Antoinette Bruno

As a passionate advocate for sustainability in the food industry, I believe that we can reverse climate change by solving food waste. Over the past two decades, I have had the privilege of traveling the United States and beyond, meeting with chefs, sommeliers, bartenders, and artisans, tasting their food and beverage culture, and hearing their stories. As a result, I've built one of the more interesting Rolodexes of the food industry.

I led the Editorial, Design, Marketing, and Events teams at StarChefs, where I evangelized our mission, built strategic partnerships throughout the foodservice industry, and served as the face of StarChefs. I worked with food media, purveyors, equipment manufacturers, contract feeders, schools, and independent and multi-unit restaurants.

At StarChefs, we always aimed to give culinary professionals the tools to be the best they can be, and I believe we achieved that through our Rising Stars awards recognizing up-and-coming chefs, bartenders, sommeliers, and artisans, as well as through our hosting of the International Chefs Congress symposium, which for 15 years provided a place for peer-to-peer learning and dialogue. 

In 2008, before it was fashionable, we hosted the 3rd annual International Chefs Congress for 2,000 culinary professionals, focusing on 'The Responsibility of a Chef’ and fostering a healthier and more sustainable world. Less than a decade later, we challenged chefs to start their own no-waste program at the 'What Is Progress?' symposium. We've never been ones to let important and often controversial topics go unaddressed.

As the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of StarChefs, I dedicated my career to helping the industry move forward and address the many challenges it continually faces. Today, I continue to work towards a sustainable food industry, especially in my focus on solving food waste.

In addition to my work at StarChefs, I've managed businesses of varying sizes, from $3 to $100 million in revenue, and from 12 to 500 employees. I've also had experience with social enterprise, having worked for The Body Shop, where I learned the power of business to effect change.

The hospitality industry is the second-largest employer after the federal government, and I believe we have the power to bring about change. With the increasing trend of upcycled food, we have a real opportunity to reduce food waste and make a positive impact on the environment.

In the summer of 2022, I joined Upcycled Foods. As a passionate advocate for sustainability in the food industry, I am excited to work with a start-up that is committed to reducing food waste and making a positive impact on the environment. In my new role, I am responsible for developing and executing the company's commercial strategy, building relationships with strategic partners, and driving growth. I am excited to continue my work towards a sustainable food industry and to be part of a team that shares my values and passion for making a difference.