in a heartbeat!

Chef Ed is amazing! We had him come to our Charleston VRBO for my sister’s bachelorette party (9 girls total) and we had the best night. Our tour earlier in the day was running a little late, so Chef Ed got to the house before we did, but he was so understanding and made it clear that he was on our time. Once the cooking started, us girls continued the celebrations and Chef Ed just told us once the food was on the table. Highly recommend for a bachelorette night in!

I hosted a bachelorette party in Folly Beach last weekend with 15 guests. We decided to hire Chef Ed to avoid the complication of taking a big group out to a restaurant and I’m so glad we did! The food (strawberry blue cheese salad and seafood risotto) was delicious and we all enjoyed being able to relax at the house while being served a restaurant-quality meal. He even cleaned all the dishes without us even noticing so the kitchen was ready for breakfast in the morning. I’d highly recommend looking at the menus that Food Fire + Knives offers, they have a wide range of options and Ed worked with us to accommodate a few allergies and food preferences.

We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner prepared by Chef Ed. He was very personable and the dinner went off without a hitch. He even brought a perfectly themed surprise dessert for after dinner! We will definitely use him again when we go back to Charleston. Thanks, Chef Ed!

This is the second time Chef Ed has been the absolute highlight of our Mother-Daughter trip! His food is SO delicious & he creates the best experience. His Seared scallops were to die for, definitely my favorite part of the meal. The portions were huge & we had plenty for leftovers the next day. He is easy to communicate with & happily made the substitutions we requested. We arranged for Chef Ed to come the first night of our trip so we could sit back & relax & have a gourmet meal brought right to us! It was a great plan! He was awesome w our little dogs, too. Any time we come to Charleston we will be calling on Chef Ed to cook us up something we’ll never forget. & the best part is he leaves the kitchen even cleaner than he found it!

I wanted to do something different for my wife than the usual take her out for a nice dinner. I booked Chef Ed for the Fine Dining at Home menu and it was awesome from start to finish! Both of us felt it was the best steak we’ve ever had (and we’ve had a lot of great ones), incredible French onion soup, delectable dessert. All with wonderful conversation. Go for something different, not the same old, same old…book Chef Ed. You’ll thank me later.

Ed was fantastic! He was on time, prepared and the most important the food was fantastic!

Thanks Ed! We will definitely do this again!

Chef Ed and his assistant, Drew, were amazing as ever. This is one of many meals they have done for us over the years. If you want a great experience with a dinner party, This is the Ticket! The food is fabulous. You don’t have any clean up. Chef Ed and Drew washed every piece of China and put it away. When they left our home, you would have never known anyone was cooking for a large group in that kitchen. The appetizers are fabulous and was the dinner. This is the only way I like to entertain for special events. Make your party a fun one with out you having to be the cook.

Ed was an absolute delight and professional. He thoughtfully curated our Fine Dining at Home experience to celebrate a big event for our friend. The woman could not stop RAVING about each course and every bite. I felt like I went to heaven in this experience! I cannot wait to plan another event and work with Ed again!

Chef Ed Renken is an amazing chef! I highly recommend him for any event. We had him cook for us for my sister’s bachelorette party and not only was the food amazing, but Chef Ed and his partner chef were so friendly and fun! The menu to choose from for this event was amazing and the food was SO delicious! Everyone enjoyed each course. It exceeded our expectations! Lastly, Chef Ed was very accommodating and responsive to any requests we had for our particular event. We will definitely be asking Chef Ed to cook for us again when we go back to Charleston!

Our experience with Ed was great. His food was delicious and the whole experience was really special. Ed came to our Kiawah trip house and communicated promptly through the moment he arrived. He even took care of our special requests/menu changes. The food was awesome- we loved everything, but particularly the Tuna Tartare, Quail, and Ribeyes. Top notch from appetizer to dessert. Would 100% recommend him to anyone in the Charleston area. Experience could not have been better. Thanks Ed!

Chef Ed and Chef Dan were so nice and accommodating. I would highly recommended them – the local food was so delicious, and everyone loved it! They even included a fun surprise for the bride in our group that we were celebrating.

Chef Ed and his partner were great. The food was incredible and they were super professional and personable! I would recommend them to anyone!!

Chef Renken was amazing! The food was absolutely incredible. He cooked for 15 guys at a bachelor party, set up the food, cleaned everything up, and then packed up all of the leftovers in tins and then put them in the fridge. Would recommend to absolutely anybody.

Chef Ed Renken was amazing! On top of cooking us a delicious meal he was extremely personable and made sure we had a great time. I highly recommend and would definitely hire him again! Thanks chef!

Chef Ed was amazing in every way. He was engaging and his food was phenomenal. 10/10 would recommend!

Chef Ed and the meal he cooked for our group of 16 was the highlight of our weekend. The food was incredible (so much variety and flavor, and the presentation was amazing!) We didn’t have to lift a finger- him and his team did all the setup, cleanup, and everything in between. He was extremely easy to communicate with upfront with menu planning (he completely customized the meal just for us) and accommodated a few serious food allergies. The night exceeded our expectations and I would recommend him to any group!

Food was amazing, 4 course meal was delicious, authentic, the experience was unmatched with brief history and culinary explanations as the meal. There was no set up or clean up on our part, Chef Ed took care of everything. Would give our highest recommendation!

We were in town to meet up with some cherished friends we have missed this past year and to celebrate my husband’s birthday. Chef Ed provided the absolute best birthday experience ever. The food was amazing (especially the quail with chorizo and the lamb chops), and Ed was just a delight. He took care of every detail in preparation and serving and cleaned up every crumb when he was finished. He was professional, efficient and personable. I hope we get the opportunity to have Chef Ed cook for us again. Did I mention the food was amazing?! Seriously….

Chef Ed did a great job catering to our celebration! He adjusted schedule, meal details to accommodate a gluten free guest, and did so while giving us a great, relaxing meal at our vacation home. Would highly recommend!

Chef Ed was the best host for our rowdy bachelorette group and he made the night so memorable and fun!! Dinner was absolutely delicious and he even came 30 minutes early to teach us how to make a specialty southern cocktail. The night was a blast, thanks Chef Ed!!!

The ladies absolutely LOVED your food! They especially loved the surprise Cotton Candy touch. Thank you so much for stopping by and cooking for us!

Chef Ed was excellent and the food was amazing. He brought along Chef Drew who made shirley temple’s for the kids that got equally rave reviews. Highly recommend the steak as well as the crab soup

Our experience was great!!! The food was Fabulous and so was the Chef!!!! highly recommend!!! Perfect ending to a great weekend

Fun, delicious, highly recommend!

The meal was awesome from soup to dessert. We had lots of fun conversation with the chef. The surf and turf was so delicious. Ed’s chocolate cake was to die for! Thanks for making such a wonderful dinner for our Clemson game gathering.
The STOCKSLAGER Family

Excellent Experience!! In planning my best friend’s special birthday, the request was for a chef to come in for a special dinner. If you are thinking about using a chef for your special occasion, you have found the perfect solution with Chef Ed! There was not a morsel that didn’t touch the soul! The food was amazing! Ed is such a delight to work with and did not miss a beat from reviewing the menu to executing a beautifully flawless meal that everyone enjoyed! Clean up was wonderful as he took care of that too!! Needless to say, I will use him again when we return to Kiawah Island, SC. Thank you Ed!

Chef Ed recently came to our vacation rental and cooked a low country menu for my wife’s 50th. Everything was fun, fresh, and delicious. Every guest was thoroughly delighted and impressed. Highly recommend!

These guys were fabulous. They let me book a two entree meal for six last minute… only two days before my event! Chef Ed’s food was wonderful. Despite being stuffed, we still ate every bite served. Every course was delicious. Would recommend to anyone!

Ed cooked for our family for my mom’s 60th birthday. We had the mahi mahi, crab salad, crab cakes, skewers and banana foster. The food was absolutely delicious. Ed and the assistant were wonderful, very kind, professional and organized. They arrived promptly on time, had no trouble getting to know the space, courses were served with just enough time in between and they had everything cleaned spic and span before they left. I would definitely recommended Ed and would hire him again the next time we’re in town!!

It’s so stressful on “check in day” at the beach. Although I brought most of hour food from home, I didn’t want to worry about dinner after driving to Seabrook Island and unpacking. Chef Ed was professional and engaging. We added ceviche to our menu. He also made quiche for us to have for brunch the next day. The food was fabulous and experience was relaxing and we felt very pampered. Chef Ed brought his own “leftover containers” which was a very appreciated touch.

Chef Ed Renken prepared a fantastic appetizer and dinner for our group of ladies for a surprise 40th birthday dinner. He made excellent modifications to accommodate a dairy-free diner and a gluten-free diner in the group. He was also extremely professional, timely, and quick to clean up when he finished. The food and experience was phenomenal and we would hire him again in a heart beat!

We had Chef Ed twice during our vacation in Seabrook and he was simply outstanding! From his unbelievable fresh fish to the most tender filet I’ve ever eaten, his meals were truly amazing. He is also such a charming and charismatic Chef that you feel like you have known him for years! Given the COVID 19 situation, it was so nice to have a 5 star meal in the comfort of our home. What a fabulous experience!

We had Chef Ed twice during our vacation in Seabrook and he was simply outstanding! From his unbelievable fresh fish to the most tender filet I’ve ever eaten, his meals were truly amazing. He is also such a charming and charismatic Chef that you feel like you have known him for years! Given the COVID 19 situation, it was so nice to have a 5 star meal in the comfort of our home. What a fabulous experience!

Make sure you arrive hungry! Great meal from start to finish. Chef Ed cooked Tuna Tartare, French Onion Soup, Filet Mignon, Lobster and Mint Julep Panna Cotta. Beautifully plated and large portions. The French Onion Soup was the best. Wonderfully accommodating to people with allergies. He even washed the dishes and put them away.Thank you Chef Ed.

Our at home fine dining experience was a gift from our children. Just me and my husband with a delightful meal prepared for us in the comfort of our own home. Chef Ed Renken arrived promptly at the requested time. He and his assistant were friendly, efficient, and professional. We went all-in with a meal including soup, salad, appetizer, and entrée. Everything was top quality; the lobster bisque was delicious and soothing, the appetizer (seared scallops) was perfectly done – cooked just to the peak of perfection! The entrée was amazing – a beautiful beef filet (again, perfectly done medium rare as requested), with stone crab and a lemon mustard aioli. The creamed spinach was the best I have ever tasted and the potato puree had just a perfect hint of horseradish. We would highly recommend Chef Renken and Food Fire + Knives for a quality, at-home dining experience!

We hired Chef Ed for our bachelorette party and it was the highlight of our weekend! He came with a helper (Helen) who was so sweet and accommodating. We did the southern fried chicken meal and it was so amazing. Our Airbnb has the tiniest kitchen and minimal plates – he went above and beyond to make the presentation perfect for 9 tipsy girls. Highly highly recommend!!!

Ed cooked for our group of 11 adults. Every dish was better than the last, from the (low carb) riff on panzanella salad, to the artichokes to the main dish (a fantastic bolognese!), not to mention the tiramisu-inspired panna cotta. Truly an inventive chef, and a real joy to chat with. I highly recommend Ed!

We really enjoyed our experience with Food Fire + Knives. Chef Ed prepared a wonderful meal that matched perfectly with our Pinot Noir wine tasting. He made some fans of lima beans that did not like them before – including me. He pulled all this off with just a few days notice since we had a mix-up with our reservation. Both he and Michael were a pleasure to work with. We would definitely use them again.

It was a great evening! Ed and Drew were fantastic! They made the night so fun and the food was superb. Recommend this as a great way to have a wonderful meal.

My expectations were far exceeded. Our chef Ed was punctual, polite, and engaging. Starting conversations with him were very easy and when my girlfriend and I wanted time to enjoy each other, he let us be. The food!! The food was amazing. We had the surf and turf and let me tell you. I’ve never had steak and lobster so good. My girlfriend is a very picky eater and even she ate all her food. All in all, it was an amazing experience and I would recommend them to anyone.

Great food and great guys!!! Would highly recommend food fire and knives. We are on vacation and they came to our rental, brought everything and cleaned up.

We enjoyed our South of Broad meal the food was excellent!! Ed had everything prepped in advanced and was very efficient getting food served. It was delicious but very filling so make sure you are hungry!!