Creating seamless events where everyone feels welcome is not without its challenges, but Chelsea makes it look easy, drawing on the hospitality expertise she developed growing up in North Carolina.
Born and raised in Wendell, a small town outside of Raleigh, Chelsea’s passion for hospitality started with her family. “My love of food is thanks to my grandma,” Chelsea said. “She taught me how to cook chicken pastry for the holidays, it’s like chicken and dumplings but with long, wide noodles.”
Then her dad started a food truck as a side job, purely for the fun of it. “It’s a family-owned truck called Woodpile BBQ, since we’re the Wood family,” she said. “He makes his own sauce and serves BBQ chicken and pork and all the sides, BBQ nachos, BBQ and pimento cheese sandwiches, and then fancier dishes for weddings.”
“My whole family has been working in that food truck for years. I learned a lot about hospitality making food and talking to customers,” Chelsea said. “I might even open a food truck on the side one day. The idea is really cool. and it would be fun to have something that’s my own.”
A degree in hospitality management from East Carolina University further honed her skills, and she put her degree to work as a catering manager in North Carolina. “Then my partner, Michael, got accepted to CSU to study for a PHD in Mathematics, so we made the move to Fort Collins!”
As for Ginger and Baker, Chelsea has been enjoying being part of the team. “The people are great, and everyone has a sense of humor, which is definitely something I was looking for,” she said. “And it’s absolutely beautiful, the venues are all so gorgeous.”
When not working, Chelsea spends time hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park and exploring Fort Collins. “I also have a full house: three cats, Olive, Nugget and Mirri, and a dog named Bella.”
Her favorite pie? “Warmed apple pie with a scoop of vanilla bean ice-cream”