Our Team

Nancy is a visionary leader whose intimate knowledge of every facet of CKC Good Food’s operations and clients’ food service programs helps her define strategies for improving operations at CKC Good Food and in every kitchen we support. She has earned numerous honors – including being inducted into the Minnesota Women’s Business Hall of Fame in 2023.

Katie supports the company’s senior leaders, meeting with them weekly as a team and individually. She was previously Director of HR and Finance and is incredibly knowledgeable about our team members, policies and core values.

With many sought-after professional accreditations and more than 20 years of experience in school food service and nutrition, Laurie is a wealth of knowledge, a mentor and our company’s primary trainer. Providing one-on-one support, she has successfully guided our clients through more than 150 Administrative Reviews!

Dave makes sure our building and equipment are well maintained and our team has the necessary tools to expertly perform their daily tasks. Dave also helps client partners outfit their kitchens, from construction ideas to equipment purchases.

Matt supports all our commissary managers, leading weekly meetings with them and overseeing all the day-to-day operations. He is advised of any challenges and ensures they are addressed promptly.

Ambika identifies long-term initiatives and works with cross-functional teams to implement those improvements. She also oversees menu creation and IT, as the chief architect behind CKC Good Food’s proprietary menu and logistics management system, “Tagger.”

Every regular school day, Joel oversees the production of nearly 26,000 meals and snacks at our central commissary. He manages more than 50 team members. He previously worked in senior dining food service and as a restaurant and personal chef.

Chase has been a Client Services Manager since 2020, helping clients operate efficient and compliant food service programs. He previously contributed to the company’s menu development process and breakfast program.

A Client Services Manager since 2013, Jim has built strong relationships with our client partners as he’s helped them navigate the complexities of a daily food service program. He is a Certified Food Protection Manager, which attests to his knowledge of food safety protocols.

Since 2016, Oscar has held multiple positions at CKC Good Food, including 5 years as a Kitchen Manager, preparing him well for his role as a Client Services Manager guiding and training client partners. He is a Certified Food Protection Manager.

Ed is the one who gets the early morning calls from sick team members and assigns our floats. He also helps train our new Kitchen Managers and serves as a Client Services Manager to our offsite kitchens. Prior to his current position, Ed was a Kitchen Manager, cook and server at multiple client sites for several years. He is a Certified Food Protection Manager.

Justin joined the company as a driver in 2019 and has progressed to a warehouse worker, warehouse manager and, in 2024, to his current position. He is well-versed in our regular product rotation, servings in a box and boxes on a pallet as well as the nutritional guidelines for federal nutrition programs.

Chris creates, tests and execute new recipes, including those evaluated in our annual spring taste tests. She also trains our kitchen teams to prepare and serve our standardized recipes, ensuring consistency across all the sites we serve. She was previously the Frontline Nutrition Services District Trainer for the South Washington County School District.

A former teacher, Grace keeps our operations running smoothly, handling incoming inquiries, assisting company leadership with policy creation/execution and other general administrative tasks.

Since 2002, Steve has held several positions with the company before becoming Finance Coordinator. He is responsible for accounts payable, accounts receivable and processing payroll.

Shannon joined the company in 2023, after several years in HR for senior living facilities. With a hospitality management degree, Shannon understands the dynamic of the food service industry.

Chef Najil Bagdadi has more than 20 years’ experience cooking diverse cultural and high-end cuisines. He has led CKC event catering since 2018, after 15 years in restaurants including Masa, D’Amico Kitchen, Victory 44, IE and Oceanaire.