Chef Charlene Richardson grew up in Milwaukee, WI, where she found her passion for cooking in her grandma’s kitchen. As a teenager and young adult, Chief Charlene hosted parties with action cooking stations (meal stations that need some action). In 2012 Chef Charlene enrolled in Milwaukee Area Technical College’s Culinary Arts Program. During her studies, she also worked under Chef Michael Feker at his Culinary Art School and fine dining restaurant, where she developed her skills in fine dining. Having a strong desire to travel, Chef Charlene moved to Texas. In December of 2016, while living in Texas, Chef Charlene worked at Pappasito’s restaurant and the Hotel Crescent Court until she was accepted into the Walt Disney’s Culinary Art Internship program, where she developed new cooking techniques, speed, and a new love for herbs and spices—learning the health benefits of herbs and spices, a new passion for using food as medicine had begun to develop within her. With a new outlook on food and the health benefits food provides, Chef Charlene moved back to Texas and took a job as General Manager of a Teriyaki Madness Franchise. While training with the trainers from Teriyaki Madness’s Corporate office, Chef Charlene’s managerial and training skills stood out. She was offered a trainer's position to travel the country to train other franchise owners. Throughout her culinary career, many friends and family referred to her as Chef Lene, so in 2020 after finding herself without a job, Chef Lene decided that it was time for people to start COOKING WITH LENE for a tastier, healthier lifestyle.

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