Kelli Kirkland - "Worst
Cooks in America"
Kelli Kirkland, Season 3 winner of
FOOD NETWORK’s hit primetime reality competition series WORST COOKS IN AMERICA.
Kirkland was a formidable opponent this season and was ecstatic to win the
25,000 cash prize in the April 1st finale. After three undefeated seasons,
series champion, chef Anne Burrell was hyped to take the challenge to another
level by pitting her eight man red team against culinary titan Bobby Flay’s
blue team. Kirkland, began the competition like her fellow contestants with
poor cooking skills and after a rigorous eight-week boot camp, became acutely
skilled on the various basic cooking techniques including: baking, knife
skills, temperature, seasoning and preparation. The stakes were high during the
series final challenge – cooking a restaurant quality three-course meal for
three premiere food critics (David Burke, Marcus Samuelsson and Susan Feniger),
but with the aid of her mentor Chef Burrell, Kelli dominated against her fellow
competitor Vinnie and claimed victory. The Vacaville, California native and
UCLA graduate currently resides in Los Angeles with her 2 year old son Apollo.
She credits her Nana who saw great cooking potential in her as a child – though
Kirkland was more interested in hitting the books than the pots and pans. Now a
mother herself, Kelli wants to maintain her family’s cooking traditions and is
determined to no longer be the mom whose dish sits untouched at potlucks.
Christi Hogan
"Tossed"
Tossed® is a collaboration with our co-workers and franchisees to change the
way America eats. Our commitment is to serve the freshest, most delicious and
highest-quality food, in a setting that both energizes our patrons and empowers
our team members to provide outstanding customer service. Christi comes
to the restaurant business later in life. Her greatest culinary
accomplishment to date has been keeping her children alive and healthy for 24
years. As a life-long Californian, Christi values fresh and healthy
ingredients in daily meals as part of a balanced lifestyle. Christi and her
husband, Mike Jenkins, opened Tossed in LA (the first Tossed franchise in
California) in partnership with veteran restaurant franchisee Chris Khaleghian
whom she came to know over 20 years as a customer of his Manhattan Beach Johnny
Rockets. Her affinity for Tossed grew in part from her college-aged
daughters’ love of fresh salads and complaints about how difficult it was for
them to find convenient, healthy places away from home to satisfy their
cravings. By day, Christi practices public law with Jenkins & Hogin,
LLP, a South Bay-based law firm specializing in representing public
agencies. Christi currently serves as City Attorney for the cities of
Lomita, Malibu, and Palos Verde Estates. She is also the primary land use
lawyer for the city of West Hollywood. Her practice includes assisting
cities implement green building regulations and sustainable growth
policies. Christi has been named a 2012 Super Lawyer by Los Angeles
Magazine and was one of the Daily Journal’s Top 25 California Municipal Lawyers.
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