In this “Best of 2025” episode of Omnivore, Food Technology revisits the top food science and thought leader interviews of the year. June Jo Lee explains how food ethnography works and how it can help food companies anticipate the kinds of culture shifts that will shape the marketplace in the years ahead. We chat with ‘Yemisi Awosan, founder and CEO of Egunsi Foods, a Harlem, New York-based food company focused on producing ready-to-eat African food derived from classic West African dishes, to find out more about this flavorful and trending cuisine. Food scientist Matt Teegarden offers a thoughtful take on the high-profile food classification system Nova and its characterization of ultra-processed foods.
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GUESTS
June Jo Lee is an author and food ethnographer, who works with food companies around the world, helping them better understand their customers by using the tools of food ethnography. She has degrees from The University of Texas at Austin, Yonsei University, and the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
‘Yemisi Awosan is a Nigerian-born, New England-raised New Yorker, and the founder and CEO of Egunsi Foods—a Harlem, New York-based culinary brand highlighting West African culture through the region’s most beloved, classic flavors. After several years of careful development and market research through personal chef work, and multiple corporate catering contracts, ‘Yemisi debuted her first line of refrigerated, packaged West African soups at Whole Foods Market Harlem in 2017.
Matt Teegarden, PhD, is a food scientist who has worked in industry and academia and has expertise in food, nutrition, and health. A past president of the IFT Student Association, he hosts Tasting Columbus, a web series that explores Central Ohio restaurants and highlights the science behind some popular dishes. He has a BS, MS, and PhD in food science and technology from The Ohio State University.
Omnivore Podcast
Join the award-winning editors of Food Technology magazine every other Monday for Omnivore, the podcast that intersects the business of food and the science of food, through lively discussion and interviews with product innovators, leading researchers, policy makers, and thought leaders from across the world of food.
