Rollie Wesen, '14 M.Ed., '19 Ed.D
Assistant Professor | Culinary Arts | College of Food Innovation & Technology
Providence Campus
Chef Rollie Wesen, EdD is an Associate Professor in the College of Food Innovation and Technology, guest lecturer at Boston University and the Executive Director of the Jacques Pépin Foundation. He teaches culinary lab courses focused on global cuisines, food science and sustainability, and academic courses in the Sustainable Food Systems degree programs and the Master’s degree in Food Innovation and Technology. In addition to technical, culinary expertise developed over 20 years of professional cooking in a diverse set of food service operations and global locations, Wesen has a passion for culinary education for all age groups. His doctoral dissertation explored fundamental outcomes of short-term culinary training programs, for individuals with barriers to employment such as homelessness and previous incarceration, through non-profit Community Kitchens. He is also interested in food history, particularly American and French Cuisines, owing in part to his close relationship (he is Jacques’ son-in-law) with culinary icon Jacques Pépin.
His non-profit work for the Jacques Pépin Foundation supports culinary training in food service for individuals with barriers to employment and has helped him develop strong relationships with many non-profit, NGO and governmental organizations, through which he has created student opportunities for service learning. His current areas of focus and expertise include culinary workforce development, food insecurity, food policy, food equity and environmental, economic and social sustainability within the food system. Most importantly, Wesen believes that Chefs, as businesspeople, celebrities, influencers, and community leaders have great power to affect positive change in the food system through their personal and professional choices and advocacy.
Ed.D., Johnson & Wales University
B.A., English Literature, Creative Writing and Journalism, Carnegie Mellon University
Expertise:
- Sustainability in the Food System; Culinary Training / Workforce Development; Non-Profit Organizations working in the Food System; Advocacy by Food Service Professionals; Food Science and Sensory Analysis; Classic and Regional French Cuisine; Jacques Pépin
Media Coverage:
- 11.21.16 - 7 common holiday dinner disasters: How to fix them so no one knows, Cafe Mom
- 05.11.16 - Eat Healthy series: Conscious cuisine, Providence Journal
- 05.07.15 - Cheese and cheese caves - The next big F&B trend, Hotel Interactive