Melissa Kelly (chef)

Melissa Kelly is an American chef in Rockland, Maine in the United States. She is the Executive Chef and proprietor of Primo, a restaurant located in Maine.

Early life and education

Kelly grew up on Long Island, New York and graduated first in class from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.[1] She worked with Larry Forgione at An American Place and Alice Waters at Chez Panisse.[2][3]

Career

Kelly co-founded the restaurant Primo with Jay Villani in 1999 and serves as its executive chef, preparing Italian and Mediterranean cuisine with a focus on local ingredients. Primo locations can also be found at hotels in Orlando, Florida and Tucson, Arizona.[4][5]

She re-opened her Orlando location in the fall of 2021 after an extensive renovation tracing back to her family roots in Puglia, Italy.[6][3]

Awards

She received the 1999 and 2013 Best Chef in the Northeast honors at the James Beard Awards.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Chef Melissa Kelly '88, True Farm to Table | CIA Culinary School". Culinary Institute of America. 2011-06-09. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  2. ^ Melissa Kelly Archived 2014-04-07 at the Wayback Machine About.com
  3. ^ a b Appétit, Bon (2021-11-15). "Maine Meets the Mediterranean in Chef Melissa Kelly's Culinary Story". Bon Appétit. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
  4. ^ "Stirring the Pot | The Maine Mag". www.themainemag.com. Retrieved 2026-02-04.
  5. ^ "Stirring the Pot | The Maine Mag". www.themainemag.com. Retrieved 2026-02-27.
  6. ^ Fitzgerald, Alissa. "First Look: Farm-To-Table Founder Melissa Kelly To Open Second Primo Outpost". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-05-20.
  7. ^ "Melissa Kelly, Chef and Owner of Primo Restaurant Affirms that It's Not How Food Looks, It's How it Tastes | PenBay Pilot". www.penbaypilot.com. 2026-02-27. Retrieved 2026-02-27.
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