An Important Update on My Favorite Chef Journey (And a Thank You)

 Hi again,

I want to start with a thank you. Yesterday I sent out a note asking for your votes and donation votes in the Favorite Chef 2026 competition, and so many of you responded right away. It means more than I can say.

But I realized after I hit send that I skipped over something important: what a donation vote actually is, and where that money goes. I want to fix that today.

When you make a donation vote in this competition, that contribution goes directly to the James Beard Foundation. If you're not familiar with them, the James Beard Foundation is one of the most respected organizations in American culinary arts. They support chefs and food professionals through scholarships, leadership training, and advocacy for a healthier, more equitable food system. They're also behind the James Beard Awards, often called the Oscars of the food world. Every dollar donated through this competition helps fund that work, so your donation vote does double duty. It helps me, and it supports an organization that's investing in the future of American food.

Today is a two times donation vote day, which means every dollar donated counts twice as much toward my standing on the leaderboard. If you've been thinking about making a donation vote, today is the best possible day to do it.  

Here's where things stand. I'm currently competing in the Semi-Finals, which close this Thursday. I need to reach first place and hold it through Thursday to move on to the Finals. This is the last stretch, and I need all the help I can get to get there and stay there.

I'll be honest about why this matters so much to me. Winning this competition would open real doors for my new business, Elegant Meals Made Simple. It would mean more visibility, more credibility, and more opportunity to build something I've poured years of heart into. This isn't just about a title. It's about what comes next.

All you need to vote is a Facebook account. No app to download, no account to create. Just a click.

You can vote and make a donation vote here: favchef.com/2026/michele-cole

If you've already voted, thank you. If you haven't yet, I would be so grateful for your support today. And if you know someone else who might want to help, please feel free to share this with them too.

Thank you for being part of this journey with me, today and always.

With gratitude,
Michele

An Update From My Old Blog Home — And a Big Favor to Ask

 Hi friends, 

It's been a while since we've talked, and I've missed hearing from you! I wanted to pop in here on this old blog of ours to say hello and catch you up on what I've been busy with.

Since January, I've been quietly building something new: Elegant Meals Made Simple. I officially launched it on March 1st, and I'm so excited about what God is doing in me and through me with it. It's been a labor of love — part cooking, part hosting, part faith, all heart.

Over there, I offer monthly menu plans, hosting tips, and free recipes from time to time. If you're ever throwing a special party or gathering, I also do custom menu design. I'd love for you to check it out at www.elegantmealsmadesimple.com, and if you haven't already, please consider joining the blog while you're there — I'd love to stay connected with you in that space too.

Now, on to the fun part. I'm currently a Semi-Finalist in the Favorite Chef 2026 competition, and the next two weeks are the ones that matter most. Semi-Finals wrap up this coming Thursday, and I need to be in 1st place to advance to the Finals — and then, hopefully, all the way to the win.

If you have Facebook, would you consider voting for me daily between now and Thursday? Every single vote counts, and it truly does add up.

Here's my voting link: https://favchef.com/2026/michele-cole

And if anyone feels led to donate toward the competition, I'd love for you to reach out to me directly first — I want to be strategic about timing so donations have the biggest impact. The best windows are 2x vote days or the very last day and hour of the competition, so let's coordinate if that's something you're interested in.

I miss hearing from you all, and I'd be so grateful for your support — whether that's a vote, a share, a prayer, or just a quick hello back. Thank you for walking this road with me, even from a distance.

With so much gratitude,
Michele

P.S.  We celebrate Ken's BIG 60 birthday 7/30.   We are surely getting old (er).      Life has been good but challenging...and we are still praying and believing for God to open doors for the vision.   His timing, not ours.... and so we continue to wait.        

Please message me and let me know how you are doing!  I'd love to hear from you and pray for you too!