Our Team
Sprouts Board of Advisors
Tiffany Teng
The Inside Scoop
What is your profession? What do you love most about your job?
My current role is leading GTM/Sales Enablement for OakNorth Credit Intelligence Suite, a credit underwriting analytics, and portfolio insights tool. Prior, I’ve led teams of up to 35+ people across functions ranging from customer support to marketing to product management. I love managing and developing people and I’ve been fortunate to do that in an array of contexts ranging from startup to Fortune 50.
Why are you interested in cooking and food education?
My grandparents fled war and emigrated to Taiwan and then my parents came to America to study and raise me and my two sisters here in America: education and finding jobs were the two keys to unlocking our potential and helping us escape poverty in 2 generations.
What first made you interested in food?
My earliest memories are in the kitchen and garden with my grandma, who only finished elementary school yet managed to raise 4 kids on a shoestring budget. I remember her incredible skill with yeasted breads (mantou) and her unerring hand with salts and spices despite no formal training. In college, I’d read cookbooks before I went to sleep (and as a break from studying) and to this day, my favorite weekend activity is to bake or cook something delicious. I work in an industry where a lot of my work is cognitive and not tangible – and food is a wonderful reprieve.
What is the connection between your work and the advising you do for Sprouts?
I love helping people and organizations evolve and reach their greatest potential. Professionally, that’s looked like building a startup from 5 people to 250+ people, it’s launching a $100M payments app and helping a fintech unicorn find product-market fit. As an advisory board member, I see my role as the same but supporting the leadership team as they grow Sprouts.
Why is it important for kids to learn how to cook?
As an adult, I’ve realized how cost-effective it is to cook for yourself and how it’s easier to eat healthy when you can choose what you put into the food you eat.
Why do you think the work that Sprouts is doing is important?
Working in the professional context has transformed me from a shy, insecure girl who was afraid of poverty to a confident executive who has skills and a toolkit for managing myself and others through change, upheaval, and life. I love that Sprouts is equipping youth with the skills to thrive and build a better future for themselves.
Sprouts Board of Advisors
Michelle Shen
Growth Marketer
The Inside Scoop
What is your profession? What do you love most about your job?
I am a growth marketer by trade working with both large and small digital brands alike to tackle some of their biggest growth challenges. I love that growth is not linear – what works for one brand may not work with the other, so it requires collaboration and creative problem solving to produce the most impactful results
Why are you interested in cooking and food education?
I love the artistry of cooking, and I love that food creates community, experiences, and cultures. I don’t think food education is emphasized nearly enough in our school systems, it certainly wasn’t the case for me growing up, so I love that Sprouts offers a fun way for young people to learn cooking fundamentals.
What first made you interested in food?
I’ve always loved to eat, and as a Los Angeles native with parents who also love to eat, I’ve had the great pleasure of experiencing LA’s robust food scene for as long as I can remember.
What is the connection between your work and the advising you do for Sprouts?
I’m currently helping Sprouts with their digital marketing strategy, particularly as it relates to their new Virtual Cooking Class series.
Why do you think the work that Sprouts is doing is important?
Arming kids with the knowledge to cook healthy meals in a fun and delicious way is a fantastic intro to food education, which I believe can have an enduring influence on an individual’s consumption habits.
What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned from working with Sprouts?
It warms my heart to see how many like-minded and motivated individuals there are who are willing to donate their time and energy towards a cause that we all support.
Why is it important for kids to learn how to cook?
It’s empowering to know how to feed yourself and your loved ones; teaching kids the skills needed to prepare healthy meals can set them on a path of living healthier and sustainable lifestyles.
What was one of the most rewarding experiences you’ve had as a Sprouts fan?
Being able to tie my professional skills to a meaningful cause that speaks to me is a rewarding experience in itself ?
Sprouts Board of Advisors
Robert Collier
President at Appanage Brands, San Francisco, CA
The Inside Scoop
What is your profession? What do you love most about your job?
I am the president of a luxury liquor company called Appanage Brands and we make unique artisanal products in California. Before this I have worked as a banker in London, the head of Strategy for a Clean-Tech Company, as a substitute teacher in East Oakland, in wineries in the US and Italy, and as crew delivering sailboats around the mediterranean and across the Atlantic. I am also a partner in some restaurants in New York. What I like about my job is not being bored.
Why are you interested in cooking and food education?
I grew up in kitchens and restaurants, starting to work in them in Berkeley when I was 13. The non-culinary skills (like interacting with people, noticing things, planning) have served me well throughout my careers. And I love sharing food and techniques, and learning and teaching, generally.
What first made you interested in food?
Eating it? Actually probably smells from kitchens and playing with fire and knives.
What is the connection between your work and the advising you do for Sprouts?
I do the relationship thing and know lots of people. I don’t think the kids should have any alcohol I make.
Why do you think the work that Sprouts is doing is important?
The life skills learned through cooking, as well as an appreciation for food, serve anyone well in life, generally. Access to those skills, especially at a young age and in fine-dining, is relatively rare, or privileged. It is also intimidating. Sprouts helps to give access to an entirely practical education, while also developing a love for food and cooking that demands an understanding of sourcing and (hence) sustainability. And everyone should know how to make pasta correctly.
What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned from working with Sprouts?
Not learned for the first time, but that kids are waaaaaay more impressive and mature and reliable than we give them credit for, so long as they are given a shot.
Why is it important for kids to learn how to cook?
Nutrition and the environment. They should also learn how to grow their own food. Then they can start messing around with truffles.
What was one of the most rewarding experiences you’ve had as a Sprouts fan?
Seeing the community that has and continues to develop around it.
Is there anything else that you would like Sprouts fans and foodies to know about you?
I always look forward to the summertime, when I can teach cooking classes to Sprouts’ kiddos.
Sprouts Board of Advisors
Sophia Chiu
Medical Student | New York, NY
The Inside Scoop
What is your profession? What do you love most about your job?
I’m a 4th year medical student in New York. We live in a world where the health disparity between the rich and poor increases by the year. For those who are in the know, the hot topic is always the latest diet or the newest superfoods. However, for some Americans, even getting access to the right foods can be a struggle. Many people lack access to healthy foods and healthcare. Some simply don’t know the difference between what’s healthy and unhealthy. That is why I love working with the local communities in New York. It’s incredibly rewarding to be able to foster an interest in food and cooking, and be a part of their journey towards a healthier lifestyle.
Why are you interested in cooking and food education?
I find teaching to be incredibly rewarding. Fostering an interest in cooking early in life is an invaluable tool that will undoubtedly alter the way children approach food and their own health. Plus, the kids’ enthusiasm is infectious! Countless parents have been inspired by our students to reshape the way they approach food at home. My hope is that this enthusiasm continues to grow so we can create a movement towards incorporating healthier, and more wholesome foods.
What first made you interested in food?
I’m a 1st generation immigrant who comes from a culture that really values food. My earliest and fondest memories from childhood are those in the kitchen—whether it was helping my grandma make dumplings or helping her chop fresh greens. My love for food was what lead me to pursue nutrition, and ultimately a career in medicine.
What is the connection between your work and the advising you do for Sprouts?
As a medical student, I’m very involved in education and love working with the community. My goal is help Sprouts expand to New York, by spreading the word and assisting with volunteer recruitment and restaurant outreach.
Why do you think the work that Sprouts is doing is important?
Our younger generation is flooded with advertisements encouraging them to consume processed foods. Sprouts functions to provide these kids with an alternative message—one that revolves around empowering children to take an active role in their own health through real food. I believe that fostering a passion for cooking in even one child could have a rippling effect in our youth and bring us one step closer to eradicating childhood obesity and diabetes.
What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned from working with Sprouts?
The most interesting thing I’ve learned from working with Sprouts is that kids are great at incorporating their personalities into their food, perhaps even better than adults! While I might follow steps and wait for instructions, the kids just dive into the cooking and give it their all. You see risk-takers and planners. Minimalists and maximalists. You see dishes that resemble Pollock paintings and others that have earthy tones. Whatever their style is, these kids are able to create food that is authentic to themselves.
Why is it important for kids to learn how to cook?
New York is known for its vast variety of food options, and Michelin-star restaurants. When I think of New York, I think of a foodie’s heaven. However, for the majority of New Yorkers, this rich culture of food isn’t accessible. Some kids in New York find themselves getting their primary meal from school lunches, fast-food chains, and bodegas. Being able to cook for themselves means that these kids will have the tools to provide themselves and their families with healthy, affordable, food that tastes good. Plus, they’ll have fun doing it!
What was one of the most rewarding experiences you’ve had as a Sprouts fan?
My most rewarding experience was when a parent told me that their child had taken the initiative to start cooking for the whole family! The family was used to each member getting their own food, but our student had made it his mission to bring the family together with a home cooked meal.
Is there anything else that you would like Sprouts fans and foodies to know about you?
I’m an adventurous eater and am always eager to try new things. So, hit me up if you ever need someone to restaurant hop with in New York!
Sprouts Board of Advisors
Chris Foley
Founder and Partner at Ground Matrix; San Francisco, CA
Sprouts Board of Advisors
Gil Rosen
Early Stage Investor & Advisor, San Francisco, CA
The Inside Scoop
What is your profession? What do you love most about your job?
Early stage investor and advisor. I love helping entrepreneurs make their vision a concrete reality – helping them work through strategic and operational challenges inherent to young ventures.
Why are you interested in cooking and food education?
Impact is a huge driver for me and is a focus of my investments. Sprout’s mission of transformational change and empowerment through food and chef’s training speaks directly to that impact and redefines Bay Area youth’s relationship with food.
What first made you interested in food?
Food is such a critical part of our human experience – defining our health, productivity, wellbeing, and connecting us socially. It’s also the ultimate blend of the mind and all of our senses.
What is the connection between the work you do professionally and the advising work you do for Sprouts?
I invest in and advise early stage companies on how to fundraise, meet the needs of their customers, sell their services, and scale their operations. I’ve been supporting Sprouts with similar needs ensuring it can continue to scale its tremendous efforts effectively and efficiently.
Why do you think the work that Sprouts is doing is important?
Food education provides youth with the independence to both better meet their own health and wellness goals, to help their family unit, to improve their own future financial and health well-being, as well as to build crucial social connections in sharing their own meals with others. But beyond education, empowering young adults to be self-sufficient and giving them a career path gives them a new lease on life, and helps our community as a whole.
Is there anything else that you would like Sprouts fans and foodies to know about you?
Sprouts is at the intersection of food, community, and impact, and I’m honored to be a part of it.
Sprouts Board of Advisors
Roland Passot
Chef, CA
The Inside Scoop
Chef Passot grew up in Lyon, the culinary capital of France, and began cooking as an apprentice at the age of fifteen. Trained by some of France’s most famous chefs, Passot soon became an assistant to Chef Jean Paul Lacombe, the two Michelin star Chef of French Gastronomic institution Léon de Lyon. He then helped Pierre Orsi open his namesake restaurant, “A Lyon Institution”. Chef Orsi then sent Chef Passot to Chicago, where he spent four years cooking at Le Francais, before being hired away to open The French Room at the legendary Adolphus luxury hotel in Dallas. There, Chef Passot earned national accolades for his cuisine, which he served to both Hollywood celebrities and European royalty.
After a brief stint at the renowned Chez Michel in San Francisco, Chef Passot opened La Folie in 1988, his own groundbreaking and distinctive restaurant. Unlike other celebrity chefs, Roland Passot is a hands-on gastronome, intimately involved in the daily running of his restaurant. His clientele can still find him in the kitchen every night of the week. Cooking at La Folie is his passion.
Some accolades-
Chef Roland has been awarded the James Beard Award for Best Rising Star Chef in 1990, James Beard Best Chef in California 2005-2007, inducted into the Maitres Cuisinier de France in 1991, Best Food and Best French Restaurant by Zagat Best French Restaurant in 7×7 Magazine, 4-starts by the San Francisco Magazine, 4-stars by the San Francisco Chronicle, Gayot top 40 restaurants in the US. La Folie has been on the SF Chronicle’s Top 100 Restaurant List since its 1st publication in 1998.
Some milestones-
La Folie was awarded a Michelin star in 2006. The restaurant will be celebrating 30 years in 2018.
Some of Chef Passot’s philanthropic endeavors-
Continued support and participant of Make a Wish and Meals on Wheels. He serves as a member of “L’Mentor Culinary Council”, alongside some of the most esteemed Chef’s in the country. Where he helps select, support and train the official US culinary team competing at the Bocuse d’Or in Lyon.
Source: http://www.lafolie.com/roland/
Sprouts Board of Advisors
Jay Ramirez
Engineer, Livermore, CA
The Inside Scoop
What is your profession? What do you love most about your job?
I’m an engineer in the mobile gaming industry that specializes in product reliability. I love knowing that the work I do touches the lives of hundreds of thousands of people every day!
Why are you interested in cooking and food education?
Growing up in a Spanish/American home, my mother loved to make dishes from various cultures. I learned to appreciate the unique tastes that different cultures bring to the table.
What first made you interested in food?
Traveling the world as a young adult I realized that my travels were guided by the food I wanted to experience. Sharing a meal is the best way to strengthen any relationship and relationships are what matter most in life.
What is the connection between your work and the advising you do for Sprouts?
Having guided products from development to production. I aide Sprouts by ensuring we’re following world-class standards within our tools. Effective SOPs are the hallmark of a valuable team.
Why do you think the work that Sprouts is doing is important?
Life begins and ends with proper nutrition, everything we do affects our health. Sprout’s vision sees to it that we’re providing the best platform for our futures generations to stand on.
What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned from working with Sprouts?
I was surprised by how small the culinary world can be! Everyone knows everyone and it makes for great conversation during and in-between meals.
Why is it important for kids to learn how to cook?
From what I’ve seen, Sprouts makes cooking a fun experience. Kids learn to love the process of making their own meals. This creates value for proper nutrition and also sparks a flame of interest in the culinary industry.
What was one of the most rewarding experiences you’ve had as a Sprouts fan?
Knowing the work we do on a daily basis not only provides a solid foundation for proper nutrition but also encourages at-risk youth to pursue a fulfilling career is what’s rewarding.