fbtechreview.comNOVEMBER 20258in myVIEWAta Baroudi is the Vice President of Quality Assurance and Food Safety at The Cheesecake Factory. He has over 30 years of leadership in food safety, holds advanced degrees in food science, and is a certified food scientist. Recognized industry-wide, he received the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Leadership in Food Safety from the National Restaurant Association and Ecolab. Ata is a frequent speaker on food safety culture and technology innovation.Recognizing Dr. Baroudi's extensive expertise in food safety leadership and quality assurance, this piece provides valuable insights into overcoming industry challenges, implementing innovative technologies and fostering a culture of integrity to protect consumer health and advance food safety standards.From Early Challenges to Industry InnovationsFood safety is not negotiable if you are in the food business. That belief has been the foundation of my career in food safety and quality assurance. I also firmly believe that human dignity is not a privilege, but everyone's right. No one should go to bed hungry.My journey began early. My father saw my potential and encouraged me to pursue a path in the food industry. I studied in Lebanon, where most of my education was in French. Then, I went to Cairo University for my undergraduate degree in Agricultural Engineering, where classes were taught in Arabic. The first two years were challenging as I had to maneuver between languages, but I graduated with honors.The Lebanese government awarded me a scholarship to pursue graduate studies anywhere in the world. I chose UC Davis for my master's in Food Science and Technology. However, UC Davis only offered a master's degree, so I moved to Ohio State University for my Ph.D in the same field.Laban, a yogurt-like product from Lebanon. Back then in the early 70's, yogurt was not common in the THE UNYIELDING PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE IN FOOD SAFETYBy Ata (Al) Baroudi, Ph.D, Vice President, Food Safety and Quality Assurance, The Cheesecake FactoryAta (Al) Baroudi
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