• Write for Suite101
• Sign In

• Home
• Profile

Chef E Stelling - CookAppeal Photograph

Chef Elizabeth Stelling – owner and founder of CookAppeal, LLC, and CookAppeal Wine & Food Experience. CookAppeal offers boutique catering, event planning, and personal and customized chef services to create that perfect experience for each client.

Chef Elizabeth was educated in Culinary Arts at CCCCD in Texas (she hails from Dallas) and has more than 30 years of experience in the food industry as a chef, server, caterer, manager, business owner, consultant, and educator in wine and food pairing.

She launched her first catering company in Dallas after countless clients tasted her food and wine choices in her hair salon. They asked if she could help with planning and designing party themes, which led her to create “The Cork Screws Wine & Food Experience” in 2000. For four years Cork Screws, a forerunner to this CookAppeal Wine & Food Experience group, offered monthly food and wine events and catering services. Membership exceeded 70 people over those four years ending with the most successful event, a fondue party that served 110!

Chef Elizabeth’s love for cooking dates back to her childhood when big family gatherings took place in her grandmother’s kitchen and garden in Texas. Family elders instilled in her the importance of ensuring that the food placed on the table three times a day was fresh, tasty and healthy. Being health-conscious about food has permeated Chef Elizabeth’s professional and personal life—she has shared her philosophy on cooking and eating organic, low-sodium and low-fat foods with her clients as well as her own family. A practicing localvore during the Fresh Farmer Markets during May - September Elizabeth supports local and organic farms in her New Jersey Neighborhood.

In the 1980s, as global and fusion cuisines exploded on the Dallas restaurant and food scene, Chef Elizabeth took the opportunity to explore different tastes and techniques. She studied under chefs such as Gilbert Garza of Suze and Samir Dhurandhar of Nick and Sam’s. Her travels across the country also enhanced her knowledge of the food industry and exposed her to a wide variety of cuisines.

In addition to her professional cooking experience, Chef Elizabeth enjoys applying her skills and knowledge for community and charity events. She is a member of the Slow Food Movement, NJ; New Jersey Chapter of American Wine Society, and the American Institute of Wine & Food.

Chef E Stelling a passionate Scotch aficionado is also involved in continuing wine education classes, as well as studying for her Masters of Scotch Tasting Certificate.

Running Open Mics for Poets and Acoustic Musicians in the Central Jersey are, Elizabeth writes and publishes poetry as well as other food other related articles online and in-print publication.

Check out her food poetry that airs every other Monday- www.croptocuisine.org

Her official blog site- www.cookappeal.blogspot.com/