Felipe Tendick-Matesanz is a public health scientist who has focused his efforts on building participatory and community driven sustainable food systems. Â He holds a bachelors degree in Spanish literature and international business and is a 2013 Masters of Science candidate in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Tendick-Matesanz has a long history working within the food system.  He grew up the child of restaurateurs and ended up working in restaurants himself in both the front and back of the house.  This work led him to his current position as the business services and training manager of an organization called Restaurant Opportunities Center of Chicago, which is dedicated to the needs of restaurant workers. He has also lectured at several conferences on topics such as food deserts, food service worker justice, and the effects of GMO’s and pesticides on food security and health.
Tendick-Matesanz grew up in rural Illinois and spent much of his early childhood between the United States and Spain.  This experience has influenced his overarching philosophy that encompasses cooperative collaboration over isolation driven individualism.  He’s spent his entire life studying and being active within the food economy; from working in restaurants to growing food, and even brews his own beer.
Tendick-Matesanz’s experiences represent a vibrant sector of the Chicago food economy that will undoubtedly translate into a fascinating presentation.
On April 17th at the Pizza Bella Restaurant in the Roscoe Village Neighborhood, Food Tank is bringing together some of the Chicago food movement’s leading thinkers and doers for an evening of idea-driven presentations and conversation. Join us to be inspired, make connections, and eat great food, get your ticket today!
