As President and co-owner of Chella Foods, Chef Michael Formichella uses his 45+ years of culinary experience to direct food product development – from creating ideas, conducting research and development through the introduction of new products into the marketplace. Chef Michael has created menu solutions for many of the top 200 national foodservice operators.
From concept to plant production to kitchen execution, Chef Michael leverages an international scope of experience and disciplines to produce innovative foodservice, retail, deli, c-store and industrial products.
Prior to launching Chella Foods, Formichella was senior vice president and chief operating officer of Smithfield Innovation Group, a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods.
A Certified Master Chef, Formichella is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA). He is also a past president of Les Amis d’Escoffier Foundation and a member of Societe Culinaire Philanthropique. He was a featured chef at the Annual James Beard Foundation Awards in 2003 through 2005 in New York and has presented his skills on nationally syndicated television shows.
Formichella, his wife Kate reside in Brewster, Cape Cod. His four children are now off the payroll.