Tabasco® Chef Receives RCA Award

McIlhenny Company’s Executive Corporate Chef, Jason R. Gronlund, was presented the President’s Award at the recent annual meeting of the Research Chefs Association (RCA) in Seattle. Gronlund is also manager of TABASCO® Brand Ingredients Sales and Culinary Services for the maker of the world’s most famous pepper sauce, a position he has held for over 10 years.

Paul McIlhenny, president and CEO of the company that bears his name, said, “We congratulate Jason on this outstanding achievement and his unique ability to create bold, interesting flavors with every imaginable contemporary cuisine.”

Aside from being chef and ingredients manager, Chef Gronlund also handles product development as well as foodservice recipe development for independent restaurants and chain operators around the world. Prior to joining McIlhenny Company, he completed the culinary arts program at Johnson & Wales in Rhode Island, and later worked in culinary product development for such brands as Pace Picante Sauce, Nutra Sweet, Uncle Ben’s and Tyson.

“I am in awe of the extraordinary passion and the great love that he throws into every aspect of his life,” his friend and fellow chef Alan Freed said of Gronlund. “Because of all that he does—teaching, sharing his skills and knowledge, promoting Tabasco, and of course cooking—the RCA, and the food industry, have been immeasurably enriched by his presence.”