Flavour Talks

We are thrilled to publish our first podcast in Chinese: Please meet Yi Fengping, Ph.D., Professor and doctoral supervisor at Shanghai Institute of Technology. She joined the university in 2005. Since 2010, as the head of the Flavor & Fragrance Technology and Engineering Department, she has witnessed the professional development from undergraduate to master's and doctoral stages. The discipline has now become a leading educational and research hub in China for systematically cultivating technical talents in the Flavor & Fragrance field. With profound expertise and strong capabilities, it has been recognized as a national first-class undergraduate major, enjoying high influence nationwide and globally, earning titles such as "Cradle of Chinese Perfumers" and "Key Industrialization Base for Flavor & Fragrance Cosmetics Scientific Achievements in China." Since 2010, she has been regarded as a flavor & fragrance specialist in China's Flavor & Fragrance industry. With a strong academic background—graduated from the Applied Chemistry program at East China University of Science and Technology—her achievements include winning the Shanghai Teaching Achievement Award (Grand Prize), Shanghai Education System March 8th Red Flag Bearer, Shanghai Talent Award, Shanghai Institute of Technology Teaching Celebrity, and Shanghai Institute of Technology "Teacher of My Heart." She currently serves as the head of the Flavor & Fragrance Technology and Engineering major.
Host: Zhengyong Yan, Michel Aubanel, Music: Aidan Kirkwood, Editing: Yusuf Toprak, Publishing: Ján Peťka

Jean Mane is the former president of V. MANE FILS SAS, one of the global leaders in the flavour and fragrance industry. Under his leadership, which began in 1995, the company underwent a period of innovation and international expansion, establishing itself as # 5 in the Industry.
Recognised as a European flavour expert since 1984, Jean Mane has a strong academic background in chemical engineering from two Parisian universities and in synthetic organic chemistry from MIT. He has previously served as president of the International Organisation of the Flavour Industry (IOFI), the European Flavour Association (EFFA) and Syndicat National des Industries Aromatiques Alimentaires (SNIAA) in France.
His achievements include receiving two of the highest French knighthoods: the Légion d’Honneur and the Ordre National du Mérite. He has also received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the International Spice Conference and was named Entrepreneur of the Year 2011 for France by EY. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board and Managing Director at MANE KANCOR.
Host: Trevor Groome, Michel Aubanel, Séan Ryan, Music: Aidan Kirkwood, Editing: Mark Millward, Publishing: Ján Peťka

Ready for another episode en français? Well, here it is! Michel Aubanel interviewed Gérard Bruneau, an experienced flavourist who worked for Robertet, Mero and Kerry throughout his career. They discussed his journey into flavour creation and touched on various aspects of a flavourist's work, answering even some questions from his peers. We will publish an excerpt from this interview in the next issue of our magazine, New Flavourist.
Host: Michel Aubanel, Music: Aidan Kirkwood, Editing: Britta Nobis, Publishing: Ján Peťka

Our next guest is Ryan Ponquett. Ryan has a degree in Chemistry, a master’s degree in Organic Chemistry and completed four years post-graduate studies in Plant Biochemistry at the University of Natal in South Africa. He co-founded the flavour company FlavourCraft and was CEO and Technical Director for more than 20 years until it was acquired by Kerry in 2012. Ryan is a former President of the South African Association for Food Science and Technology (SAAFoST), he is an experienced flavourist and is former Kerry’s VP for Taste and Innovation for the EMEA region, now with TaystOvation and Nova Genetics.
Host: Trevor Groome, Séan Ryan, Michel Aubanel, Carmen Schultejans, Music: Aidan Kirkwood, Editing: Maria Palassarou, Publishing: Ján Peťka

Join us for a virtual walk through the olfactory world of Caro Verbeek, who shows us how our sense of smell deeply affects our sensory experiences of Art, History, Music, Memory and Emotion. This fascinating discussion gets dangerously philosophical as it explores our very human experience of the world around us.
Caro Verbeek is an embedded researcher of olfactory heritage at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Rijksmuseum and International Flavours & Fragrances. Trained as an art historian, she specialises in sensory art and education in museums, art academies and universities. She has 10+ years of experience curating exhibitions and conserving collections (prints, drawings and scents). 
Host: Trevor Groome, Music: Aidan Kirkwood, Editing: Mark Millward, Publishing: Ján Peťka