Q&A with Chef Philipp Weiler: Exploring Culinary Excellence
At the forefront of food innovation are chefs, influencing and impacting what reaches consumers perusing store shelves. With an ever-evolving food landscape, culinary experts are more important than ever to help address macro challenges and trends, including food security, sustainability and health and wellness, while pushing boundaries in taste and texture. Chef Philipp Weiler, an expert development chef for ADM, thrives on the dynamics and complexity of the food industry.
From a young age, Philipp's passion for food was inspired by his family. After completing an apprenticeship at the prestigious Kempinski Hotel in Berlin and being mentored by Michelin-starred chefs, he honed his skills within the kitchen and culinary space before studying food and nutrition. In his role at ADM, Chef Philipp serves as a catalyst for collaboration, uniting his culinary colleagues with the protein, flavors, science and technology teams to drive innovative food developments and new possibilities for ADM's customers.
We asked Philipp about his role at ADM and within the culinary world, as well as what trends he sees in the plant-based space from a culinary perspective.
1. Can you share more about your food industry and culinary journey?
My journey in the food industry began with the joy I felt during the holidays when my grandparents would cook. Those moments of magic, created by the power of food, inspired me to bring similar experiences to others. I’ve always aimed to create those magical moments for myself, for diners and now for my customers through my work at ADM. It's a special way to bring happiness to people.
I started my career with an apprenticeship in 2005 at the Kempinski Hotel in Berlin, where I trained in classic French technique. I then worked with several Michelin-starred chefs, immersing myself in the different aspects of the culinary world, from plate design to molecular gastronomy. My growing interest in the theory of food led me to study food and nutrition in 2013.
During university, I co-founded a startup to revolutionize popsicle production using liquid nitrogen. We developed a machine and patented the process to speed up production. This experience taught me the vital role of chefs in product development, brand building through storytelling and understanding customer needs. With the determination and inspiration to help shape the future of the food landscape, I joined ADM.
Customers demand fast solutions and we must be ready to deliver. The challenges are diverse—one day, you might be working on a plant-based sausage alternative, and the next, formulating a plant-based prawn or salmon alternative that mimics the texture of the traditional product. My time in the kitchen taught me speed and adaptability, skills equally essential at ADM.
2. What is unique about ADM's culinary team?
Our culinary team stands out for several unique aspects. First and foremost, our team comprises a diverse group of chefs and culinary experts from around the world. This diversity brings a rich array of culinary traditions, experiences, techniques and insights to the table, enabling us to develop globally inspired food solutions that resonate with a wide range of palates and cultural preferences.
Innovation is at the heart of our team and approach to food. By collaborating closely with food scientists, nutritionists and product developers, we create food and beverage products and solutions that are not only delicious but also nutritionally balanced and aligned with market trends, as well as consumer preferences.
Customization is also a hallmark of our work. We provide tailored culinary solutions to meet the specific needs of our clients by developing tantalizing flavors, textures and products catering to various dietary preferences and tastes. This includes creating a new flavor profile for a regional market or adapting a product to meet dietary restrictions.
It's also critical to stay ahead of food trends and consumer preferences, which we do through extensive market research and analysis. This insight-driven approach enables us to anticipate and respond to emerging trends with innovative culinary solutions, ensuring that ADM remains a leader in the food industry. By understanding the evolving tastes and needs of consumers, we can create products that are not only current but also forward-thinking, positioning us at the forefront of the culinary world.
3. What makes the plant-based space intriguing from a culinary perspective?
From a culinary perspective, the plant-based space presents opportunities for both innovation and creativity in the kitchen. One of the most exciting aspects is the exploration of ingredients and cooking techniques. Chefs are continually pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in plant-based cuisine by experimenting with methods such as fermentation, slow-roasting and braising to extract deep and complex flavors from plant-based ingredients. This experimentation leads to taste experiences that can captivate and expand the palate.
The incorporation of diverse global flavors and regional cuisines also appeal to consumers' desire for culinary exploration, as well as supports the desire for expected tastes and textures. Ingredients like fermented black beans, black garlic and miso add complexity and depth to plant-based dishes, enhancing their appeal and enticing adventurous consumers.
At the same time, chefs who tap into high-quality, clean-tasting plant-based ingredients, proteins and systems and food technologies can build in the ideal chewiness or flakiness of plant-based meat or the creamy richness of plant-based dairy, supporting an exceptional sensory experience, as well as consumer acceptance and adoption of novel alternative offerings.
Nutritional value is another crucial factor in the plant-based space. Ingredients like soy, which is a complete protein, are essential in ensuring that plant-based dishes achieve nutritional targets. This challenge encourages culinary teams to find ways to incorporate high-protein ingredients like soy, pea, beans and pulses into delicious and nutritious meals.
There is also a rising demand in the food industry for convenience and familiarity, with consumers appreciating plant-based variations of dishes in ready meals and culinary kits. By providing accessible and enjoyable plant-based options, the culinary sector is making plant-forward eating more mainstream.
4. What factors or trends do you see influencing the food industry today that will have the most impact on the future of food?
For chefs, a new era is dawning, as I understand it. Chefs see themselves – and they always have – as catalysts of change in food culture. With the professional ethos of creating delightful flavors on the plate, chefs strive to find solutions in the spirit of the products amidst the frenzy of transformation. Therefore, it is worth paying close attention to how the gastronomy industry processes this change.
I often say that the doors to the kitchen are always open, and in this creative space, we get to experiment with new concepts like three-dimensional (3D) food printing and novel savory ingredients. For the plant-based space, technological advancements further enhance culinary possibilities. For instance, technologies supporting hybrids or blends, which combine animal-derived and plant-derived proteins or a variety of plant-based ingredients, and flavor modulation are improving the sensory and nutritional qualities of plant-based foods. Smart plant-based solutions are also needed to support ease-of-use in a formulation and holistically meet consumers' clean label demands of simple, recognizable ingredients. Our TVP (textured vegetable protein) is one such solution, made from pure soy flour and applicable in various ways (plant-based alternatives of döner, gyros, tuna, steak).
Additionally, health and wellness and the environment are closely related. Moving forward, it will be essential to further diversify protein options and increase the yield in the production of plant-based raw materials, supporting nutritional needs and the planet. Here, too, 3D-food printing is an excellent solution, as it can reshape trimmings, for example. Further on the horizon are technologies like precision fermentation and cell cultivation, which we anticipate will be introduced through hybrids with plant proteins, bringing in the familiar with the new while extending opportunities in protein and culinary innovation.
Discover more about ADM's culinary and savory capabilities here.