Kelsey Nixon shares her passion for the basics in the kitchen in Kelsey's Essentials, a Cooking Channel series showcasing tips, tools, & techniques that no home cook should be without. In Kelsey's Essentials, Kelsey inspires a new generation of food lovers with her own fresh take on essential cooking basics. She gives her savvy tips on must-have pantry items, the latest gadgets and essential kitchen techniques – from roasting to baking. Kelsey's passion is creating recipes that target the home cook – breaking down the basics, teaching proper technique and making everyone feel comfortable in the kitchen.

Kelsey's genuine bubbly personality makes her an approachable kitchen companion for any home cook. Kelsey believes in a refreshingly simple approach to cooking that encourages viewers to find their own voice in the kitchen and cook from the hip. Kelsey's viewers value the basics, but have a desire to embellish, adapt, change & experiment with classic recipes.

Kelsey got her start in the food media industry when she created Kelsey's Kitchen, a college cooking show at Brigham Young University, emphasizing fast, fun and affordable meals for college students. After graduating with a degree in Broadcast Journalism, she attended Le Cordon Bleu – Hollywood, where she earned her professional culinary arts degree. This degree paired with training from the French Culinary Institute in New York City provided culinary production opportunities at Martha Stewart Living working on PBS' Everyday Food and NBC's The Martha Stewart Show in addition to Food Network's Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee. In 2008, she was a finalist on The Next Food Network Star, where she was voted 'fan favorite.' You can also catch Kelsey dishing about her favorite sweets from around the country on Unique Sweets and hosting the interactive series The Perfect Three on Cooking Channel.

Kelsey lives in New York City with her husband Robby and their new son Oliver where she spends her days developing recipes and cooking up a storm.