• Private Chef Michelle DC and DMV
  • African
  • Caribbean
  • French
  • Fusion
  • Indian
  • Italian
  • Mediterranean
  • Modern American
  • Southern

Signature dish:  

New Orleans Style Gumbo

About Me

Servicing the DMV and NYC. I am a fifteen year veteran Chef and have over 28 years of hospitality experience.
I love cooking for clients special events. Though I have done events up to 200 people, I really like the intimacy of smaller dinners. I take a fresh and healthy approach to all of my dishes, preparing everything from scratch. Many of my dishes are Moroccan and Mediterranean inspired. Plus, I also like to cook dishes from the Southern regions of America, inspired by my own roots.
I continue to learn new cooking techniques and cultures, and am always open to experimenting with whatever cuisine you desire. Past clients include many celebrities. Cheers and I hope to be your chef for the evening.

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Reviews (35)

  • 2-3 Course Plated Meal for 2 - Kassandra (ID 745725)

    Chef Michelle (Shelly) made our anniversary dinner SO special and we are beyond thankful! She was extremely communicative from the beginning, answered all my questions, and helped adjust the menu to suit my fiancé and I’s personal preferences. We were expecting a big snow storm the days before our dinner and she made sure to stay in contact with me and plan for a backup in case our original date was not feasible. Luckily, we didn’t have to pivot but she made me feel even more secure in my decision. She doesn’t rush through dinner and makes you feel like you’ve known her forever with the ease of convo! Then of course, the reason we all came to this site: the food was AMAZING and perfectly timed and portioned. We felt so satisfied but not stuffed with food and can’t wait to have her back for another special occasion!

    • Worked on January 28, 2021
  • 2-3 Course Plated Meal for 2 - Ashlee (ID 736759)

    Chef Michelle was EXCELLENT! She was super responsive and created such a delightful menu to celebrate my husband. He was surprised and thrilled with all the courses. She has such a beautiful personality and cooks with ease and love. We will definitely book with her again!

    • Worked on January 10, 2021
  • Cooking Lesson for 4 - Dusty (ID 732025)

    Chef Shelly taught a phenomenal class for four foodies. She is dynamic and fun. Each member of our group thoroughly enjoyed both the class and food.

    • Worked on December 24, 2020
  • 4+ Course Plated Meal for 2 - Carol (ID 731278)

    Chef Michelle was amazing from her table side manner to the food itself. We would 100 percent work with Chef Michelle again. She really made our night special.

    • Worked on December 22, 2020
  • 4+ Course Plated Meal for 2 - Shawn

    Chef Shelly came over for my wife's 30th birthday, and suffice to say, it will indeed be a birthday to remember. Chef Shelly is fun, has wonderful stories to tell, and is an engaging person to share a night with. But more than her wonderful personality, her food jumps off the plate - - truly outstanding cuisine. The surprise amuse bouche was a collard green egg roll with a spicy harissa that we were still talking about the next day. Scallops were silky, Chilean sea bass was buttery, and a flourless chocolate cake to die for. And after all the great food, she did the dishes! We highly recommend Chef Shelly for your next in-home event!

    • Worked on August 18, 2020
  • 2-3 Course Plated Meal for 2 - Brandon (ID 159391)

    Chef Michelle was simply amazing. She made the perfect menu, executed it with aplomb, and added a lot of fun to our engagement. Thankful for her and for the meal she prepared. I’m already thinking about that Piri Piri shrimp again!

    • Worked on July 1, 2020
  • 4+ Course Plated Meal for 2 - Arin (ID 155539)

    Michelle was an absolute delight and cooked a memorable meal for my wife and I on our anniversary. The entire 4-course meal was brimming with flavor and her own unique fusions/touches on French and Caribbean cuisine, with Southern and West African inspirations. From the collards spring rolls with harissa to the perfect summer salad to the flavor-packed jerk chicken with saffron rice and amazing coconut collards, our taste buds went on a delicious adventure. All topped off with a rich chocolate cake with fresh berries and champagne vanilla bean ice cream -- amazing! She was great company, full of stories and funny to boot, and a pillar in the community; she's seriously inspiring!

    • Worked on June 22, 2020
  • 2-3 Course Plated Meal for 2 - Leslie (ID 150685)

    Chef Michelle prepared a meal for my wife's birthday that was fabulous. She read my request and answered with a meal that was prepared in a meticulous fashion that my wife and me both loved. Great conversation and also wine recommendations by her that made the birthday meal one to remember. We will definitely seek her talents again for another meal in the future!

    • Worked on May 29, 2020
  • 2-3 Course Plated Meal for 12 - Christopher (ID 128875)

    We enjoyed a wonderful New Years Eve with friends, thanks to Chef Michele! She was so easy to work with ahead of time, had great menu recommendations and brought great energy to a fun evening!

    • Worked on December 18, 2019
  • 4+ Course Plated Meal for 8 - Ashley

    Chef Michelle took our Thanksgiving feast to the next level! She wasn’t planning to work on Thanksgiving, but decided to cancel her travel plans when she learned about our request. We asked for a “last supper” with our young, terminally ill father—our hero—before he transitioned to assisted living. And boy did she deliver! She put her heart and soul into the meal!! She accommodated all food sensitivities with grace and ease. The feast she prepared was extravagant and delicious!! Her presentation was gorgeous!! And her warm, compassionate, and bubbly personality was such a value-add. We loved having Chef Michelle and hope to book her many times in the future!!!

    • Worked on November 15, 2019
  • 2-3 Course Plated Meal for 2 - Alex (ID 112073)

    This dinner was sent to me as a birthday gift from my children. Chef Shelley (Michelle) was great! It was a real pleasure having her in our home, she felt like family, albeit a very talented chef member of the family. She prepared a fantastic dinner for us and even included the kids in some of the preparation and got them to eat things that I never thought they would eat even though that was not part of the original plan. The shrimp scampi and the ratatouille were my two favorite dishes of the evening although the flowerless chocolate cake (to die for) certainly had much more than honorable mention. Besides being a terrific chef, Shelley is a warm, personable and entertaining as well as interesting individual to spend the evening with. I look forward to having her return again. I can't wait to try her "Cubby Biscuits", Google it, that's a whole other story!
    Warren

    • Worked on September 26, 2019
  • Cooking Lesson for 4 - Michael (ID 105661)

    WOW! What a phenomenal experience my wife and I were able to share in our home with our guest. We choose to do a New Orleans theme cooking class and Chef Mitchelle provided superb tutelage and education behind the history and culture of New Orleans cuisine.
    Despite me booking on the day of, Chef Michelle made the entire arrangement easy and stress-free. I have been singing her praises to all my family and friends and would highly recommend.

    • Worked on August 23, 2019
  • 4+ Course Plated Meal for 8 - Noelle (ID 89113)

    Chef Michelle was absolutely amazing! She brings positivity, light, and a bubbly personality along with her to-die for cooking. We had a dinner party for 8 and she blew everyone away with her melt-in-your-mouth boeuf bourguignon, delicious ratatouille, fabulous salad and a surprise amuse bouche. Our guests were still raving the next day about the meal and especially loved the bananas foster! It was such fun and she made it all easy and stress-free so we could enjoy our guests. Thank you Chef Michelle!

    • Worked on May 29, 2019
  • Party canapes for 15 - Heather (ID 83463)

    Chef Michelle was fantastic. She was punctual, her food was a hit with all the guests at my party, and she was available to accommodate my gluten-free request. Thanks!!

    • Worked on May 1, 2019
  • 4+ Course Plated Meal for 9 - Elaine (ID 79159)

    Chef Michelle created a Southern feast to celebrate our family Spring birthdays. From her special collard green spring rolls to an amazing Creole crab dip we were astonished. We will be talking about the Cajun Spiced Salmon and Buttermilk Creole Country Fried Chicken for years to come. Just to make sure our birthdays were really special the evening ended on the sweet side with a wonderful chocolate cake and individual strawberry shortcakes. Our grandsons enjoyed watching her work her magic in the kitchen and they learned a lot from her too! We cannot wait to celebrate with Chef Michelle again. She is a true professional and now a true friend.
    Elaine & George

    • Worked on April 4, 2019
  • 2-3 Course Plated Meal for 6 - Felipe (ID 77387)

    Michelle was fantastic! She was very responsive before the booking and worked collaborativly to hell us decide the menu. Most importantly her food was amazing!!! You will not be disappointed! Thank you again Michelle!!

    • Worked on March 25, 2019
  • 2-3 Course Plated Meal for 2 - Nigel (ID 76418)

    Chef Michelle was wonderful – in all respects. She was on time, professional, personable, sociable, and was ready to explain and tutor about her cooking style and experiences. She also did a great job of cleaning up!

    • Worked on March 19, 2019
  • 2-3 Course Plated Meal for 12 - Susan (ID 68635)

    Chef Michelle is personable, professional and truly devoted to her craft. She is a prompt and clear communicator. We knew just what we were getting and wow, was it amazing! Chef had clearly put a lot of time into preparing detailed courses from scratch. She excels at spices and sauces. We had 14 guests and they all raved about the food. Michelle was the perfect person to deliver a memorable 40th birthday dinner that our friends are still talking about. Please let Chef Michelle plan a Moroccan feast for you!

    • Worked on February 8, 2019
  • Cooking Lesson for 4 - Iain (ID 68488)

    Chef Michelle was great. We talked over email and briefly by phone in advance of the dinner. The menu was easy to set up and she walked us through what she needed from us, when she would arrive and what people could do (if they wanted to). With respect to the meal/dinner itself, it was a great experience. We set it up as a cooking class so we could learn how to make the meal as well. Chef Michelle kept us engaged throughout and had us cooking multiple things and at multiple stations. It was a lot of fun and the food turned out great. Very impressed with how she coordinated everything and everyone. Great experience. Will definitely do it again.

    • Worked on February 7, 2019
  • 4+ Course Plated Meal for 6 - Makema (ID 61284)

    Chef Shelley had cooked my birthday dinner. She was very friendly and cared about what I wanted to have for myself and my friends. She came up with a four-course menu to satisfy even the pickiest eater. Once she had started in the kitchen, the smells of the food had us paying attention to what she was doing while our mouths watered. Upon the time dinner was served, we were very quite and ate each course while admiring the flavors fused in the ingredients! At the end, we all loved her food and we are still talking about it! I hope to work with her again!

    • Worked on January 1, 2019
  • Brunch for 15 - Stephanie Nasir (ID 61239)

    The Table at Home concept is an awesome experience!
    Chef Michelle was punctual and ready to provide a great service. The food was a culinary delight right in the comfort of home. I will certainly use your services (chef and Table at Home) again and highly recommend them to others.

    • Worked on January 1, 2019
  • 2-3 Course Plated Meal for 2 - Stafford (ID 59123)

    She gave us a true representation of Soul of Modern Cuisine! The 3 course meal wad everything and more on Christmas Day. All the meals were extremely flavorful and well balanced! Our favorites were the Julia Child’s Chicken, Maine Lobster and the crab soup! Thanks for adjusting the menu to slip us some Gumbo! Highly recommended!

    • Worked on December 20, 2018
  • 2-3 Course Plated Meal for 13 - Walker (ID 46901)

    UNBELIEVABLE! Michelle is a truly warm human being with incredible skills in the kitchen. She was very responsive, professional and created a seamless process from our first communication through the final clean up. We through a house warming for our clients and 16 of their friends and people are STILL talking to us about how amazing the food was. She clearly knows her stuff and helped us create a wonderful menu that blended well and created a complete culinary experience. There is literally nothing more we could ask for and we fully intend on using Michelle again!

    • Worked on November 2, 2018
  • 4+ Course Plated Meal for 6 - Buwa (ID 46817)

    Chef Shelley was beyond amazing. There truly is no word to describe how incredibly delicious our meal was. She made a special occasion that much more special. I highly highly recommend the best chef ever.

    • Worked on November 2, 2018
  • 4+ Course Plated Meal for 2 - Dapo (ID 45392)

    The dinner was great! And Chef Michelle’s meal was amazing! I definitely recommend

    • Worked on October 27, 2018
  • Dinner party - plated for 6 - Trinesha (ID 42535)

    Chef Michelle provided an excellent meal and experience for our family. It was so much fun and the menu was amazing. She was also very accommodating to the plans that I had in mind for the evening and She was able to adjust well to the last minute changes that was encountered during the final planning. My husband was still talking about the meal the next day. We look forward to working with her, again, on future meals and projects!

    • Worked on October 10, 2018
  • Brunch for 6 - Amber (ID 42228)

    Chef Michelle was amazing. She made my birthday brunch a success!

    • Worked on October 8, 2018
  • Dinner party - plated for 6 - Nicole (ID 42028)

    Michelle was delightful! The meal she prepared for us was a seafood chowder (similar to cioppino) which was incredible. The main entree was a branzino stuffed with a crab/oyster stuffing which was delicious. She was on time, prepared, pleasant and served everything as scheduled. Overall great experience.

    • Worked on October 6, 2018
  • Dinner party - plated for 6 - Jennifer (ID 39109)

    We had an exquisite evening with Chef Michelle in our home Saturday night. From her signature appetizers, to her mouth watering 4-course meal, we enjoyed every minute! Chef Michelle arrived early and cleaned our entire kitchen at the end of the evening. Our guests had a magnificent experience and we enjoyed a 5-star gourmet feast! Thank you!!

    • Worked on September 17, 2018
  • Dinner party - plated for 2 - Rick (ID 38065)

    Chef Shelly helped make my private anniversary dinner a very memorable occasion.
    I highly recommend her and this experience. It was nice not having to leave our house and still enjoy a world class, four-course meal.
    She brought everything she needed and she cleaned up after.
    Not only was the food excellent, but she had some interesting stories to share as well.

    • Worked on September 12, 2018
  • Dinner party - plated for 12 - Maya (ID 37538)

    Chef Shelly was an absolute pleasure and delight to work with. From our first call to discuss the menu, she was positive and her take on a simple birthday dinner showed her creative side. She crafted a lovely menu for us to work with and was accommodating to the changes made along the way. I was helping my boss plan a sophisticated but fun dinner for her sons’s birthday and Shelly was a great help, suggesting foods that a mixed-aged group of people could all enjoy. Her 32 years of experience as a chef definitely show. Shelly was flexible and suggested options that could work for everyone, and she worked with specialty vendors to source the best ingredients. I really appreciate the care she put into planning the dinner to make sure everything went smoothly. Since we were using an Airbnb to host the dinner, she even made sure to let me know exactly what equipment and dishes we would need so we wouldn’t be left empty handed on the day of the event. On the day of, she arrived early to set up. Everyone raved about the food and loved Shelly’s bubbly personality. In all, the attention to detail Shelly provides is phenomenal and makes hosting a large dinner or party a breeze. Looking forward to working with her again in one of the many cities she frequents! Thank you so much Chef Shelly!!!

    • Worked on September 9, 2018
  • BBQ for 25 - Gina (ID 29744)

    Michelle is prompt, professional and her cooking is wonderful!

    • Worked on July 17, 2018
  • BBQ for 20

    This was our first time trying Table at Home, and naturally I was a little nervous as we had invited 10 adults and 10 kids for a Memorial Day Barbecue in my home. Of course 3 more families ended up being invited last minute, and I was a bit scared that we wouldn’t have enough food as I had only requested food for 20 guests. I was so relieved the moment Chef Shelley walked into my home. She had a very fun and endearing personality, and immediately made me feel at ease. She brought everything (but the kitchen sink) – all food, knives, condiments, and even a special gift - homemade jelly for me. The only thing I needed to provide her with were serving dishes.

    My main goal for hiring Table at Home was to have someone take care of all the food, so that I could enjoy the party and not have to worry about anything. I didn’t have to lift a finger! She absolutely took care of everything, including cleanup and dishes. We definitely had more than enough food for everyone and plenty of food leftover that will last us for another few days!

    This was our menu:
    Children: Cony Island Corn Dogs, Ultimate Meatball Sliders, Sweet Potato Cowboy Fries
    Adults: Hormone Free Jerk Chicken with Mango & Habanero Jerk Sauce, Estelle Betty Potato Salad, Assorted Grilled Vegetables with Balsamic Reduction Rainbow Chard, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Candied Pecans and Goat Cheese tossed in Champagne Vinaigrette, Bacon, and Cheddar & Jalapeno Skillet Corn Bread
    Dessert Chocolate Pound Cake with Whipped Cream & Berries

    Shelley came prepared and arrived 2 hours before guests arrived, and didn’t leave until all the guest had left (approx. 8 hours). She had prepared most sauces and items at home and chopped, grilled, fried and baked food before and during the party. If you need ideas for cocktails – be sure to ask her for her advice as she also has experience bartending (ask her for her recipe for Margarita Sangria’s – to die for!). She also has experience working as a chef for a famous Hollywood celebrity! I’m sure you will hear all about it!
    If I were to do this again, I would have asked to have adult appetizers out before guests arrived, and have children’s food items out at the same time (as it’s difficult to call the kids to come get food at different times). But – I’m sure if I had requested this when she arrived that she would have made it happen.
    Chef Shelley was professional, engaging, delightful and experienced. Her recipes were delicious and left you wanting more.

    All the guests loved the Table at Home Concept. We will definitely be coming back!

    • Worked on May 2, 2018
  • Regular family meal for 4

    Shelly was a fabulous chef and able to create super tasty food with minimal ingredients. We are on a restricted gluten soy and dairy free clean diet and Shelly was able to make everything taste great! She went above and beyond! Thank you for making our stay enjoyable.

    • Worked on December 18, 2017
  • Dinner party - banquet for 12

    Michelle is the best! I got more than I expected, on time, professional and my guest couldn’t stop talking about how good the food was😊 I was really able to enjoy socializing and relax knowing that Michelle had everything taken care of😀 I am a happy customer😀

    • Worked on March 5, 2018
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