I'm Chelsea.

Sautee Cook / Garde Manger

I got married in early 2020, and because of the pandemic and my chosen industry, I was forced to make a career change. I spent a year and a half home-schooling my step kids. Before that, I spent over twelve years in the food industry, along with managerial experience ranging from small two-man projects, to substituting in manager's absence. I gained a strong ability to collaborate and adapt, as well as facilitate any given instruction and lead others to carry out tasks. In 2019, I was hired at Maple & Ash prior to, and helped to prepare for, the highly anticipated grand opening. I was priviliged enough to have worked with Michelin Star chef Danny Grant and Chef Sean to revise and finalize menu, and perfect line setup for most efficient ticket times. Prior to my time there, I began my first experience on the line at a high-end, fine dining establishment at The Capital Grille. Within months I had earned my first star during a wine dinner working one-on-one with Chef Joe. I moved my way up the line (a kind of heirarchy within the back-of-the-house restraunt industry) to Hot Sides, and then Sautee the same year. I had many years in fine dining, but what lead me on that journey was my time serving anything but average museum food, working the pantry and cold station at Palette, the stunning restraunt within the Phoenix Art Museum. Asthetically, this called for me to create plates that were both pleasing to the eye and the taste buds. In that, I found a love of the culinary artform; at the table, people gather around their plates to behold as they do in museums and galleries, but then they're given the ability to touch and taste a masterpiece I create.