FoodNiche Summit

Jon Deutch

Jonathan Deutsch, PhD, CHE, CRC, is professor in the Departments of Food and Hospitality Management and Nutrition Sciences at Drexel University and a certified hospitality educator. Before moving to Drexel, Deutsch built the culinary arts program at Kingsborough Community College, City University of New York (CUNY) and the PhD concentration in food studies at the CUNY Graduate Center and School of Public Health. At Drexel, he is the founding director of the Drexel Food Lab, a culinary innovation and food product research and development lab focused on solving real world food system problems in the areas of sustainability, health promotion and access.

He was the James Beard Foundation Impact Fellow, leading a national curriculum effort on food waste reduction for chefs and culinary educators and was named a Food Waste Warrior by Foodtank. He is the author or editor of eight books including Barbecue: A Global History (with Megan Elias), Culinary Improvisation, and Gastropolis: Food and Culture in New York City (with Annie Hauck-Lawson) and numerous articles in journals of food studies, public health, and hospitality education.

He earned his PhD in Food Studies and Food Management from New York University (2004), his culinary degree from the Culinary Institute of America (AOS, Culinary Arts, 1997), and is a proud alumnus of Drexel University (BS, Hospitality Management, 1999). A classically trained chef, Deutsch worked in a variety of settings including food product development, small luxury inns and restaurants. When not in the kitchen, he can be found behind his tuba.