Meet The Chef.
Chef Laura Leads a Special Group of Culinarians Revolutionizing K-12 Dining.
The Aramark Student Nutrition Culinary Alliance is a collective of passionate, innovative chefs designed to drive menu innovation and deliver culinary excellence to our most important constituents – students! This professional collaboration also provides career development opportunities, professional recognition, and advanced culinary training that extends beyond Aramark.
Laura McMann, Senior Executive Chef for Aramark Student Nutrition, proudly leads a team of talented chefs from school districts across the country. In collaboration with Beth Ann Engelland, Vice President of Operational Excellence for Student Nutrition, the two launched the Culinary Alliance. The alliance is a 20-member culinary team that drives recipe innovation, collaborates with manufacturing partners, supports tradeshows, leads new business presentation tastings, and participates in Aramark’s ACE competition.
Beth Ann shares, “Chef Laura McMann is the heart and soul of our culinary program. Her creativity in the kitchen, leadership of our Culinary Alliance team, and unwavering passion for feeding kids make her truly irreplaceable. Whether she’s developing recipes, supporting operations, or dazzling at trade shows, Laura brings a spark of joy and humor that lifts everyone around her. Her infectious energy and deep commitment to nourishing students are what make her a cornerstone of our mission".
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Chef Laura is now on her 15th year with Aramark Student Nutrition.
From her early days as a chef with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to her current role as Senior Executive Chef for Aramark Student Nutrition, Chef Laura has built a remarkable career. In addition to leading the Culinary Alliance, she leads the line of business in recipe development, operational field support, culinary support for sales, and serves as culinary lead for the ACE competition.
In collaboration with the Culinary Alliance of Chefs, Chef Laura brought her creativity and passion for school dining to life with the creation of the Pizza Waffalaco. A standout among the many signature recipes she’s helped craft, the Pizza Waffalaco made history during the 2024–2025 school year when it became the first-ever trademarked recipe in Student Nutrition history. This maple waffle flatbread topped with chicken pepperoni and drizzled with hot honey is a reflection of her talent and vision for school dining.
Chef Laura continues to drive the success of the Student Nutrition line of business, working alongside an exceptional team of expert chefs. Together, they make it possible for us to nourish students with great food every single day.
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One of these inspiring expert chefs, Chef Kristine Muneoka-Abbey, shares:
Culinary Alliance Chefs, like Kristine, are continuing to be recognized in such ways thanks to the wonderful attention the program brings across the entire enterprise. “This is the best part of being on The Student Nutrition Culinary Alliance,” says Chef Laura McMann, “supporting one another, learning from one another, sharing our passion for feeding students, and becoming better chefs and people. I truly love this team and am so proud to be part of it! Chef Kristine's story is just one example of the great things our chefs are doing for Student Nutrition. It has always been my opinion that we are the greatest line of business. The most challenging but the most rewarding!”
As the Student Nutrition Culinary Alliance continues to grow, so does its impact on students, schools, and the chefs who dedicate themselves to this mission every day. Through innovation, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to nourishing the next generation, this team proves time and again that school dining can be both meaningful and memorable. With chefs like Laura, Kristine, and so many others leading the way, the future of Student Nutrition is not just bright it’s deliciously inspiring!
