Our Team

Meet the Chef Deb Business Coaching Team.

When you are ready to transform your culinary business, Chef Deb – the most trusted and experienced coach in the industry – has the tools, experience, and resources you need. And she has hand-selected a support and coaching team that embraces the Chef Deb Coaching culture, success strategies, and NO BS approach.

Our team doesn’t promise overnight success, offer get rich schemes or apply a cookie cutter approach. Instead, our coaching community members experience caring support, real growth and meaningful results – such as doubling their revenue after one year in our coaching program or “finding” an extra $3500/month during a one-day, in-person VIP Strategy Session.

Chef Deb (Cantrell) Oxman

Serial Culinary Business Entrepreneur
Founder, CEO, and Lead Coach at Chef Deb Coaching

Chef Deb is a successful culinary business entrepreneur, a #1 Amazon bestselling author, a sought-after speaker and the founder, CEO, and lead coach at Chef Deb Coaching.

As a serial culinary business owner for more than 20 years, she has won Chef of the Year (USPCA), Marketer of the Year (USPCA), Website of the Year (USPCA), Best Catering Company (Fort Worth Magazine), participated in major charitable events as a celebrity chef and has been featured in media outlets that include ABC, NBC, CBS, Indulge Magazine, Entrepreneurial Chef, and more.

A licensed physical therapist early in her career, Deb was inspired to switch industries after her son was diagnosed with numerous health problems at age 2 that she found were improved (and triggered) by his diet.

Chef Deb trained at the Culinary Institute of America, the Culinary Business Academy and the Culinary School of Fort Worth and started a personal chef business focused on culinary medicine. She is a long-time member of the USPCA (United States Personal Chef Association) and is a member of IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals). She has now owned 7 culinary businesses, including a catering company, personal chef businesses, restaurants, and food product companies.

The Launch of Chef Deb Coaching in 2014

Over the years, Chef Deb invested in coaches who helped her build a reputation and grow multiple businesses to 7-figures that she was proud of, working within an industry and community she loves. The best payoff? She could finally vacation with her family several times a year without worrying that her business would implode while she was away!

In 2014, after years of speaking at conferences and answering questions from other culinary business owners about how to navigate and grow their businesses, she launched the Chef Deb Coaching program.

Recognizing the scarcity of resources available for those wanting to grow a non-restaurant culinary business, she knew she could fill the void with valuable and experience-based tools, advice, resources, and support.

Liv Smith

Business Manager at Chef Deb Coaching

Liv Smith is the Business Manager at Chef Deb LLC. She graduated from the University of Maine in 2017 with a degree in Business Management and has spent over seven years honing her skills in sales and management. Liv is passionate about helping businesses thrive, whether it’s fine-tuning operations or exploring new growth opportunities.

Outside of managing businesses, she enjoys spending time at the gym, hiking with her husband and their two rescue dogs, and savoring local restaurants—often accompanied by a great margarita.

Heather Sanders

Client Manager at Chef Deb Coaching

Heather Sanders brings over two decades of experience to Chef Deb, blending creativity, innovation, and top-notch organizational skills. Her career includes collaborations with Food Network and PBS Food personalities like Ree Drummond and Tori Avey, and New York Times Best Seller Angie Dudley. Heather also led the launch of TastyKitchen.com as Creative Director, orchestrating a team to bring the vision to life. At Smart Blogger, she managed digital production, consistently delivering high-quality branded content.

As Client Manager at Chef Deb, Heather works to ensure every client’s needs are met with care and efficiency. She thrives on working closely with a diverse range of people, addressing coaching clients’ questions and concerns with a blend of professionalism and humor. And yes, her meme, gif, and humor games are as strong as ever.

Amanda Nelson

Marketing Manager at Chef Deb Coaching

Amanda is a versatile marketing professional who creates impactful campaigns across digital and print media. As Marketing Coordinator for the Alliance for Multispecialty Research (2017-2021), she drove clinical trial enrollment with innovative strategies.

With a keen eye for design and strong writing skills, Amanda excels in content creation, copywriting, and website design. Her ability to craft compelling narratives and visuals makes her a valuable asset across various industries.

Amanda’s adaptability and creative problem-solving set her apart. She approaches each project with a fresh perspective, finding unique solutions others might overlook. Clients appreciate her work ethic and results-driven approach, often noting how seamlessly she becomes an integral part of their team.

Whether developing a comprehensive marketing strategy or fine-tuning a social media campaign, Amanda brings creativity, strategic thinking, and dedication to every project, consistently delivering results that exceed expectations.

Business Coaches Who Have Been There and Will Help You Accelerate Your Growth AND Avoid Costly Mistakes

Our Coaching Team

Unlike many so-called coaches you’ll run across online, the Chef Deb Coaching team did NOT start culinary companies a year or two ago and now suddenly claim to have the one-size-fits-all “recipe” on how you should run yours!

Instead, they each have more than a decade of experience and a proven track record of success. Equally important, they have advanced through the tiers of the Chef Deb program in their own businesses, embrace our #NOBSallowed policy, and feel passionate about mentoring and coaching others in our community.

Coach Melissa Wieczorek

Co-Owner and Managing Partner of Zest Culinary Services

Melissa is the Co-Owner and Managing Partner of Zest Culinary Services, a personal chef and boutique catering company located in Bucks County, PA with a mission to help customers “Eat Well, Live Fit and Have Fun” through food. Zest Culinary was voted Best of Bucks 2023.

She is a self-taught chef with nearly 20 years of experience as a culinary business owner and over 10 years in marketing and strategic management. Melissa has an MBA in Marketing from Temple University and is an Adjunct Professor at Delaware Valley University.

Coach Bianca Russano

Owner and CEO of About the Table

Bianca is the Owner and CEO of About the Table, which recently celebrated its 10th year in business. About the Table helps busy professionals and families build better relationships and create new memories around the table through prepared meal delivery and catering services.

Based in Delaware, Bianca loves her team and spending time with her husband, young son and extended family. She loves the beach, travel and wine and is an avid reader with a love for all things romance and fiction.

Coach Ruth Oesterman

Owner and CEO of La Bonne Vie

Ruth is the Owner and CEO of La Bonne Vie (LBV), a culinary services company that specializes in nutritional and dietary needs, ranging from low FODMAP to gluten-free, dairy-free and much more.

The support Ruth and her LBV team provide their clients comes through food, but goes so much further – allowing each individual and family to spend more time doing what they need to do and enjoying the comfort of a completely customized meal in their own home.

Coach Theo Petron