Our History
In 2007, Gabriel Serero and Julien Lerouxel, Swiss and French Chefs who specialized in molecular gastronomy, and owners of a gastronomic caterer in Lausanne, are being approached by the medico-social world and by relatives affected by dysphagia. The goal? Improve the taste, palatability and presentation of modified textures for dysphagic patients.
At first, the research is purely technological and the two Chefs elaborate a concentrate of gelling agents that they offer to the Medical and Social Institutions (EMS) and Hospitals.
These innovative techniques have a positive echo in the hospital and institutional sector, as well as from some members of the medical profession. The enthusiasm is quickly felt through concrete results on the ground. Exceeding promises, the daily life of the residents changes.
In order to improve their work, the Chefs work hand in hand with the institutions, and become aware of the questions linked to nutrition in a care institution. Their findings reveal the willingness of most institutions to do better. Some lack resources, others do not see any interest in improving the daily lives of patients and residents.
Technological innovation works, but social consciousness is sometimes lacking.
In 2012 Gabriel meets François Berger, at this time head of an EHPAD (Establishment for Accomodation for the Dependant Elderly) in France, looking for technical solutions to adapt the texture of dishes for people suffering from swallowing and chewing disorders.
The Franco-Swiss duo realizes that the union of technology with knowledge is the key to changes on the field. From this meeting will be born the Nutri-Culture approach: technical solutions associated with a global approach to change the paradigms and to include the knowledge of taking care of the people in the institutions.
In the following years, the concept is tested in large scale with dozens of EMS, EPHAD, hospitals in Switzerland and in France. This period allows both to refine the concept, the approach, and to obtain results from the field.
Our Postulates
Alimentation as the first medicine.
(Re) share the pleasures of the table.
(Re) find the flavors of Proust’s madeleine (or your Mother’s pie, Sunday brownies, and roastbeef…)
(Re) find institutional coherence.
My (cultural, food, leaving) traditions are different from yours.
The Team Emotion Food Company SA
Emotion Food Company is the result of meetings between gastronomy enthusiasts, agronomic engineers and defenders oh human dignity.
Gabriel Serero – CEO and culinary R & D. Graduate of the Bachelor of Science degree in international hospitality and management “- Diploma of Business Economist / HES Ecole Hotelière de Lausanne. Gabriel is an atypical chef: it’s on a path full of adventures that he creates his own company, develops products for big players in the industry. There follows a meeting with the Chef Julien Lerouxel, with whom he has developed the first version of the texturizer with Nicolas Perrenoud.
Julien Lerouxel – Holder of a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Technology and a Higher Technician’s Certificate in Hotel and Catering. He is Chef, co-developer of the product, R & D, trainer. Julien Lerouxel has 10 years of experience in applied research and texturing. Always looking for new challenges, he is now developing new food products while keeping an eye and a foot in EFC.
Nicolas Perrenoud – Production and logistics, food engineer, co-developer of the texturizer, co-head of industrialization, has made his way in the development of industrial food products for Nestlé, Firmenich or Migros. He teaches at the HES (Department of Food Technology). Always on the road, we can count on him for the technological challenges.
Jean-Marc Tendon – food technology engineer, co-head of industrialization and product developer. Teacher at HES (Food Technology Dept). He is also head of several companies in the field of product development in the food industry.
Florence Pény – holds two Masters in Human Rights and has a long experience in catering and events. With us since the beginning of the adventure, but great traveler, she invests her human, legal and logistical capacities in the service of others since always, then becomes partner and corporate director of the company in 2017.
Michael Pellegrinelli – Cook, qualified technician in agribusiness and quality manager for Emotion Food Company. He works for a company that helps small businesses in the food sector to develop, be it in terms of research and development of new products, the implementation of quality systems and their monitoring or targeted advice. He is passionate about all his activities and is constantly looking for new challenges.
Frédéric Aleman – After graduating from Ecole Hôtellière of Lausanne, after a long career in construction, he decides to open his horizons and invests in EFC in 2019.
Véronique Gaillard – Our accountant for 4 years, Véronique has a long experience behind her and brings us everyday her smile and happyness, in the middle of her accounting rigor.
Our French Partners – Nutri-Culture
In 2013 Gabriel Serero meets François Berger. They imagined and created the Nutri-Culture concept with the texturizer Easy-Base+ and its tools.
François Berger – Founder. Graduated of the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Santé Publique, in psycho-gerontology, and is a certified external expert evaluator of social economy organizations. François spent 25 years in the service of people housed in medico-social institutions. The question of meaning is at the heart of his concerns. Watching over housed persons is an ethical, social and interdependent issue that led to founding the Nutri-Culture movement. François, then Director of an EHPAD, toured the European innovations in dysphagia, to identify the initiatives he wanted to share with the team working on equity, caring, access to sharing and usability for all … all meaning, especially, those suffering from cumulative disorders (identification, refusal of food, difficulties of grasping, chewing and swallowing). It is in Switzerland that Gabriel (technical approach) met François (social and solidarity approach). They will found Nutri-Culture together.
Antoine Leau – Operational Marketing Manager. In care of operational marketing. Antoine holds a master’s degree in foreign languages. After a journey rich in experiences and cultures, Antoine gives up the company he has built to pursue a human ideal, relationships being for him sources of interest and research. He joined the team at the very beginning, and contributes every day to give it sense.
Antoine has built his life around multicultural approaches and projects, but especially the quality of the exchange, by all means of communication at his disposal … website, photos, films … It is in search of values that he one day pushed the door of the project Nutri-Culture, working with Coralie to the creation of the supports.
Coralie Poulet – Quality and administrative follow-up. Social and family economics advisor. Master of management of medico-social institutions, university degree of quality, expert in risk prevention, Coralie has designed her career both in a technical dimension, but also in support and service to professionals. She develops supports, documents, and standards for the implementation of a continuous quality improvement and evaluation processes. Coralie chose these projects both for the technical skills needed to create the tools and for the quality of the exchanges with the teams met in the field, which gives meaning to her work.
The newcomer… Emotion Food Ibérica
In 2016 in Barcelona is held the World Summit for Dysphagia. The Spanish welcome for our solutions being very positive, we decide to develop this market. Through meetings and encounters, we find the people who fit with us because of their philosophy and their personal qualities. In January 2019 we launch the little Spanish sister.
Alejandro Elorduy – Spanish Market Director. Professional with a wide experience of trading, especially in the north of Spain. With a solid vision and an appeal for social assistance, he did not hesitate to join us when he experienced the ethics of Emotion Food.