Matthew Wadiak ’99 Advises
Graduates to “Take Bold Actions”
Hyde Park, NY – One of America’s top young entrepreneurs returned to his alma
mater on Friday, September 9, to deliver the commencement address. A 1999
graduate of Ѹ,
Matthew Wadiak is co-founder and chief operating
officer of Blue Apron. He is also the company’s in-house chef and chief product
officer. Wadiak spoke to 59 graduates at the
college’s New York campus.
“Challenge yourself without knowing the outcome of what your
actions might bring, but take bold actions because you love the experience,” he
told recipients of Ѹ degrees in culinary arts and baking &
pastry arts. “I didn’t know it at the time, but I started our company 17
years ago on this day—commencement day.”
The pioneering meal kit delivery company is one of the most
successful business start-ups ever. Blue Apron was founded in 2012 in a small
kitchen in the New York City borough of Queens. Within four years, it had grown
to 3,000 employees delivering eight million meals a month.
Blue Apron rarely repeats recipes, so Wadiak is constantly testing new ideas with inventive ingredients. A rising star in
the food business world, the 38-year-old Chef Wadiak has
been honored—along with fellow Blue Apron co-founders Matt Salzberg and Ilia Papas—by Inc. magazine among
the “coolest” young entrepreneurs in the United States and by Ernst & Young
as Entrepreneurs of the Year.
“Attention to detail is the difference between success and
failure, here and in your future careers as professionals in the
food business,” advised Wadiak, who has returned
to the Ѹ in recent years to recruit graduates to work for the quickly
expanding Blue Apron.
The entire graduation ceremony can be .
Photo Caption and Hi-Res Image:
Matthew Wadiak ’99 is co-founder
and COO of Blue Apron, the hugely successful meal kit delivery company. He
returned to his alma mater as commencement speaker on September 9, 2016. (Photo credit: Ѹ/Phil Mansfield)
Media Contact:
Jeff Levine
Communications Manager
845-451-1372
j_levine@culinary.edu
Founded in 1946, Ѹ is the world’s
premier culinary college. Dedicated to driving leadership development
for the foodservice and hospitality industry, the independent,
not-for-profit Ѹ offers bachelor’s degrees in food business
management, culinary science, and applied food studies; associate
degrees in culinary arts and baking and pastry arts; and executive
education through its Food Business School. Its conferences and
consulting services have made the Ѹ the think tank of the food
industry in the areas of health & wellness, sustainability, world
cuisines & cultures, and professional excellence & innovation.
The college also offers certificate programs and courses for
professionals and enthusiasts. Its worldwide network of 49,000 alumni
includes leaders in every area of foodservice and hospitality. The Ѹ
has campuses in New York, California, Texas, and Singapore.
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