Edgar Ki
Triton College baking student Luis “Edgar” Ki of Maywood is competing in an online national contest for the title of The Greatest Baker 2025, facing off against bakers from across the country for a chance to win $10,000 and have his work featured in Bake from Scratch magazine.
Ki joined Triton College’s Hospitality, Industry and Administration (HIA) program this summer, but his love of baking began at age 4, when he developed a passion for creating sweet treats.
Ki said his mission is to craft desserts that inspire — infused with precision, passion and creativity. He has always enjoyed watching baking competitions and seeing contestants bring out their best to showcase their work. Now, presented with the chance to show what he’s capable of in a kitchen, it’s a dream come true.
“It’s a little nerve-wracking, but I really love competitions and challenges, and I’ve always wanted to check off that experience for myself, so I’m just excited to be a part of this,” said Ki through an interpreter.
For Ki, baking is more than preparing a delicious dessert — it’s a meaningful form of expression.
“The thing that’s really inspirational for me, as a Deaf person, is that communication can sometimes be hard because I feel like I can’t connect with the hearing world in the same way that others do,” he said. “But when I’m baking, it’s something that I can just do with my hands and it doesn’t require communication. I can express myself through my baking, and that’s what I really love about it.”
Among his signature creations is a lemon pie featuring a bright, silky curd in a shatter-crisp butter crust, crowned with lightly torched meringue. When paired with coffee or milk, Ki said, it’s irresistible.
If selected as The Greatest Baker 2025, Ki said he plans to upgrade his home kitchen with professional tools and invest in building an accessible, community-centered cake business employing Deaf staff. His vision includes visual menus, captioning, basic ASL communication and eco-friendly packaging.
Triton’s HIA Program gives you the recipe for an exciting career, offering high-quality, hands-on training designed for students seeking exciting careers in culinary arts, baking, restaurant management, or hotel management. To learn more, visit the HIA program website.