Veteran Chef Educator & Food Anthropologist Joins Rouxbe

Rouxbe is thrilled to announce our newest team member, Ken Rubin, Vice President of Culinary Training. His core role is to oversee our cooking course curriculum development along with recruiting (and leading) the world’s best culinary instructors for our online training programs.

Ken, a chef educator and food anthropologist with 18 years of broad industry experience, is recognized for his expertise in education and training, food culture research, health and wellness and product development. Ken never settles; he sees himself as a lifelong student of every aspect of food.

With a decade of experience specific to professional culinary training, Ken served as the second–ranking chef educator at Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America—and later was executive chef and editor of www.chefs.com. After moving to Portland, he had the opportunity to serve as the inaugural director of the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Portland. He later served as the vice president of the Natural Epicurean Academy, a professional culinary school focused on health-supportive cooking. Before his interest in culinary education took root, Ken had early jobs working as a chef, consultant, artisanal cheese maker, food ethnographer, and food editor at a monthly magazine.

Ken has also served as a board director of the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP), where he led efforts related to education, certification and member development. He currently serves as a trustee and chair of The Culinary Trust (IACP’s philanthropic partner since 1984), an organization that offers training and funding opportunities for culinary professionals.

Having both an academic and an applied interest in food, Ken focused his undergraduate and graduate studies on the ethnography of cooking and developed research methods to understand how people learn to cook. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Colorado College and a master’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Texas at Austin.

When asked why he wanted to join Rouxbe, Ken said, “After ten years directing programs in professional culinary schools, I am joining this team because I see Rouxbe as the future of culinary education. Rouxbe provides a solid, intuitive foundation through which to learn and practice core cooking skills and techniques. As a mobile and online solution, Rouxbe fits into busy lives to inspire and help us get back into the kitchen so we can enjoy all the benefits of whole foods and home-cooked meals.”

Ken’s broad expertise in culinary education, planning and operations, combined with his passion for understanding food traditions, growing plants and exploring education methods, makes him ideal to help us create and grow the best courses for our students.

From the entire Rouxbe family, welcome Ken! We are delighted to have you join our team.

Joe Girard
CEO & Co-Founder of Rouxbe