Jakob and Fernanda White - Comedor, Newton
Jakob and Fernanda White met while studying Culinary Arts at Boston University. They married last year and pursued their shared dream of opening a world-class restaurant together, Comedor, in Newton.
When not preparing fine dishes, Jakob is an artist and musician with an affinity for collecting and building instruments. Fernanda is an avid yoga practitioner, which she credits to her ability to stay calm and focused in the kitchen.
Both Jakob and Fernanda had the privilege of learning from renowned chef Jacques Pepin, as well as some of the best chefs in Boston.
Upon graduation from Culinary School at Boston University, Jakob began working at 51 Lincoln in Newton, MA where he worked his way up from line cook all the way to Chef de Cuisine. Fernanda stayed at BU and completed a masters in Gastronomy, as well as a certificate in wine studies from the Elizabeth Bishop Wine Resource Center. Fernanda later joined Jakob at 51 Lincoln, and worked first as a line cook and then as his sous chef.
In 2012, Jakob was selected to be the opening chef at Waban Kitchen in Newton, and Fernanda was promoted to take over as chef de cuisine at 51 Lincoln. That same year, Fernanda was named one of the top 30 under 30 in the Boston restaurant scene by Zagat. Jakob’s opening menu at Waban Kitchen received great accolades, including a 3 star review from the Boston Globe. He was also featured in Plate magazine, Cosmopolitan, and on the televisions series Phantom Gourmet.
In 2013, Fernanda started the cooking school at 51 Lincoln, which she ran until September of that year, when she and Jakob decided it was time to look for a restaurant space of their own. While looking for a space, they decided to learn more about catering and went to work as chefs for one of the best catering companies in Massachusetts, Max Ultimate Food.
In 2014, Fernanda went on to work for Cassie Piuma at her outstanding Somerville hotspot, Sarma. There she gained an appreciation for bold and adventurous Mediterranean spices and flavors. Likewise, Jakob went to work for Ana Sortun at her flagship, Oleana.
