Whole Foods Market has just named a top executive chef to its team to boost its prepared foods and bakery sector.
Tien Ho, world-renowned chef and famed cooking master, has been appointed as the company’s new Global Vice President of Culinary and Hospitality. His long-standing experience as the culinary head at the Morgans Hotel Group and chef at cutting-edge restaurant brands like Little Wisco, Momofuku Ssäm Bar and Má Pêche is expected to be a huge boon for the retailer. According to Fortune, prepared foods have generated approximately $3 billion a year for the company along with its bakery operation, or nearly a fifth of the company’s sales.
The executive chef has also been named Best New Chef by New York magazine in 2011 for his innovative Asian cuisine at Má Pêche.
Ho said that he has long admired how Whole Foods set itself apart from conventional grocery stores, touting the brand’s “best quality products, shopping experience, and really enjoyable in-store dining experiences.”
He said in a press release, “Whole Foods Market makes grocery shopping fun, and my mission is to further extend the wonderfully unique things people love about Whole Foods Market through the foods we create, the items we bake, and the experience our customers have when they purchase and consume them.”
Ken Meyer, Executive Vice President of Operations at Whole Foods, complimented Ho on his ability to deliver high quality experiences across the culinary and hospitality industries.
“As the Whole Foods Market brand continues to evolve and differentiate itself from competitors, we recognize the importance of this role and could not be more pleased to welcome Tien, who will help us elevate the way Whole Foods Market guests experience our food.”
Ho will be based at the company’s headquarters in Austin, Texas. He will begin working in this newly created leadership role beginning in January, 2016.
