Inspired by Science and The Social Power of Food: Meet Our Newest Culinoloist III, Yen Trinh
Yen Trinh is a food scientist who is passionate about food, flavor, and culinary skills. She not only understands chemistry, formulation, and nutrition—but she also loves sharing delicious food with other people and believes in the power of food to bring people together.
“I'm very passionate about food,” says the newest Culinologist III at CuliNEX. “Growing up, food has been the center of every gathering,” says Yen. Her parents cooked frequently at home. “I was always in the kitchen with them,” she says. Her father also worked in the restaurant industry.
Her love for food and appreciation for its connecting power inspired Yen to pursue a culinary career. She chose food science after seeing how taxing restaurant work was for her father. “Being able to find a career that offers flexibility but still has a creative outlet was really important for me,” says Yen.
Yen graduated from Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Technology. From there she became a product developer for a co-manufacturer for retorted products, which are foods that have been sealed in a pouch or container and then subjected to high-temperature and pressure sterilization.
Yen later moved into a food scientist role at Oregon Freeze Dry Foods in Albany, Oregon. There, she specialized in military product development. An important part of this work involved cost saving projects, which gave her a versatile skill set. She also helped develop tasty products for the Mountain House brand for campers, hikers, adventurers, and those preparing for emergencies.
“One of the most exciting things is to experience the full spectrum of the project,” says Yen. Yen values the big-picture nature of seeing a project develop at the start and come to fulfillment. “I like the whole process of developing a new product,” she says. “I just find it very satisfying once you see the actual finished product on the shelf.”
Yen appreciates the opportunity to be part of a project from start to finish. During her time at Oregon State, Yen held a technical lab assistant position where she processed a variety of berries and green beans. “The development process for that was about eight to 12 years before you could even see the differences in the modified seeds,” she says. That turn-around time was longer than ideal for Yen. Happily, the research and development cycle for food products at CuliNEX—from benchtop development to commercialization—can be as short as six months. Even if projects last a few years, that’s a more comfortable cadence for Yen to address a client’s problem and develop a solution.
Yen understands that developing successful foods takes contributions that are informed by science—and enriched by collaboration. Sharing ideas with colleagues and solving problems for clients are key parts of the job for Yen. “I enjoy collaborating with a team,” she says. “I'm excited to be able to dive into a client-based environment.”
At CuliNEX, Yen will work on a variety of projects and food categories including beverages, frozen foods, and consumer packaged foods. She is also looking forward to including Clean Label ingredients and sustainable processes in all her work at CuliNEX. “A lot of my food experience is with Clean Label and non-GMO Projects,” she says. “I have touched base on a few organic formulations.” In her new position she will help develop Clean Label products with authentic textures and satisfying taste not just to meet nutritional goals, but to ensure those meals bring people joy and foster inclusion.
A food scientist who also values the power of flavor and the social connections of food, Yen Trinh brings a rare blend of analytical precision and human qualities to her work. While grounded in science, she also understands that food is so much more. It’s a medium for connection, enjoyment, and shared experience. Yen’s work extends beyond the bench, it’s infused with a passion for crafting flavors that resonate with people and bring them together.
