About the Chef

Chef Michelle first discovered her love for healthy cooking in high school, where she developed menus & diet plans for her classmates. During college, while studying elementary education, she continued to cook healthy meals for herself & her roommates, even cooking her first Thanksgiving meal for a group of fifty! 

Michelle graduated with a masters degree and went on to teach in Westchester County, New York, yet she still had this passion for cooking & nutrition. Michelle balanced her teaching career and love for nutrition by attending evening culinary classes at Natural Gourmet Institute in Manhattan. She then took an internship with a vegan cafe, which turned into a full-time job as a sous-chef. 

In 2019, Michelle served as the chef at a wellness retreat with Advantage Health & Fitness, where she created healthy breakfasts, lunches, dinners & snacks for clients. She has taught several virtual & in person cooking classes for children and adults at a cooking school. In 2020, Chef Michelle was the guest chef at Salsa Verde in Westchester, NY, where she created a vegetarian Mexican menu. 

Michelle recently earned her certificate in Health Coaching from Institute for Integrative Nutrition, bridging her passion for cooking & nutrition. Right after completing her certificate with IIN, Shelli's Bellies was born. Her goal is to put healthy meals on the dinner table for busy families & couples who want to incorporate more vegetables, gluten-free grains & lean proteins.