Industry News

PepsiCo Foods reveals first Culinary Advisory Board

The advisory board will advise on brand strategy and more.

PepsiCo is launching a new initiative that will introduce people to new food experiences with the inaugural PepsiCo Foods Culinary Advisory Board.

The Culinary Advisory Board—comprised of Eric Adjepong, Ellen Bennett, Ali Bouzari, Tiffany Derry, Andrew Kaplan and Tyler Malek—will collaborate with PepsiCo Foods to showcase the versatility of its portfolio. As PepsiCo Foods continues its journey to reimagine what's possible through its brands, the Culinary Advisory Board will help drive long-term strategy and innovation across the company.

The Culinary Advisory Board will complement the expertise of PepsiCo Foods’ culinary teams, including 10 full-time chefs and more than 150 globally trained Certified Culinary Scientists that embody a variety of cultural backgrounds and skillsets, including specialists in culinary arts, cooking technologies, baking and pastry, food science and nutrition.

“This dynamic Culinary Advisory Board has already been hard at work over the past few months behind-the-scenes advising on brand strategy, enriching our culinary culture, and creating meaningful new ways to connect to people through food,” says Carolyn Braff, culinary vice president, PepsiCo Foods North America. “We are thrilled to partner with such talented culinary experts who have immersed themselves in our iconic portfolio of brands and have an unparalleled pulse on food culture today.” 

Meet the 2024 PepsiCo Foods Culinary Advisory Board Members

The Culinary Advisory Board was curated with experience, influence, and inspiration at the forefront. The six individuals provide comprehensive food perspectives and represent chefs, technical food experts, drivers of culinary trends, entrepreneurs and business owners. The board members include:

Eric Adjepong is a professional chef, Food Network host, bestselling author and activist, best known for his fusion of Western African flavors into creative dishes.
Ellen Bennett is the founder and chief brand officer of the beloved culinary apparel brand, Hedley & Bennett, as well as the TV host of Kitchen Glow Up and author of Dream First, Details Later inspiring young chefs to make their dreams happen.
Ali Bouzari is a culinary scientist and the co-founder and chief science officer of Pilot R&D, where he combines his culinary creativity and scientific expertise to develop new products and techniques.
Tiffany Derry is the co-founder of T2D Concepts and owner of critically acclaimed Dallas restaurants Roots Chicken Shak, Roots Southern Table and Radici Wood Fired Grill, as well as a TV personality.
Andrew “Kappy” Kaplan is a professionally trained chef who serves as the host of Beyond the Plate Podcast and EVP of Culinary Operations at Rachael Ray.
Tyler Malek is the co-founder and chief creative officer at Salt & Straw, where he is best known for developing over 2,000 ice cream flavors.