What’s Cooking? star Kelsey Nixon heeds her father Dan’s advice.

By John Dunlap

Many people in self storage know Dan Nixon. He is a like- “As a kid, my dad always told me to shoot for the moon, able and successful entrepreneur and former member of and if I missed I’d land among the stars,” said Kelsey. “He the SSA board of directors. Many more people across the encouraged all of his kids to think big and that anything country, however, know his daughter Kelsey Nixon. was achievable if you really put all you had into it. I She just happens to be a well-known chef on the Food wouldn’t be where I am today without abiding by those Network and Cooking Channel who has just released her words. own cookbook, Kitchen Confidence. Dan Nixon wouldn’t “My dad has a heart of gold, and it’s something that I’ve have it any other way, while Kelsey Nixon credits her dad always admired about his character,” Kelsey added. “He’d for helping her make her dreams come true. help just about anyone out with just about anything. It’s This father-daughter relationship embodies the ultimate an example that I think about often. When it comes to hopes that any parent has for a daughter or son, while also qualities that I inherited from my dad, I think about how recognizing that when you give it your all and put your he is very much a ‘dreamer’. In addition to his sound advice, best foot forward, good things can happen no matter what he and my mom have supported me in every way possible. your occupation. But as far as Kelsey is concerned, her Without their support, my dreams would most likely still path to Food Network fame came in large part because just be dreams.” of how she saw her father succeed and the advice he gave Making one’s dreams come true also is something that her when she was younger. can be said of Dan Nixon himself. He is in his 20th year of being a self storage owner/operator. His companies Above: Kelsey Nixon, shown here on the set of her Food Network are titled under two brands—Lock It Up Self Storage show, attributes much of her passion to her father, Dan. See Nixon, page 20

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Nixon, from page 18

(founded by Dan in 1994 with properties in Northern Utah, primarily in the suburban marketplace) and Cubes Self Storage (a brand of properties in the Salt Lake City urban market). Nixon also is a former member of the SSA board of directors and past president of the Utah Self Storage Association.

A Self Storage Appreciation In spite of her busy schedule as a student, Dan made sure that Kelsey had an appreciation of self storage and the business world. “Kelsey was just becoming a teenager when we first got A Cookbook with Passion into self storage,” said Dan. “I owned my own construc- One reading of Kelsey Nixon’s new book, “Kitchen tion company before storage, so she always knew me as an Confidence,” makes it perfectly clear that enthusiasm entrepreneur. By the time she was old enough to work for and a love for food, as well as knowledge of some us, she was busy in school programs and dance. She would basic essentials, can make for great meals at the take dance lessons four times a week during the school table—and that the author’s very nature is reflected year and was always in summer dance programs and in the book itself. camps. In high school she led the cheerleading team and was a state champion in the solo song leader competition.” As she says in her introduction to the book, “Whether on the show or at home, I love discussing food. Having Dan said Kelsey went to BYU and made the Cougarettes the chance to engage and inspire people to cook is drill team, which was always a goal of hers. She competed something I feel so passionate about…This book is during her freshmen and sophomore years, the second of an extension of my show, conversations with friends, which they won the Division I National Championship. and upbringing in the kitchen.” “It goes without saying she had little time to hang around Interestingly enough, one of her recipes, Skillet our self storage properties, but she always loved listening Sausage Hash with Eggs, pays tribute to her father to me talk about it at home,” he recalled. “She would show Dan, who in spite of his busy self storage work, found up at our main office a lot and visit with the staff. They time on weekends to create breakfast potatoes and were all fond of her.” hash. These days, however, Dan is happy to have been The feeling was mutual, according to Kelsey. a guinea pig on some of the recipes that ended up in “When I think about the role that self storage played in the book. our family while I was growing up, I first think of the “With her cookbook just being released, I was able passion that my dad had for the industry,” said Kelsey. “I to live vicariously by helping test her recipes,” said remember telling people that my dad owned self storage Dan. “My wife, Kathy, was an important collaborator facilities and that I was shocked that one man could be for her, and it was always fun to see what new recipe so passionate about aluminum doors and cinderblock. I Kathy was making to test for Kelsey’s book. I ate some always felt proud that my dad really loved his job. As a Nixon, from page 20 amazing food and it was always good.” teenager, I worked at one of his facilities renting units for The book, published by Clarkson Potter (a division a couple of years. It was a great experience and taught me of Random House), starts with breakfast possibili- a lot more about the industry.” ties and moves through salads, sandwiches and soups, main courses, sides, and desserts and sweets. The Siren Song of Cooking “This is filled with essential recipes that every home It was while attending BYU that Kelsey took an active cook should have in their back pocket—recipes that interest in cooking. She was a broadcast journalism major you will turn to over and over again,” said Kelsey. “I and decided it wasn’t for her, although she loved being in share my top ten essential tips, tools and techniques front of the camera. The summer before her junior year, that no one in the kitchen should be without. The she landed an internship with Martha Stewart Productions recipes in this book work and they are unbelievably in New York City. delicious. Using this book as a guide, your confidence When she returned to school, she told her department in the kitchen will grow as you make meal after meal head she wanted to do a cooking show. Using university that wows your family and friends. You might even resources and equipment, she started a cooking show surprise yourself!” –JOHN DUNLAP See Nixon, page 22

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Nixon, from page 20 Cooking Channel had picked up Kelsey’s Essentials—one called “Kelsey’s Kitchen.” She was able to get the cable of the first pieces of original programming for the new station to air it on the local channel, and before she was network. I’ve filmed five seasons and it was recently done she filmed more than 100 episodes. added to the Food Network lineup in the afternoons. It “Food Network has always been the goal, but I knew it feels unbelievably satisfying to see my show on the Food would be tough to get there,” she admitted. “My first Network programming lineup. More than anything, I’m attempt was by auditioning for Next Food just thrilled that the show is now about to Network Star, which is a competition reach so many more people.” format show where contestants compete Anyone who has watched Kelsey’s Essen- for their own show on Food Network. I tials or who reads her new book (see was lucky enough to have been cast on sidebar) will realize that a great deal of her the show at 23 years old, but did not win. success, beyond her obvious cooking skills I came in a respectable fourth place, but and knowledge, rests in an enthusiastic it allowed me to get my foot in the door. I and friendly demeanor. Her smile is ever- like to think that the network saw some- ready and her people skills are obvious. thing in me that they liked and they stuck As far as her proud papa is concerned, me on their farm team for a few years. Dan Nixon is shown with his family Kelsey’s success was just a matter of time. I was a guest on several shows making in a picture taken on the set of Kelsey’s cooking show in Brooklyn, New York. “She excelled in everything she has done; appearances here and there.” From left to right: son Cole, daughter she is an amazing goal setter,” Dan said. Kelsey said she was in the right place at Kylie, wife Kathy, Dan, Kelsey and her husband Robby. “She is a true pleaser, always thinking about the right time when Cooking Channel was how she can do something better. All of created. This channel was launched as a sister network to those talents come out in her show. While she is genu- Food Network, and they were hoping to reach a slightly inely a nice and pleasant person, she always knew it was younger demographic. important to be positive and prepared when meeting “I reached out to contacts I had made at the network people who could influence her career.” through Next and, before I knew it, Shoot for the moon, become a star. v

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