Irwindale, CA – Ready Pac Foods, Inc. has announced the hiring of Chef Thomas Helsel C.R.C, PC III, C.E.C. as their new Executive Research Chef. Reporting directly to Sara Samala, Ready Pac Foods, Inc. Research & Development Manager, Chef Thomas brings with him a wealth of experience and culinary credentials to the company.
Chef Thomas has over 25 years of varied experience in multiple critical roles within the foodservice and retail product development arenas, most recently as a Senior Research Chef with Campbell Soup Company. In his role at Campbell’s, Chef Thomas led the retail soup culinary team of chefs covering all Campbell’s brands providing innovation, events leadership, culinary activities, culinary training, coaching, and commercial product design and maintenance. In this role, Chef Thomas served as Campbell’s culinary liaison and collaborated with Wolfgang Puck and his team on their line of soups, broths and stocks.
His previous experience also includes working for Sodexho, Marriott Corporation, and Trump Plaza, both as a corporate chef and restaurant manager, as well as being an accomplished cake decorator while at Häagen Dazs.
“We are thrilled to have Chef Thomas join our talented team. His ability to provide culinary expertise, focus on creating gold standard recipes, and contribute to company-wide new product innovation initiatives adds a tremendous amount of value to what we offer”, says Barbara Dan, Ready Pac’s Vice President of Marketing and R&D.
Chef Thomas holds a Bachelor of Professional Studies degree in Culinary Arts from The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, New York and he is currently pursuing his Associate of Science, Letters, Arts, and Sciences from Pennsylvania State University.
He began his new position on June 9, 2011 and is located within the company’s R&D headquarters in Swedesboro, New Jersey facility.
California-based Ready Pac is a premier producer of convenience fresh foods including fresh-cut produce. With processing facilities throughout the United States, Ready Pac’s award-winning salads, snacks, fresh-cut fruit and vegetables are distributed in supermarkets and restaurant chains across North America. For more information, visit www.readypac.com
Source: Ready Pac