With the unique background of being a Certified Master Chef and Culinary Olympic champion with an Ivy League doctoral degree, Dr. Tim Ryan has served as President of The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) since 2001.

In more than three decades at the college, Dr. Ryan has been instrumental in generating the sustained excellence, innovation, and growth that have shaped today’s CIA. His thought leadership has guided The Culinary Institute of America to a position of prominence on such important matters as health and wellness, world flavors and cultural exchange, food ethics, and sustainability.

Tim Ryan is well-known throughout the hospitality world. He holds the distinction of being the youngest national President of the American Culinary Federation (ACF), elected at age 36, and the youngest chef to receive Master Chef Certification from the ACF, at age 26. Named “One of the 50 Most Powerful People in Food” by Nation’s Restaurant News, Dr. Ryan has received awards from virtually every food industry organization.

Jian Yi is a filmmaker and the founder of the CBCGDF Good Food Fund. He is a Yale World Fellow (2009). Jian’s films have won international awards and been shown around the globe, including at the Montreal Film Festival, New York’s MoMA and Yale. He and the Good Food Fund are contributing changes in China’s food system. Jian graduated from former Beijing Broadcasting Institute and the University of Notre Dame.