Join us as we speak with Chef Melissa Cottingham aka @melnificentwingz and @melnificentfoodie and speak with her about her L.A journey, while keeping her Southern roots.
About Our Guest
Chef Melissa Cottingham
Enthusiastic about cultural cuisines, Chef Melissa Cottingham believes the best way to learn about a culture is to join them in the kitchen. Her roots in Memphis, TN, serve as the foundation for every dish she curates, a culinary heritage she is now bringing to the forefront of the Los Angeles food scene. Chef Melissa is currently expanding her footprint through two major milestones: she is launching her own restaurant concept in 2025 via a high-profile one-month residency at Maydan Market, and she is currently captivating crowds with a prestigious, year-long residency at Smorgasburg in Downtown LA. A familiar face in the industry, Chef Mel has been featured in countless publications and television shows, including the LA Times, KTLA 5, Complex Magazine, Infatuation LA, LA Weekly, Food Network, ABC, Spectrum 1 News, and Tastemade. She has also graced the palates of elite clientele such as Tracee Ellis Ross, Jonathan McReynolds, Marsai Martin, Larenz Tate, and KevOnStage. Her recent partnerships include global brands like Spotify, Peacock, McDonald's, as well as community-focused organizations like Extraordinary Families Foster & Youth Agency. With a smile and personality that can’t help but charm you, Chef Mel’s greatest pleasure remains bringing people back to the dinner table to fellowship and create a Melnificent™ Memory.
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