about me

Hi, I'm Kelly.

I'm a classically trained chef and the recipe developer, food photographer, and voice behind crescent moon kitchen 🌙

This space grew out of my simple but deeply felt belief: food is more than just fuel for the body. It also has a profoundly connective power, and the ability to realign us with our world, with one another, and even with ourselves.

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After being diagnosed with Crohn's Disease at a young age, my relationship with eating hasn't always been straightforward. Food started as my worst enemy, developed into a comforting companion, became my profession, transformed into my greatest teacher, and shifted into my most elemental form of self care--all within the same lifetime. 

But through that journey, I came to understand how impactful the act of cooking can be. Not just as a skill, but as a way of paying attention, finding meaning, and practicing care in everyday life.

In this place, you'll find that dishes can be inspired by seasonal shifts, core memories, and even whatever happens to be lurking in the fridge! Sometimes the influences are subtle, like a certain spice or a beautiful color. And other times the needs may be loud, such as the demands of coping with a health condition or mending a difficult relationship with food.

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I believe inspiration is everywhere, and that cooking from an inspired, intuitive place is for everyone. It doesn't have to be complicated or precious, and is not just reserved for Michelin-starred chefs or magically gifted ingredient whisperers.

After all, the root meaning of the word "Inspiration" is the drawing of a breath. Something we all do, every day of our lives on this earth.

a little more about me -

When I'm not cooking or writing, you can find me hiking in the New England woods, reading sci-fi & fantasy novels, lighting too many candles, studying astrology, dressing up at the Renaissance fair, and taking an unreasonable number of photos of my cat, Max.

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my background -

I didn't grow up knowing I'd become a chef. Rather, I fell in love with it slowly, through curiosity and a lottttt of Food Network shows and magazines. One day I decided to take the leap into it as a career path and graduated from New York's renowned International Culinary Center (formerly FCI) in 2015. 

From there, I spent years cooking professionally in restaurants like Michelin-starred Agern, Brooklyn's swanky Bathhouse restaurant, and at legendary events spaces like Dirt Road Farm (where we were featured in publications like CTC&G magazine).

In 2020, I turned my full focus to food writing and media, working as a recipe developer, writer, cookbook contributor, and food safety consultant for various brands and publications such as American Dairy Association, The Dainty Pear Co., Indeed.com, and Vegan in the Freezer before launching crescent moon kitchen in 2024. One year later, I was profiled by industry-recognized BeFunky Photo Software in one of their Creator Case Studies!

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Across the span of my entire career, I learned that deep culinary understanding is available to anyone willing to listen, observe, and cook with intention. This truth--that inspired cooking is accessible to all of us--sits at the heart of crescent moon kitchen.

Whether you're cooking through a season of change, seeking inspiration, or just figuring out what to make for dinner tonight, know that you are welcome.

Thanks for being here ✨🌙