Renee Kelly started pre-med at Texas A&M before realizing that cooking was her true passion. She switched gears to attend the Art Institute of Houston and worked at country clubs and resorts before finally moving back to Kansas to start up her own catering company. After 11 years of catering, she opened her own restaurant, Renee Kelly’s Harvest, featuring an approachable upscale farm-to-table menu situated in a historic neighborhood castle. Every dish she creates is prepared according to the seasonal twists and turns of the Kansas climate.  With a 20 year background in hospitality and working with farmers, the community and soil, Renée has broadened her career across the globe.

Approach

“When the concept of a meal comes from a true heart, has pride, passion and love, beginning from the seed and soil, it just tastes better. The earth provides us with anything we need at any given point in time for optimum health, nutrition and flavor.”

 Creative Process

For Renée, cooking is sensory, food is energy, it is a gift. Most creations start in the garden. “Seeing the colors and breathing in the aromas of fresh ingredients are all the inspiration I need,” she says. “From there, the flavors come together.”