Chopped Champion Chef Chelsia

By Tiffany Larrabee

     When entering into Her Majesty’s Kitchen, located in downtown Forsyth, you feel instantly transported. Someone might expect to look out the window and see the Mississippi River, or hear the brass instruments that occupy bourbon street in New Orleans. The aroma of freshly cooked dishes hangs in the air heavily enticing you to peruse the menu. After being greeted quickly by a very kind staff and waiting momentarily for Chelsia, a quick assessment of the restaurant decor was giving rustic elegance with it’s exposed brick walls lined with gold accents, plush chaises, soft lighting and an overall welcoming warmth. Chef Chelsia was able to excuse herself from the windowed kitchen and find a cozy table to conduct the interview with a nice view of the open space.

     The first thing asked was where she was from. She explained that she is from New Orleans, Louisiana where she lived with her parents Anthony Green and Purtula Love and her sister, Ariel Green. 

     When she was younger though she spent an abundance of time with her grandparents due to a struggle with asthma that kept her home from school often.  Chelsia was glowing when she spoke about her grandmother, Willie Jewel Lindsey, and their days spent together. The farm to table lifestyle her grandparents exhibited was expansive. She said they had farm land, gardens, chicken coops, and her grandfather, Matthew Lindsey would often fish and hunt in Mississippi for proteins. 

     When asked if her grandfather was also the chef of the house she quickly replied with a smile and a “No.” She followed that up by commenting that her grandmother cooked everything, Chelsia stated Willie Jewel was “an avid believer” in making sure her grandfather had breakfast every morning before leaving for work on the railroad and dinner when he returned. While Chelsia was with her grandparents she would help her grandma cook all kinds of family meals saying she was her “sous chef.” Accrediting this upbringing to how she “got started” with her love for food.

     At a very young age she was shown not only how to assemble and distribute food for her large family, which boasted 32 cousins, but also how to serve her community by cooking. On church banquet days she would accompany her grandmother and they would dress in black and white and help cook and feed their congregation. 

     So many of the recipes Chelsia learned would slowly become foundations for the food she would later create. She spoke of fundamental lessons she was given like how to shuck oysters, peel shrimp, and prepare spice mixtures. The list of different dishes she was taught was expansive. It included things like gumbos, etouffee, turtle soup, po’ boys, and fried fish. Not only did she learn local New Orleans recipes, but she was also exposed to different cultures and the recipes they had to offer such as yaka mein, a beef soup.

     The “legacy recipes,” Chelsia was given from all of her different grandmother’s, aunts, and extended family, were not only about the ingredients in them. She spoke lovingly about how she was shown that food can also “feed the soul.” Kindness and acts of service were things that she witnessed quite often growing up. Chelsia said serving the community “makes you look around and see not only who might need a hot meal, but those who may need a helping hand.” So,even though she lived in New Orleans many miles away from Monroe County she is no stranger to a small town way of life.

     In 2005 when Hurricane Katrina was threatening so much of the gulf, Chelsia had just graduated high school and was preparing to leave for college. She said she and her family only packed a small amount of things because they didn’t think the storm was going to cause as much damage as it did. Once Katrina did make landfall her family’s homes were destroyed. She conveyed what a daunting feeling it was to start her college experience basically homeless. Thankfully all of her family members were found safe from the storm. They have all since relocated back to New Orleans. 

     With her strong ambition and perseverance she was able to work her way through college and complete the degree she set out to achieve. Oddly enough, Chelsia was not attending a culinary school. She had quite different aspirations of becoming an entertainment lawyer. Possibly a sports agent or something in the production side of things. 

     In her junior year of college Chelsia started Her Majesty’s catering, servicing small parties and doctor’s offices, but when she met some friends from the production world she saw a big boom in her business. Despite that success she continued on her path of becoming an entertainment lawyer. 

     In 2009 she graduated from Oglethorpe University located in Atlanta, Georgia and later that year she started working for a law firm. Soon though, Chelsia found her “heart was with the culinary world.”

     While working as a chef for one of the local Atlanta comedy show productions, Chelsia had a friend, an executive producer on the show, tell her that someone wanted to meet her. Curious, but busy she offered the man, Brandon Ogletree, her business card for Her Majesty’s. The Monroe County native, would later become her husband. 

     Shortly after meeting, they went on their first date and have been in love ever since. They have now been married for nine years. Their beautiful daughter is five years old and already shows a passion for the culinary arts. Chelsia says she will often make them breakfast “garnishing it with whatever fruit may be in the fridge” and makes sure even if she serves a simple glass of water it has a lemon wedge on it. “Such a restaurant baby” Chelsia said warmly. 

     When relocating to Monroe County in 2014 Chelsia explained that she was apprehensive about small town life at first, after living for so long in Atlanta and New Orleans and knowing everything they had to offer in the way of restaurants and entertainment. Though quickly she recognized what an opportunity this could be for her to help grow that area of business for Forsyth. 

     Her Majesty’s started off in Monroe County as somewhat of a pop up shop. Many people couldn’t wait for the New Orleans inspired food to be available. Word soon spread and the demand for this new delicious cuisine was undeniable. Listening to the people’s voices, Chelsia opened a full time restaurant, Her Majesty’s Kitchen, to not only serve the much sought after food she created, but also to bring another form of entertainment to downtown Forsyth. Recently Chelsia was able to purchase the commercial property of Her Majesty”s Kitchen making it a permanent fixture in our community.

     The menu Chelsia has cultivated celebrates New Orleans flavors while still adding new inspiring twists and fusions to them. Some of the fan favorites are the boudin balls, a hot and spicy pork mixture with onions, spices and herbs that are fried. She says people also order the soul food egg rolls a lot because it is like a “Sunday dinner wrapped in an eggroll.” Given that she changes the menu frequently to allow the people of Monroe County to have a myriad of options available to them she commented that it is difficult to say what are the most popular dishes. 

     Briefly while conducting the interview a patron having lunch stopped by the table to pay compliments to Chef Chelsia. The woman lavished the chef with praise explaining that she and the party with her didn’t know that it was only lunch time and that they would be back later in the day for the dinner service. Chelsia thanked the woman and told them to come back any time. 

     Being the accomplished chef that she is, many people took notice of her culinary talents in the past. Chelsia’s friends constantly encouraged her to apply to be on cooking shows. Soon the people at the Food Network learned what we in Monroe County already knew: Chef Chelsia is an outstanding cook and person. In an episode titled “Superhero Chefs.” Chelsia competed against three other chefs to make the most delicious dishes. After being thrown curve balls like rock candy, deviled eggs, and gold coins she came out as Chopped Champion. “An experience that I will never forget,” she commented. Wrapping up the interview with this down to earth, kind, and ambitious chef she was asked if there may be any plans to make more appearances on cooking shows in the future and with a twinkle in her eye the answer was “maybe.”

     Chelsia then continued on to say “God is doing amazing things, with the gifts he has given me. I always say God go before me and I’ll follow.” These words seem to be such a reflection of the woman Chef Chelsia is today. Someone who appreciates history, culture, joy, resilience, ambition, food, family, and faith. A true person of substance, making amazing cuisine, that we are just lucky enough to have in our own backyard.