Why RHOA Newbie Kelli Ferrell Is the One To Watch on Season 16

Kelli Ferrell RHOA
Photo Credit: Terence Rushin/Getty Images

The Real Housewives of Atlanta Season 16 premiere is right around the corner. Some of our fan favorites are back on our screens, mixed with a few fresh faces. Kelli Ferrell is ready to hold tight to her peach and make waves on the series. Here’s why she is the newbie to watch. 

Who is Kelli Ferrell?

Most Real Housewives of Atlanta fans only know that Kelli is the new girl on the ATL block. However, this housewife works hard for her money. Kelli is a well-known chef in the vibrant city. Her passion revolves around cooking, and she has found comfort in cooking since childhood. She first started studying fashion at Bauder College. But quickly switched gears to the culinary arts. She learned about the restaurant concept and quickly started her own eatery. Kelli has been featured on multiple cooking shows on the Food Network and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Before entering the Bravosphere, Kelli has appeared on Food Fantasies and Guy’s Grocery Game shows. 

The RHOA newbie even wrote a cookbook called Kooking with Kelli: Kollection of Family Recipes. Kelli’s restaurant in Georgia is called Nana’s Chicken-N-Waffles. It gives OLG vibes, to be honest, but don’t tell Kandi Burruss. The entrepreneur is readying herself to open up a second location near Buckhead as the first brick-and-mortar has done so well. Kelli loves to spend time with her family and often boasts about her four daughters.  

Kelli Ferrell is a force to be reckoned with

An East Coast girl at heart, Kelli was born and raised in Maryland. The self-proclaimed “Queen of Waffles” has made appearances on Good Morning America, Access Hollywood, and Live with Kelly and Mark. According to her Bravo bio, Kelli describes herself as “outgoing, driven, passionate, social butterfly and dreamer.” She is known for her generosity and is a culinary partner and ambassador for Meals on Wheels Atlanta. Kelli once told Simply Buckhead “My passion is really for people: seeing them happy, connecting through food and through shared experiences.” Naturally, with such accomplishments, viewers of the Real Housewives of Atlanta are more than ready to meet the newbie. The trailer showed Kelli coming off as feisty. She has already trolled Porsha Williams, too. Telling her frenemy, “I was giving you what you were coming for.”  

Kelli is giving fashion in her confessional and even is heard commenting on her divorce noting her ex-husband took “almost $500,000.” After two disappointing seasons, RHOA fans had quite a vision board for Season 16. The consensus among most followers was that new blood was needed, but many questioned a total reboot. Thankfully, Bravo heard fans’ prayers and answered. Porsha and Phaedra Parks are back from a long break. Even model Cynthia Bailey is making sure to drop by on the ladies as a ‘friend of.’   

Kelli Ferrell is ready to bring her A-Game

Recently Kelli spoke with Collider about her upcoming stint on the Real Housewives of Atlanta. Kelli revealed she had interviewed twice for a spot on the Bravo series. But “the third time was the charm. I think this season it was an easier transition than it would’ve been in the past. Coming on the show with two other new girls and a couple of OGs made it a lot easier because it’s a different RHOA.” I hope Kelli knows what she is getting herself into especially since she admitted she didn’t really catch up on the drama from the last few seasons.

For this writer and long-time fan, Kelli is the newbie to keep an eye on. She added, “I think people are going to see me being fierce, fabulous, and fun but there is also another side they’ll see as well. They’ll see I’m not always glitz and glamour.” Kelli noted, “I’m a hard worker, sometimes it’s crops and socks. They’ll see my journey as a single mom trying to do my best to take care of my children. To be honest, I’m still finding my way. I hope that seeing me go through this helps other women and even men dealing with similar situations. If I only have one season, but I can inspire someone not to give up, I’ll be more than happy.” Good luck to you, Kelli! 

The Real Housewives of Atlanta is available to stream on Peacock.

TELL US –  DO YOU THINK KELLI WILL BE A ONE-HIT WONDER OR GET TO HOLD ONTO HER PEACH?

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