Snack food producer Rudolph Foods is hiring James Beard Award-winning Chef Tim Byres as the company's new culinary innovation and foodservice sales manager, signaling a strategic commitment to expanding pork rinds into professional kitchens, bars, and restaurant operations. 

Reportedly a pioneer in the foodservice category, Byres was among the first chefs to fresh fry Rudolph Foods’ pork rind pellets for restaurant menus 15 years ago. In his new full-time role, Byres will advocate for pork rinds as a low-carb, high-protein, profitable solution for restaurants and foodservice operations.

SF&WB's sister magazine The National Provisioner recently spoke with Byres about innovative culinary applications for pork rind pellets.

“I’m a restaurant guy. I understand the pressures operators face every day. Rudolph Foods is rooted in quality, traditions and relationships,” said Byres.“Fifteen years ago, Mark Singleton [Rudolph's VP of sales and marketing] walked into my restaurant near the Dallas plant and started a conversation that’s never stopped. We dropped pellets in the fryer, built new flavors and created innovative menu items. I’m honored to carry that conversation forward with restaurants nationwide.”

Byres, a Food & Wine Best New Chef and author of Smoke: New Firewood Cooking, brings decades of experience from award-winning restaurants, luxury resorts, and the U.S. State Department culinary diplomacy program. Byres’ experience aims to elevate Rudolph Foods' foodservice division to new heights, providing operators with expert guidance and innovative applications.

“Tim Byres brings pork rinds and our foodservice strategy to a new level,” says Singleton. “His expertise inspires operators to innovate with pork rinds, reaching more consumers while honoring culinary excellence.”

Related: Rudolph Foods debuts co-branded flavor