About the Chef

My name is Melanie Cox, and I come from a long line of good cooks. The first time I remember standing at a stove was when I was 8 years old, and my Grandfather was teaching me to fry an egg. My Mother and Grandmother helped me with most everything else, but "Papa" got me started, and I haven't stopped since. I'll always be grateful that my family let me "experiment" on them as I was growing up. My Mama was a great cook, but she would be the first to tell you that she didn't really enjoy it. My Daddy is a wonderful cook, too, and it's from him that I learned to enjoy "out of the ordinary" foods.

In graduate school, while working on my Master's degree in Counseling, I discovered two loves--my future husband, and nutrition as related to overall wellness. I feel that this is a very important aspect of my Personal Cheffing business. It helps me to provide nutritionally sound menus and food for people that need specific diets. It also doesn't hurt that I worked for the American Heart Association for several years, or that I'm a lifetime member of Weight Watchers.

My husband and I are the proud parents of three daughters. It was after our 2nd daughter was born that I began "cooking ahead", which really planted the seeds for Without Reservations.