After culinary school, Celeste worked as both a Baking and Pastry Chef assistant and Garde Manger at “Sel de la Terre,” a highly ranked Provincial French restaurant in Boston. Later, she had the opportunity to travel and work for the four star Park Hotel in Grenoble, France before returning home and starting “Olives and Herbs,” a personal chef/cooking education service back in the Boston area in 2005.

Since moving to Houston in late 2006, she has also worked with Perry’s Restaurants and Catering perfecting, and serving those delicious steaks. In addition to her 12+ years experience working within the food industry, Celeste has taught cooking classes at Community Education centers in the Northeast and also privately in domestic homes since 2004. Celeste is ServSafe certified, a member of Les Amis d'Escoffier Society of New England and the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

Born and raised in and around New Orleans, Celeste knows what it means to eat and eat well! “Having lived in Boston and traveled throughout Europe has helped me to recognize other wonderful cuisines and the beauty of using fresh, fragrant herbs,” says Celeste. “Having lived in Louisiana most of my life has helped me to recognize the importance of appreciating people and having time for the ones we love most. That’s why they call it the ‘Big Easy,’ because you take everything: food, family, music, etc. one day at a time so that you really enjoy them. Life is worth living and you should definitely enjoy it!”

Celeste has since relocated to Houston to be closer to family and also enjoys playing music from time to time in local hangouts around town. 

Celeste Terrell is a native of Louisiana, but her restaurant life actually started at 17 working in a fried seafood and oyster shack, Sea’n’Suds, in Gulf Shores, AL. This experience cemented her love of food and never left after she decided to move to Boston following graduation from Auburn University.

Soon after moving to the northeast, Celeste was trained at The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts, in Cambridge, MA (not too far from Harvard) and received distinguished honors, graduating at the top of her class in 2004.

Kathryn Herod - Assistant Chef/Owner

Kathryn has spent most of her life in Houston, except for the few years she lived in Austin getting her bachelor’s degree in English at The University of Texas. When she was a kid, this wild child always loved to bake things. Her ego got a little bit too big when people told her that she made the best chocolate chip cookies in the world. The love for cooking and baking started early on from trips to Grandma’s house. She learned lots of baking tips and most importantly, she learned what chalaza was.

While teaching English at Houston Community College, some of Kathryn’s students were enrolled in HCC’s culinary program. They talked to her about how much they loved the program and it sparked Kat’s interest. With the growth rate of Well Done, another chef was definitely needed, so she went to culinary school.

While in culinary school, Kathryn studied under one of the best pastry chefs in the country, Eddy Van Damme. Her love for baking combined with his phenomenal teaching and talent gave Kat the chance to really understand the science behind baking. So whenever there’s a dessert to be made or a pastry class at Well Done, you know Kathryn will be teaching you! Her love for butter and jovial, experimental teaching style provides a great contrast to Celeste’s - making the pair quite the team!

HANDS-ON COOKING CLASSES

because cooking great food shouldn’t be a rare occurrence