We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Maureen Michels a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Maureen , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Parents play a huge role in our development as youngsters and sometimes that impact follows us into adulthood and into our lives and careers. Looking back, what’s something you think you parents did right?

My Parents are the most incredible people. I am one of the lucky ones that can say that my parents have always supported me (and my 4 siblings) and have never let us down. They are Teachers, Heart and Soul, and from the beginning we were taught all the right things. Above all, we were taught Respect, Respect each other. Respect others. Respect this Crazy Life we have here on this Earth. Respect is the most important aspect, even over Love. My parents have the Upmost Respect for each other and that’s how they were able to maneuver through the past 53 years of marriage. They didn’t just tell us, they showed us and I’m thankful everyday that I came to this world through them. I fortunate to say that my parents never let me down. When they commit to something it’s all the way to the end. No empty promises. Lies and excuses weren’t options. We could never play Mom against Dad. They were firm and consistent, setting us up to be participating adults.
Being the second child of 5, my Mom stayed home with us and my Dad went to work, teaching/coaching/PT Journalist.. My Dad will tell everyone that our Mom had the hardest job. I don’t know how they did it. On top of everything going on at home, they were at our band concerts, ball games, recitals, ensembles, conferences, school events….. they were there for all of us and there to tuck us in at night.
We were taught that money doesn’t buy love, nor does it buy happiness. Our house was always filled with love and you could tell by how many of all of our friends would be there at any given age.
My Mom taught me how to cook from a young age and I knew I wanted to cook forever. There is no one that cooks with love better than my Mom. (I know I’m bias)
What did my parents do right? They did everything Right.

Maureen , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have worked in many restaurants, catering, and country club kitchens. With every job, I learned everything I possibly could, because knowledge is truly power. After graduating from Culinary School, I worked and fought my way through to the top position of Executive Chef, to being Thursday ‘Chef Moe’ on ABC6/Fox 28 in Columbus 2002-2007, then worked my way to owning my own.
Not only do I own my Food Truck Business for 10 years, but With the help of a few friends and family, I built/designed the Food Truck myself. My 1973 Chevy Step Van, Bernadette, was an old Fire Equipment Truck from Storm Lake Iowa. We have been all over Ohio feeding people at any kind of Event/Concert/Party/Gig you can think of. LOL! It’s been an Amazing Experience.
At the current time, I’m into another project. I’m opening a restaurant in Downtown Logan Ohio: Coming 2023
It will be called “Chef Moe’s on Main!” I’ll be making an announcement on my Chef Moe’s on the GO! Facebook page soon. So, Stay Tuned!!! LOL! I’m Very Excited!!!
This has been the most incredible experience, Yet! Even designed the entire 5,000 sq. ft. space with the Architect.
Chase Your Dreams, No Matter What!!!! Work Hard and Don’t let anything Stop You! It’s not going to be easy or smooth. The bumps in the road are lessons. Get Up, Brush Yourself Off and Fight Forward!
My life goal is to feed as many people as I can, before I can’t anymore.
1

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I am a member of a pretty Large Family, not only my Parents and 4 siblings, my mom is the oldest of 11 kids. With that size of a family, there was always a lot cooking going on and Lots of Love on! I knew since I was 8 years old that I wanted to be a Chef and Own a Restaurant. Two day before my 17th Birthday a congenital spinal disease decided to present itself. I herniated my first Disc at L3 while playing Fast Pitch Softball. Over the next two years I learn that I was born with a congenital spinal disease. This wasn’t what an inspiring Chef wanted to find out…. I had my first Spinal Surgery when I was 19 to repair the herniation. My Surgeon/Spinal Specialist explained what Congenital Spinal Stenosis was and told my parents that my back/body wouldn’t be able to hold up to a “Chef’s” life. He told them to try to convince me that I needed to look at careers that involved me sitting behind a desk and not being on my feet 12-16 hours a day. That was not what I wanted to hear, nor was I even going to entertain that idea. Everyone around me knows I can’t even sit still….. Let alone work a desk job. Lol
I would rather struggle physically doing what I Love to do, then taking my life easy and doing something else. That’s just not how I want my life to be.
I’ve had to undergo many surgeries over the past 30 years and will have more in my future, but I still wouldn’t change my decision for the world. So far I have 2 plates, 12 screws and 4 donor bones holding up my neck/rods and screws in my lower back holding me together and joint replacements – I still fight forward!
After graduating from Culinary School, I have worked in many restaurants, catering and country club kitchens. With every job, I learned everything I possibly could, because knowledge is truly power. I worked and fought my way through to the top position of Executive Chef, to being Thursday ‘Chef Moe’ on ABC6/Fox 28 in Columbus 2002-2007, then worked my way to owning my own.
Not only did I own my Food Truck Business for 10 years, but With the help of a few friends, I built/designed the Food Truck myself. My 1973 Chevy Step Van, Bernadette, was an old Fire Equipment Truck from Storm Lake Iowa. We have been all over Ohio feeding people at any kind of Event/Party/Gig you can think of. LOL! It’s been an Amazing Experience.
My Food Truck/Catering Business is called “Chef Moe’s on the GO!” for all these reasons.
I have the most wonderful people that work with me to keep me going. I call them My Rock Stars! They are a huge reason I can keep going. We are more than a Team. We are Family.
We will be moving on up = into my Restaurant in 2023! It will be located on Main St in Logan Ohio, in the Beautiful Hocking Hills! My restaurant will be called “Chef Moe’s on Main” and will bring together my Industrial Cleveland Side with The Hocking Hills and Logan. I will be keeping “Chef Moe’s on the GO!” for our Catering/Pick up and Delivery offerings. I can’t wait!! Non of this would have happened if I didn’t make the choice to fight my fight.
Throughout the years I have figured out, one way or another, how to maneuver through whatever life threw at me and I will keep going. Having a Ton of support, from my Family and Friends, has aloud me to keep chasing my dreams!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

As a woman in a male dominated field, I learned early on that we need to work harder, smarter and be stronger in this Restaurant Industry. After I graduated from Harvey High School in Painesville, Ohio – Class of 1990, I worked at Quail Hollow Resort and that experience was the first building block to the rollercoaster of a Career that I didn’t know I was going to be on, LOL! I started in the Garde manger Department with the most Awesome Woman. For two years I work along side of Cynthia, Grace, and Donna who showed me how to be strong, as a woman, in the kitchen. At that time, in 1990, It was still very male dominate and they helped push me, along with my parents, in the direction of going to Culinary School. They made me realize that there was no reason that I couldn’t earn my Culinary Degree just like the guys that we worked with. Cynthia and Chef Bob sat me down and told me that there was nothing the boys were doing that I couldn’t do and they thought I would do even better. They helped build my culinary confidence and my parents showed me the way.
To this day, I tell all the young girls to be smarter, work harder and be stronger! Including my niece, Hailey, who is going to Culinary School next year! Knowledge Truly is POWER!

Contact Info:

• Facebook: Chef Moe’s on the GO!
• Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rP0T88ChNk0
• Other: Web site and Facebook for “Chef Moe’s on Main” Coming 2023