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About Menu Research and Development

Who we are

The Department of Menu Research and Development is a cross disciplinary group of scientists, chefs, foodservice operations experts, and marketing and consumer behavior experts working to better understanding our food systems and the consumers who use them.

Our Mission

The Department of Menu Research and Development conducts applied research, provides educational programs, developes online and in class/kitchen courses, and coordinates conferences and workshops.

Menu Research and Development integrates the disciplines of culinary arts, food science, marketing, and operational strategies to help foodservice professionals involved in R&D increase their success rate.

Our Values

The Department of Menu R&D supports the core values of the Culinary Institute of America: excellence, leadership, professionalism, ethics, and respect for diversity.

We understand that our food systems are inherently complex and dynamic, requiring multiple perspectives in order to achieve success in the eyes of the stakeholders involved in R&D.

We believe that education and integrated team development will help solve foodservice related problems and better serve business and consumer needs.

Our Vision

The Department of Menu Research and Development will be a leader in applied research, and provide educational programs that will help increase the success rate of Menu R&D endeavors, worldwide.

Our Advisory Committees

We are fortunate to have the shared expertise and insight from advisory committees comprised of industry leaders, cuisine experts, and world renowned scientists.

Research Advisory Council

The Research Advisory Council meets annually to review submitted grant proposals and help ensure our research programs are cutting edge and scientifically sound.

  • Terry Acree, PhD, Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology, Cornell University
  • Charles Bamforth, PhD, Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology, U.C. Davis
  • Jeannine Delwiche, PhD, Senior Principal Scientist, Sensory and Behavioral Insights, Long Term Research, PepsiCo
  • Greg Drescher, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives, The Culinary Institute of America
  • David Eisenberg, MD, Bernard Osher DIstinguished Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
  • Mark Erickson, CMC, MBA, VP, Dean of Culinary Education, The Culinary Institute of America
  • Victor Gielisse, CMC, Associate V.P. Business Development, The Culinary Institute of America
  • Charles Henning, Managing Director, The Culinary Institute of America, at Greystone
  • Joseph Hotchkiss, PhD, Director of the School of Packaging, Michigan State University
  • David Levitsky, PhD, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University
  • Chris Loss, PhD, Director of Menu R&D, The Culinary Institute of America
  • Harold McGee, PhD, Author and Food Expert, San Francisco
  • Howard Moskowitz, PhD, President Moskowitz Jacobs Inc.
  • Amy Myrdal Miller, MS, RD, Director of Programs and Culinary Nutrition, The Culinary Institute of America
  • Michael Nestrud, PhD, ORISE Postdoc, U.S. Army Natick RD&E Center
  • Nadine Payne, Vice President of Innovation, McCormick for Chefs
  • Jeffrey Pilcher, PhD, Department of History, University of Minnesota
  • Paul Rozin, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania
  • Ian Wesson, Director of Marketing, McCormick for Chefs
  • Dana Winslow, PhD, Director of Business Insights, Campbell's Soup Company
  • Jeremy Wolfe, PhD, Director of Visual Attention Lab, Brigham & Women's Hospital

The Menu Masters Advisory Committee meets biannually to help ensure that learning objectives and core content of our educational programs are up to date and meet the needs of our students and the foodservice industry they work in.

  • Patricia Bando, Assistant Vice President Auxillary Services, Boston College
  • Tim Blaise, Vice Presidnt, Culinary and Beverage, Dardens
  • Dan Coudreaut, Director of Culinary Innovation, McDonalds
  • David Goldstein
  • Billy Jacob, Popeye's
  • Bob Karisny, Taco Johns International
  • Brian Kolodziej, VP Culinary Innovation and Operations, Sticky Fingers BBQ
  • Dean Lowden, Vice President -Support Services, Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services
  • Kevin Ryan, President, International Corporate Chefs Association
  • Jeff Zwally, Director of Menu Development, Domino's Pizza