news &Events
RCA Regional Event | Food with Purpose @ Drexel University | October 15, 2026
From Menu to Medicine at RCA’s Food with Purpose Event
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It was a pleasure to present From Menu to Medicine: How AI and Personalized Nutrition Are Reshaping the Future of Foodservice at RCA’s Food with Purpose: Exploring Health, Functionality, and Innovation event.
My presentation explored how AI and personalized nutrition can help us create menus that respond to individual needs while keeping flavor and the enjoyment of food at the heart of the experience.
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One of the highlights was reconnecting with industry colleagues and meeting new people who share a passion for food and innovation. I enjoyed catching up, exchanging ideas, and hearing about the work others are doing across the industry.
Having time to talk beyond the presentations made the event especially worthwhile, with opportunities to build relationships and explore possibilities for future collaboration.
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Thank you to the organizers and everyone who joined the conversation.
It was a pleasure to learn, share, and spend time with such a welcoming culinary community.
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👉Download the presentation resources here:
https://www.globalcuisineconsulting.com/individualizedmenupreference
Pizza Expo Columbus, Ohio | October 11, 2026
Back at Pizza Expo: Great People, Products, and Conversations
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It was a pleasure to be invited back to speak at Pizza Expo, where I presented The Sustainable Pizzeria Playbook: Practical Systems That Reduce Waste and Protect Profits. I appreciated the opportunity to share practical ideas with people who put so much care and hard work into their businesses.
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For me, sustainability belongs in the everyday decisions we make in the kitchen. How we purchase ingredients, organize preparation, manage portions, and train our teams can help reduce waste while protecting both food quality and profitability.
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Beyond the presentation, I enjoyed meeting wonderful people and exploring the show floor. Discovering products and seeing them in action is always a highlight, but the conversations with the people behind them make the experience even more valuable.
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Thank you to the Pizza Expo team for inviting me back, and to everyone who joined my session or took a moment to connect. I left with fresh ideas and an appreciation for the creativity and dedication within this industry.
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If you missed the session or would like to revisit the ideas we discussed,
👉 Download The Sustainable Pizzeria Playbook here: https://www.globalcuisineconsulting.com/sustainable-pizzeria
Menus of Change Leadership Summit 2026
The Culinary Institute of America | June 3, 2026
Attending the Menus of Change Leadership Summit at The Culinary Institute of America alongside our client Mr. Khaled Basha, Mr. Hammad Taj Khan, Chef Tiffany Poe, and Chef Thomas Griffiths was a meaningful experience.
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The conversations about nutrition, sustainability, and the future of food reinforced something I feel strongly about: as chefs, we have a responsibility to help bring better food to the market. Through the ingredients we choose and the products and menus we develop, we can make a difference.
An event well worth attending.
International Pizza Expo at Las Vegas | March 10, 2026
It was a pleasure to present at the International Pizza Expo, sharing insights on global flavor trends, menu innovation, and practical ways to turn culinary inspiration into scalable, profitable offerings.
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From bold, globally inspired concepts to simple menu upgrades, the sessions explored how operators can introduce fresh ideas while keeping preparation, ingredient sourcing, and day-to-day execution manageable. The goal was to offer ideas that spark curiosity and work in a busy pizza kitchen.
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A heartfelt thank-you to the colleagues who helped make my demonstration session a success. Your time, preparation, and support behind the scenes made a real difference and allowed me to focus on sharing the food and techniques with the audience. I’m grateful for the teamwork and generosity that brought it all together.
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It was also wonderful to reconnect with industry friends, meet new colleagues, and exchange ideas with operators and suppliers. Thank you to everyone who attended, asked questions, and contributed to the conversations.
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👉 Access the Global Pizza Innovation Playbook:
https://www.globalcuisineconsulting.com/pizza-innovation-playbook
Food Service Women's Alliance | March 16, 2026
Where Tradition Meets Innovation Across Europe​Honored to be featured by the Foodservice Women’s Alliance, recognizing my journey at the intersection of culinary innovation, science, and wellness.From early inspiration rooted in food as medicine to founding Global Cuisine Consulting, this feature highlights a mission-driven approach to helping brands develop globally inspired, clean-label products with purpose.​
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👉 Watch the feature and learn more: https://lnkd.in/gUAc5CQN​​​
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A Culinary Journey Through Europe: Where Tradition Meets Innovation.​
July 01,2025
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In July 2025, we traveled across Europe to explore the ingredients, traditions, and people shaping its culinary landscape. From the coastal flavors of Spain and Portugal to the kitchens of France and Monaco, the regional specialties of Italy, and the vibrant food cultures of Greece, Malta, and Turkey, each destination offered a different perspective on how food connects people to place.​
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What made this journey especially meaningful was seeing how culinary traditions continue to evolve. Regional ingredients and time-honored techniques provided fresh inspiration for flavor pairings, menu development, and food product innovation.We returned with a deeper appreciation for the stories behind the food and new ideas to bring into our work—always with respect for the cultures and traditions that inspired them.
Exploring Asia Through Food: Traditions, Trends & Fresh Inspiration​
March 01, 2025
In March 2025, we traveled across Southeast and East Asia to explore how local food traditions continue to inspire new culinary ideas. Our journey took us through Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, China, Singapore, and the Philippines, each offering its own perspective on flavor, ingredients, and the experience of eating.
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From lively street food scenes to carefully crafted restaurant dishes, we explored the relationship between time-honored techniques and changing tastes. Tasting food in its local setting helped us better understand the cultural context behind the flavors and what makes them distinctive.
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We returned with fresh inspiration for product development and menu innovation, along with a deeper appreciation for the traditions behind each dish.
These experiences inform how we approach new concepts: with curiosity, respect for their origins, and attention to how they can translate into delicious, practical offerings.
Reconnecting with the CIA Community in Chicago
May 18, 2025​​
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It was a pleasure to join fellow Culinary Institute of America alumni at the Whirlpool Experience Center in Chicago. With its professional kitchens and KitchenAid equipment, the setting offered plenty of inspiration for conversations about food, equipment, and culinary innovation.
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The highlight was the people. I enjoyed reconnecting with the CIA community, meeting new colleagues, and hearing about the different paths our culinary careers have taken.
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Sharing experiences and exchanging ideas made it a memorable gathering—and a welcome reminder of the connections that continue long after culinary school.
Fresh Ideas & Familiar Faces at the National Restaurant Association Show
May 18, 2025
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I represented Fresh Nature at the National Restaurant Association Show, showcasing creative applications for green chickpeas and connecting with industry leaders to discuss emerging ingredient trends and product opportunities.
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It’s always a pleasure to explore new creations and see how chefs and food companies are bringing fresh ideas to the table. Just as rewarding is meeting new people and catching up with familiar faces. Those conversations and shared experiences make the show a valuable source of inspiration for my work in culinary innovation and product development.
Alighnable.com
Food Innovation & Product Development Group
January 01, 2024
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In January 2024, I launched the Food Innovation & Product Development group on Alignable to bring together people working to turn food ideas into market-ready products.
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It’s a space to exchange practical insights, discuss challenges, and connect with others who understand the work behind developing a food product. Whether you’re a food entrepreneur, R&D professional, chef, or industry supplier, your experience and perspective are welcome.
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I invite you to share what you’re working on, ask questions, and learn alongside fellow professionals. A useful conversation can open the door to a fresh idea or a new collaboration.
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👉 Join us on Alignable and be part of the conversation.
Fresh Ingredients, Creative Minds: Judging Rutgers’ Tossed Cooking Competition
September 23, 2026 | Rutgers University–New Brunswick
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Chef Thomas Griffiths, Certified Master Chef, and I had the pleasure of serving as judges for the Tossed Cooking Competition at Rutgers University–New Brunswick.
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Five student teams created gourmet salads using mystery basket ingredients from the Rutgers NJAES research farms and the Food Innovation Center. Working with nearly the same ingredients, each team brought a distinct approach to flavor, texture, and presentation. Five teams, five very different salads!
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What inspired us most was the students’ enthusiasm. Whether or not they were studying food science, they shared a passion for food and a willingness to experiment. It was a joy to meet the contestants, hear their ideas, and see their creativity on the plate.
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Thank you, Nolan Lewin, for inviting us to be part of such a thoughtful and enjoyable event. We were honored to support these students and celebrate their culinary curiosity.
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#ProductInnovation #CulinaryInnovation #RutgersUniversity
Culinary Research & Development: Classical Cooking and Ultra-Processed Foods
August 12, 2023 | Kalamazoo, Michigan
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I had the pleasure of presenting at the Culinary Medicine Summit, exploring food culture, the origins of food processing, and the relationship between classical cooking and modern product development.
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Through a culinary demonstration and tasting, we examined how R&D chefs can balance convenience, flavor, and nutrition. We explored the roles of starches, dehydrated ingredients, and spice blends in preservation, texture, and flavor enhancement, showing how thoughtful ingredient choices can support practical culinary solutions.
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Our session invited participants to consider how chefs working in kitchens and food laboratories can bring culinary knowledge and a focus on health to today’s menus and tomorrow’s food products.
PODCAST: How to Launch a Food Product From Scratch
I was recently interviewed on the Online Marketing Secrets podcast with Lopaze. In this far-ranging conversation we talk about tips, tricks, and pitfalls of launching a new food product. Watch on YouTube Listen on iTunes
dreams are real
dreams are real
February 9, 2023
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"How you eat matters as much as what you eat with Chef Junnie, Principal and Research Chef at Global Cuisine Consulting.
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It’s not just what you eat, but how you eat that matters. Preparation, exploration, and clean label eating help build a life of health and happiness.
Chef Junnie Lai began learning about food as a kid in her Grandfather’s bakery and never stopped. Her collection of degrees and wealth of world and career experience position her uniquely to be an important, powerful, and much-needed voice in the culinary world, especially in a time where foods aren’t often valued for their medicinal and beauty enhancing properties.
Featured in The Food Institute: Food as Medicine
April 2021
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I was delighted to share my perspective in The Food Institute’s report, Food as Medicine: Why the Philosophy Is as Popular as Ever. In the interview, I discussed my belief that eating well should be both nourishing and enjoyable—with flavor, texture, and aroma all playing a part.
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As a chef and product development consultant, this philosophy continues to inspire my work: helping bring delicious, thoughtfully developed foods to the table and the marketplace. It was a pleasure to contribute to a conversation connecting culinary creativity with everyday well-being.
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Explore the feature: Food as Medicine
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Global Flavors, Fresh Inspiration
The Food Institute | March 2021
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International cuisines continue to inspire new possibilities for menus and food products. The Food Institute’s report, The Growth in Popularity of International Cuisine, explores how adventurous consumers, cultural influences, and social media are bringing global flavors into everyday dining.
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From regional specialties to unexpected ingredient combinations, the report offers inspiration for chefs and food innovators looking to translate culinary discovery into meaningful menu and product development.
Caramelized Sugar in Action: Learning Through Innovation at the CIA
July 17, 2019
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We partnered with Versatile Foods to bring a hands-on product development experience to the Culinary Institute of America’s senior Applied Food Studies class. Our goal was to introduce the next generation of food professionals to caramelized sugar products and their applications while offering a glimpse into real-world research and development.
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Following a presentation and sampling by Versatile Foods, students incorporated the caramelized sugar products into their own concepts and presented their prototypes for tasting and discussion.
It was a pleasure to see their creativity take shape and share our consulting and R&D experiences with Chef Lui’s talented students.
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Thank you to Chef Lui, the students, and Versatile Foods for a memorable day of learning, experimentation, and collaboration.
Sharing Global Flavors at the RCA Event in Napa
October 3, 2019
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Tom and I had the pleasure of teaching at a Research Chefs Association event at the Culinary Institute of America at Copia in Napa, California.
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Tom led a session on Pacific Rim Fusion Cuisine, exploring the distinctive textures, flavors, and culinary possibilities of underutilized fish. In my Southeast Asian Cuisine session, I demonstrated roast pork dumplings made with Chinese-style puff pastry—and a secret ingredient that gave the recipe a special twist.
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It was a rewarding opportunity to share techniques, exchange ideas with fellow culinary professionals, and explore how traditional flavors can inspire fresh approaches to menu and product development.
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Caramelized Sugar, Creative Applications & a Surprising Bite
RCA Conference | March 13–15, 2019 | Louisville, Kentucky
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Tom and I represented Versatile Products & Ingredients, LLC at the 2019 Research Chefs Association Conference, showcasing caramelized sugars imported from France and Germany alongside specialty baking ingredients.
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For the Culinology Expo, we created a dessert plate demonstrating how caramelized sugar can contribute flavor and color. It featured a rich chocolate cake made with 25% less cocoa powder
and a Baumkuchen cake paired with salted caramel.
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Our second creation sparked plenty of conversation: caramel quinoa puff cones filled with caramel butter, topped with creamy sriracha sauce, microgreens, and a cricket! While edible insects were already attracting interest as an alternative protein source, seeing a whole cricket prompted curiosity, laughter, and some memorable reactions.
The expo gave us a valuable opportunity to discuss caramelized sugar’s potential as an alternative to caramel color in suitable applications. We enjoyed the thoughtful feedback, reconnecting with colleagues, and meeting new people who shared our enthusiasm for culinary experimentation.