About French Magnolia
French Magnolia was founded by Chef Missy and French wine expert Thomas Fraley, a husband-and-wife team united by a shared belief that the most meaningful dining experiences happen around the table—especially at home. Together, they bring more than 30 years of fine-dining and hospitality experience into a refined, personal approach to the private chef experience.
What began in 2016 as a vision to do things differently has grown into a luxury lifestyle brand rooted in in-home dining, thoughtfully curated wine experiences, and intimate private events. At the heart of French Magnolia is Chef Missy’s culinary voice—elevated, seasonal, and deeply intuitive—paired with Thomas’s expertise in service, wine, and hospitality operations. Every experience is designed to feel seamless, intentional, and genuinely welcoming.
Over the years, they have executed nearly 1,200 private chef tables and served more than 10,000 guests, bringing restaurant-level standards into private homes and destination settings throughout the Southeast. Their background as owners and operators of a French brasserie and wine bar continues to shape the way they work today—combining refined technique, thoughtful wine pairings, and the kind of hospitality that makes guests feel both cared for and completely at ease.
In early 2022, Chef Missy was invited by a PBS Appalachia cinematographer and producer to develop a culinary television series—an opportunity that brought into focus a vision she had been shaping for years. That vision centered on telling the complete story of food, from hunt and harvest to the table, through technique, hospitality, and a deep sense of place.
The result was French Magnolia Cooks, an Emmy Award–winning PBS television series written and produced by Chef Missy and Thomas Fraley. Spanning 22 episodes, the series explores French-inspired cooking, regional ingredients, and the hospitality philosophy that defines their private chef work. Today, the show airs on the PBS broadcast network and streams nationwide in more than 650 markets.
In early 2022, Chef Missy was invited by a PBS Appalachia cinematographer and producer to develop a culinary television series—an opportunity that brought into focus a vision she had been shaping for years. That vision centered on telling the complete story of food, from hunt and harvest to the table, through technique, hospitality, and a deep sense of place.
The result was French Magnolia Cooks, an Emmy Award–winning PBS television series written and produced by Chef Missy and Thomas Fraley. Spanning 22 episodes, the series explores French-inspired cooking, regional ingredients, and the hospitality philosophy that defines their private chef work. Today, the show airs on the PBS broadcast network and streams nationwide in more than 650 markets.
Who Is French Magnolia?
Chef Missy is the creative heart and strategic visionary behind French Magnolia. Her work sits at the intersection of culinary craft, design, hospitality, and storytelling—shaping experiences that feel deeply personal, beautifully composed, and grounded in real living.
Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Missy moved to New York City at 23 with little more than determination, an Interior Design degree, and a lifelong love of food. She immersed herself in professional kitchens, learning the craft from the ground up and working her way from prep cook to executive chef by understanding every role, rhythm, and responsibility that makes a kitchen—and a dining experience—work.
Drawn equally to food, design, and the way people gather, Missy later founded MC Interiors LLC, leading a successful interior design practice for more than a decade in New York City, Atlanta, and Charleston. During this time, she became known for creating spaces and experiences that felt intuitive and lived-in—whether through residential design, intimate weddings, refined private gatherings, or large-scale culinary events. This foundation continues to shape her work at French Magnolia, where food, environment, and flow are always considered together.
In 2007, Missy expanded her expertise through formal study in holistic nutrition, deepening her understanding of ingredients, wellness, and the relationship between food and how people feel. She soon returned to the culinary world full-time, rising quickly through Charleston’s fine dining scene before accepting an Executive Chef position at a five-star Relais & Châteaux property in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. There, she further refined her philosophy of ingredient-driven cooking paired with gracious, thoughtful service.
Across every chapter of her career, France has remained a constant influence. Country French cuisine, technique, décor, and culture inform Missy’s creative point of view, seamlessly blended with her Southern roots. Largely self-taught through decades of hands-on experience, her work reflects a reverence for tradition balanced with intuition and restraint.
Today, as Chef, Creative Director, and co-founder of French Magnolia, Missy leads culinary development, brand direction, media storytelling, and experiential design across private dining, hospitality consulting, television, and brand collaborations. Whether creating a menu, shaping a space, or guiding a creative partnership, her work is rooted in one belief: the most meaningful experiences are the ones that feel genuine, intentional, and deeply human.
Two is Better Than One - Enter Thomas Fraley
Thomas Fraley is a lifelong hospitality professional, wine expert, and strategic partner at French Magnolia, bringing depth, structure, and real-world experience to every facet of the brand. His perspective balances Chef Missy’s creative leadership with a disciplined, service-driven approach shaped by decades in fine dining, operations, and hospitality consulting.
Raised in Arkansas and Tennessee, Thomas moved to Atlanta at 18 to study electronic engineering before answering a call to service with the United States Army Reserves, where he served for eight years. That experience instilled a leadership style grounded in preparation, teamwork, and calm decision-making—qualities that continue to inform his work today across consulting, training, and guest experience design.
Over the past three decades, Thomas has built an extensive career in fine dining and luxury hospitality throughout Atlanta, Charleston, and the High Country of North Carolina. His background includes senior roles with The Four Seasons in Atlanta, where he managed service and led the wine program for the intimate Chef’s Table experience, as well as work with multiple Relais & Châteaux–affiliated properties. Across these environments, he has trained front-of-house teams, developed wine programs, advised on restaurant concepts, and supported operational excellence.
At French Magnolia, Thomas serves as General Manager and Wine Director, overseeing service standards, wine strategy, and operational flow across private dining, consulting engagements, media projects, and brand partnerships. His role extends beyond the table—advising restaurateurs, collaborating with brands, and helping shape experiences that feel effortless, intentional, and memorable.
Guests and partners alike know Thomas for his ability to bring warmth and clarity to complex environments—whether guiding a wine pairing, mentoring a service team, consulting on hospitality operations, or sharing thoughtful insights on screen. Alongside Chef Missy, he co-produces and appears on the Emmy Award–winning PBS series French Magnolia Cooks, bringing the same presence, care, and lived expertise into every collaboration under the French Magnolia name.
"Missy  & I have been instilled with the spirit of hospitality and a gift for loving people with food and wine." - Thomas Fraley
Together, This Is the Experience
At French Magnolia, Chef Missy and Thomas Fraley bring two complementary disciplines—culinary artistry and gracious hospitality—into a single, seamless philosophy. Whether through private dining, hospitality consulting, media, or brand collaboration, everything they create is guided by a shared belief: how people feel in a space matters just as much as what is served or shared.
From intimate gatherings to larger collaborations, each experience is approached with care, intention, and an unwavering attention to detail. The result is work that feels personal, thoughtful, and quietly refined—designed to welcome, inspire, and endure.
This is the French Magnolia experience—one shaped by real hospitality, meaningful connection, and a way of living that lingers long after the moment has passed.