Compass Group North America appoints first-ever practicing chef to Officer Board

It’s a first for Compass Group North America, the nation’s largest foodservice provider. The first practicing chef to serve on Compass Group’s Officer Board is Chris Ivens-Brown. The rotating board position is an acknowledgement of culinary leaders’ critical role in the company, and in turn, to the millions of customers and clients served across the country, the foodservice provider said.

Compass employs more than 50,000 culinarians who serve more than 11 million meals a day at hospitals, senior living centers, schools, universities, business and sporting and entertainment venues. The collective culinary wisdom reinforces the importance of locally and sustainably sourced food, reducing food waste and building customers’ well-being.

“Our great chefs are the heart of our business, and it’s only natural that we would include a culinarian on the Board,” said Palmer Brown, CEO of Compass Group North America, in a statement. “Chris is the perfect first choice. His experience, dedication to excellence, and commitment to sustainability are unmatched. His insights will be valuable to the organization as we continue to grow and deliver excellent service to our clients and communities.”

Ivens-Brown has been in the culinary world for nearly four decades, and has been an advocate for sustainability and diversity at Compass Group and as the Chief Culinary Officer for Compass Group North America and Eurest. He played a key role in developing purchasing practices and partnerships between culinary, operations and Foodbuy (a procurement partner).

“There is power in food,” Ivens-Brown said in a statement. “At Compass, we are positioned to make a lasting impact on the foodservice industry and the world as a whole through our sustainability initiatives and focus on delivering unsurpassed dining experiences. As a group, we are humbled to have a dedicated voice at the table and excited to bring a culinary lens to the company’s Officer Board.”