Chef
Ian Boden
- Discipline
- Chef
Portrait of Ian Boden
i. Biography
Chef/owner at Maude & the Bear in Staunton, Virginia, Ian Boden’s path runs from New England Culinary Institute through Charlottesville’s Glass Haus Kitchen and into Staunton, where The Staunton Grocery, The Shack, and Maude & the Bear trace the line of his work. The movement has not been away from community but toward it; as he put it of The Shack, "I didn’t really open The Shack for national attention. I opened it to support the local community."
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Coming Up
Ian Boden trained at New England Culinary Institute before moving into the kitchen at Glass Haus restaurant in Charlottesville, Virginia. Today, Ian is owner of The Shack and head chef of Maude & the Bear (since 2024).
Where They Are Now
At Maude & the Bear in Staunton, Virginia, Boden’s current role is chef/owner. The restaurant gives the latest point in a career that has stayed tightly tied to one Virginia city while still carrying the earlier marks of culinary school, Charlottesville kitchens, and an owner’s responsibility in Staunton. He also owns The Shack in Staunton, where his role is likewise rooted in the work of a chef-owner. Read alongside Maude & the Bear, it shows a present tense built on multiple rooms rather than a single title: one chef moving between ownership and the daily identity of cooking in the same community that shaped his earlier restaurants.
Signature
Signature dishes include Pretzel Gemelli and Blistered Okra.
In Their Words “Basically, we do a lot of sausages and 90 percent of the time when we do them, we season them simply with salt and black pepper, a little bit of espelette and sumac.” “I didn’t really open The Shack for national attention. I opened it to support the local community.”
Honors
Ian's honors include James Beard Best Chef semifinalist.
FAQ
Asked of Ian
What is Ian Boden's current role?
As of 2026, Ian Boden is Chef/Owner.
Where did Ian Boden train or study?
Ian Boden trained at New England Culinary Institute.
What recognition has Ian Boden received?
James Beard Best Chef semifinalist.
Explore
The Sunday email
Read about chefs like Ian Boden in the Sunday email.
Every Sunday we send a lead story and up to four more about the chefs, winemakers, sommeliers and hoteliers behind the restaurants, bars, wineries and hotels we cover.
Recent stories
Free. One email a week, and you can unsubscribe from any issue.