Christopher Graham

About Me

PROFESSIONAL:
Two notable attributes separate us from the pack; customization and personalized service.  Our sweet spot is providing a turn-key approach to projects, whether the deliverables are geared towards a co-pack model or the need for a new facility with specialized equipment.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

• Vice President of Innovation for Udi’s USDA facility (Plant design, HACCP plan, Product Development).
• U.S. Advisory Chef representing Nestlé Canada to the United States Air Force Club System.
• Purchasing program consultant for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.
• Cook – Chill equipment sales and technical advisory for Cleveland Range and RATIONAL Cooking Systems.
• Corporate Chef, Director of Innovation for Compass Group North America, Canteen Division.
• HACCP program consultant for Mimi’s Café, Roth Industries and Maria Empanada.
• Plant Design for Udi’s, Roth Industries and Maria Empanada.
• Culinary Arts Faculty member at the Moraine Park Technical College.
• Food Operations Director at Ripon College and the University of Northern Colorado.

Through these experiences, I have accumulated many diverse skills sets, which translate to our company’s service offerings:
• Scale up production of Nutrient Dense Ready to Heat Meals and Ready to Cook Meal Kits, emphasizing these focus areas: General Health, Bariatric and Weight Loss, Vegan, Vegetarian, Paleo, and “Pegan” (i.e. Mark Hyman, MD Eat Fat Get Thin).
• Bench Top Formulation, Sourcing and Ingredient Specs, Cost Modeling, Margin Analysis.
• Nutrition Panels, Ingredient Declarations and Labeling.
• Packaging and Distribution Systems: Vacuum Skin pack, Modified Atmosphere, Lid Stock, PET, High Pressure Pasteurization.
• Process Flow, Plant Design, Architectural and Engineering Advisory.
• USDA and FDA HACCP Plans, Technical Training, Shelf Life Verification via 3rd Party.
• Concept development.
• Project Management.
• Technical Sales and Product Presentations.

PERSONAL:
I sense that the essence of my own culinary and healthy eating journey is engrained in our family heritage. My grandfather Gustave Gramaticous came to this country from the island of Evia, Greece in the early 1900’s and was a successful business owner of several well-known restaurants throughout the Midwest.

Following in my grandfather's footsteps, I began a career in culinary services. I was mentored by the former Chef Louis Szathmary, a pioneer in the rapidly changing food industry (some of his creations were even used by NASA and accompanied astronauts in space!). Through Chef Louis, I learned about standardization in a fine dining setting at the Bakery Restaurant in Chicago. Most importantly, I had the opportunity to study in one of the most unique culinary libraries in the world, inspiring me to become a Research and Development Professional.

Christopher Graham
www.linkedin.com/in/christophergraham5

International Chefs' Circle
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Speaker Profile Udi's Handcrafted Foods
Christopher Graham
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CORS
Christopher GrahamCulinary Institute of America
Food ManagementImage