2025 ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit

Andrew “Kappy” Kaplan is a trusted culinary, hospitality, and food media professional known for his work at the intersection of food, philanthropy, and innovation. A professionally trained chef, Kappy is EVP of Culinary Operations for the Rachael Ray brand and Co-Founder and Director of Yum-o!, Rachael Ray’s nonprofit focused on cooking education and ending childhood hunger. He is also the Founder and CEO of Culinary Advisors LLC, a strategic culinary advisory service, and Host and Executive Producer of the popular Beyond the Plate™ and Clean Plate Club podcasts.

On Beyond the Plate, Kappy sits down with culinary leaders to discuss their paths into the industry and the meaningful ways they give back to their communities. As a father of twins, he created Clean Plate Club to inspire families to cook together through short, engaging episodes featuring favorite recipes from chefs and celebrities.

Kappy is a professionally trained chef, earning his culinary degree from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA); a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from Florida International University (FIU); and has deepened his background in nonprofit management as an attendee of the Stanford Nonprofit Management Institute.

Deeply committed to service and advancing food education, Kappy serves on the Leadership Council for Share Our Strength, Advisory Council for the Urban School Food Alliance, Culinary Advisory Board for PepsiCo Foods, and is a culinary advisor to Mill. He has lectured at the CIA/Harvard Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives conference in Napa, CA, and FIU’s Tianjin University of Commerce in China.

Connect with Kappy on his personal Instagram or X: @onkappysplate