About Us

Shanel Howard is a Private Chef and Culinary Arts Teacher in Washington DC who specializes in boutique catering and personalized culinary experiences. Her passion is creating custom client menus and creating delicious nourishing meals using high quality ingredients. She began working in the foodservice industry at the tender age of 16 and has been in the field since. A native of Buffalo NY, Chef Shanel relocated to Alexandria VA after obtaining degrees in Culinary Arts and Food Service Management from Johnson and Wales University campus in Norfolk. 

Over the past decade she has worked as a private chef, four of those years have been spent in the classroom educating high school students on the art of food preparation, cooking, and presentation of food, and food safety. Chef Shanel’s love of food began while working as a cashier at Tops grocery store in her hometown Buffalo NY. There she learned about many different foods and their uses. Shanel’s Private Chef career began while she was a stay-at-home mom in St Joseph Michigan. While living in the Midwest, Chef Shanel taught cooking classes at Martin's Supermarkets School of cooking where she developed menus and recipes using local seasonal ingredients. 

Since her return to DC Chef Shanel has facilitated countless cooking and mixology demonstrations for community organizations and apartment communities throughout the region. In 2022 Chef Shanel made her TV debut on the premiere episode of TBS Rat in the Kitchen where she wowed Chef Ludo with her family's pound cake recipe. Chef Shanel continues to be inspired by the power of food to connect people and create lasting memories. When not teaching or cooking for client events she enjoys spending time with her sons Dwight and Cannon and exploring the DMV. 

At Chef Shanel & Company LLC, we believe that food is not just something that fills your stomach but also something that nourishes your soul. That's why we put our heart and soul into every dish we make.  

Mission Statement:

To inspire and empower individuals of all ages through engaging culinary experiences, fostering creativity, and promoting a lifelong love of food

Vision Statement:

 To be a leading provider of culinary education and experiences, inspiring the next generation of culinary enthusiasts and fostering a vibrant culinary community