Former FDA Deputy Commissioner Frank Yiannas Moves to Chipotle

Chipotle Mexican Grill has appointed Frank Yiannas to the company's Food Safety Advisory Council.

Most recently serving as the Deputy Commissioner at the FDA, Yiannas will join a group of independent experts commissioned to ensure Chipotle's food safety standards continue to evolve and serve as best practices for the restaurant industry.  

Chipotle is committed to pursuing the highest level of excellence in food safety for its guests and employees. In 2016, Chipotle established the Food Safety Advisory Council to complement the company's internal Food Safety team and combine the best thinking from inside and outside the company in our pursuit of continuous improvement and performance excellence. Yiannas joins fellow industry experts Dr. David Acheson, M.D., former FDA Associate Commissioner of Foods; Dr. Elisabeth Hagen, M.D., former US Department of Agriculture under secretary for Food Safety; Dr. Hal King, Ph.D., former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) research scientist and director of Food Safety with Chick-fil-A; and Dr. James Marsden, Ph. D., former head of Food Safety at Chipotle and distinguished professor.

"In order to make sure our food safety culture and programs are as robust as possible, it's critical to supplement our internal expertise with independent external guidance," said Kerry Bridges, vice president of Food Safety at Chipotle. "Frank's vast experience with the FDA and other large brands will help guarantee Chipotle's food safety standards continue to be best-in-class."

Yiannas served under two administrations as the Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response at the FDA from 2018 to 2023, after spending 30 years in leadership roles with Walmart and the Walt Disney Co.

"I'm delighted to join and collaborate with some of the nation's foremost food safety authorities and serve on Chipotle's Food Safety Advisory Council," said Yiannas. "I look forward to lending my experience to a company committed to 'cultivating a better world' that benefits people and the planet."