Business is heating up and growing quickly these days at MenuTrinfo. With the newest division, Kitchens with Confidence (KwC), picking up tremendous speed, the need for an awesome leader was paramount. Ian Charles joined the team in Q2 2019 and quickly showed potential to take over the management and leadership of this division. This January, Ian was promoted to the manager of Kitchens with Confidence and is moving full steam ahead.
MenuTrinfo’s division known as Kitchens with Confidence certifies kitchens and products across America and Canada as “Certified Free From” Gluten and any or all of the Big 8 allergens. Kitchens certified range from major universities like Cornell, and Michigan State University to family owned restaurants like Carrol’s Creek Café in Annapolis, Maryland. Locations certified are able to attract customers giving them the opportunity to make informed decisions about where to dine and even where to go to school making them feel confident in their choice backed by a certified kitchen. Products certified range from small bakeries like Senza Gluten Café & Bakery to large manufacturers like Mulay’s Sausage. The benefits to a certified product are huge as that seal of certification allows consumers to trust the process and ultimately purchase that brand.
Kitchens with Confidence is the first in the nation to do this work and are leading the way to consumer confidence, and easier purchasing decisions for those with food allergies and/ or celiac disease. The company has been performing these audits and certifying kitchens and products since January 2017. 2019 was a massive year for the company as the speed at which these audits were requested grew exponentially. Ian came on board at the ideal time and was the perfect person to lead KwC to its next phase.
“I think that with Ian’s passion for travel paired with his incredible eye for detail, and laser sharp focus on company goals make him perfect person for this role within MenuTrinfo. He brings such passion for food, a commitment to safety for all, and the nutrition knowledge to ride side car to his newfound mission. We are so lucky to have had this professional find his way to our door and pick up the reigns to expand the KwC division in 2020.” says Betsy Craig, CEO and Founder of MenuTrinfo, LLC.
Ian graduated from Johnson and Wales University in Denver with an AS in Culinary Arts and a BS in Culinary Nutrition. His experience in the industry includes developing meal plans for professional and Olympic level athletes along with being the executive chef on an 84-passenger cruise ship in SE Alaska, and a yacht in Hawaii. His culinary experience and passion for nutrition make him the perfect person to step into this role.
“My love for the Front Range brought me back to Fort Collins and good fortune brought me to the doorstep of MenuTrinfo. I joined the team because I saw promise and loved the idea of teaming up with like-minded individuals. To start, I was dividing my time between AllerTrain and Kitchens with Confidence but over time I realized that I belonged in KwC. Now that I am able to focus my attention solely on Kitchens with Confidence, I will be able to facilitate the tremendous growth we are seeing in the “Certified Free From” sector between both products and Universities looking for certification.” Said Ian Charles, Manager of Kitchens with Confidence.
MenuTrinfo is dedicated to bettering the food-service industry by providing three major services: Certified Nutritionals and food allergy/ gluten-free identification under the MenuTrinfo brand, food safety and allergen/gluten-free training known as AllerTrain, and full-service kitchen audits for facilities and products known as “Certified Free From” by Kitchens with Confidence.
So, whether you need help with menu labeling, identifying menu items containing allergens or gluten, learning how to serve customers with food allergies or intolerances, or are looking to certify your kitchen free from some of the top allergens or gluten, MenuTrinfo is here to help! Start at www.MenuTrinfo.com to find information on all our services. MenuTrinfo: Protecting lives and health through nutrition and training.
Kitchens with Confidence (a subsidiary of MenuTrinfo, LLC) is the leading full-service kitchen auditing service and “Certified Free From” authority for today’s foodservice operations. Officially launched in 2017, Kitchens with Confidence has become the external certification arm for the Top 8 food allergens and gluten. Backed by the ANSI-accredited allergen-training leader in the industry, AllerTrain, Kitchens with Confidence is guaranteed to take your establishments’ allergen expertise to the next level. Kitchens with Confidence has certified multiple kitchens across America including Vanderbilt University, Syracuse University, Cornell University, Mercyhurst University, Carnegie Mellon University, College of the Holy Cross and Allie’s Gluten-Free Goodies. For more information about Kitchens with Confidence visit http://kitchenswithconfidence.com.
