LIGHTHEARTED KITCHEN
Company descriptions, founder bio, and quick facts
Last updated 2026-10-08 · Press contact press@lightheartedkitchen.com
==============================================================================

ONE SENTENCE
Lighthearted Kitchen is the platform for intentional private dining,
connecting hosts with a hand-picked network of independent chefs who cook
seasonal, ingredient-first menus.

SHORT OVERVIEW
Lighthearted Kitchen is the platform for intentional private dining. Hosts
book from a hand-picked network of independent private chefs who cook
seasonal, ingredient-first menus for in-home dinners, recurring meals, and
ticketed events. Founded by Chelsey Harlien in 2022 in Orange County,
California, the company cooked hyper-local private events with its own team
before building the platform.

BOILERPLATE
Lighthearted Kitchen is the platform for intentional private dining. It
connects hosts with a hand-picked network of independent private chefs who
cook seasonal, ingredient-first menus for in-home dinners, recurring
offerings, and ticketed events. Hosts browse chefs and experiences, plan the
menu together with their chef in a shared event space, and complete booking
and payment through the platform, so the only job on the night is to enjoy the
table. Getting into the network is hard on purpose: every chef is personally
reviewed, and only cooks who share the company's values make the cut. Chefs
run their own independent businesses, and Lighthearted Kitchen is the
marketplace that brings them together with hosts. Founded by Chelsey Harlien
in 2022 and based in Orange County, California, the company spent its first
years cooking hyper-local private events with its own team and is now bringing
that philosophy to hosts across the United States through its platform and
iPhone app. Learn more at lightheartedkitchen.com.

FOOD AND HOSPITALITY PHILOSOPHY
Seasonal, organic, intentional, educational. Menus are built around what is at
its peak, sourced from local and regenerative farms where possible, and cooked
by chefs who share the why behind every plate. The platform is the mechanism;
intentional food is the point.

FOUNDER BIO · CHELSEY HARLIEN
Chelsey Harlien is the founder of Lighthearted Kitchen. She started the
company in 2022, cooking small, hyper-local private events around Orange
County, California with her own team. The rule from the first night was
simple: build the menu around what is actually in season, source organic and
local where possible, and cook food that leaves people feeling good the next
morning. Her interest in food began early, reading every label at the grocery
store and asking why so many brands put profit ahead of health. That question
became a mission to seek out simple, seasonal, nutrient-dense food, and later
a business built on transparency, soil health, and education. Chelsey also
writes Lighthearted Living, a newsletter on seasonal and intentional living.
Today she leads Lighthearted Kitchen as it brings its philosophy to hosts and
chefs across the United States.

FOUNDER QUOTE (published; use as written)
"Connected to each bite, ourselves, those around us, and the outdoors. Fueled
by a love of health and wellness, I wanted to create an experience where
people leave with more knowledge of the food they are eating and why. Come
with an open mind and leave with a full heart and stomach."
  Chelsey Harlien, Founder of Lighthearted Kitchen

QUICK FACTS
Company: Lighthearted Kitchen, LLC
Founded: 2022
Founder: Chelsey Harlien
Headquarters: Laguna Beach, California (Orange County). The team works remotely.
What it is: A private dining platform and chef marketplace
Offerings: Private in-home dinners, recurring and package offerings, and ticketed public events
Who it serves: Hosts and guests, and independent private chefs
Platforms: Web at app.lightheartedkitchen.com and the Lighthearted Kitchen app for iPhone
Service area: https://lightheartedkitchen.com/chefs-in
Platform status: Soft Launch. Hosts and chefs can create accounts, build profiles, and publish offerings now. Bookings and ticket sales are launching soon.
Website: https://lightheartedkitchen.com

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please keep the facts as they appear here. For anything not covered,
email press@lightheartedkitchen.com.
