Unfiltered: Beyond the Kitchen

​What happens when the kitchen is only the beginning?

​"Unfiltered" is KiCo's series of honest conversations about the food industry and the real challenges of building a career in it. This edition focuses on chefs whose culinary training and out-of-the-box thinking led them to realize there's more space for their skills than the four walls of a kitchen.

​Join moderator Furqan Meerza (Senior Innovation Chef, Kraft Heinz; founder of Fugitive Chefs) for a candid conversation with Ernesto Vecilla (Head of Culinary Innovation, Nourish Ingredients) and Abir Lakehal (Head Chef, Bayonne Restobar; founder of Baked by Abir) — fine dining, food tech, and brand-building, all from chefs who've lived it.

​This one's for you if:

• ​you're a chef or culinary professional wondering what a career beyond the kitchen could actually look like

• ​you're building a food business and want to understand why culinary touch and artistry matter, even if you've never worked a line

• ​you want to connect with founders, chefs, and other people building in the food industry

​Join us to hear Ernesto, Furqan, and Abir on translating culinary skill into food tech, product innovation, and brand-building without losing the craft that got them there.