Biography
Lilly Jan is a food and beverage management academic, consultant, and chef, with nearly 20 years in hospitality and foodservice, with experience across the industry in catering and events, retail, television production, and more. She currently teaches courses in food and beverage management, food culture, foodservice facility design, and hospitality leadership at Cornell University’s Hotel School.
Her research interests include food culture, restaurant culture, and career opportunities and progression for historically marginalized populations in foodservice as it relates to education, training, inclusion, cultural competency, and workplace environments.
A frequently invited speaker for executive education, conferences, and industry-related events, Jan speaks on food and restaurant trends; and food and beverage culture as it relates to women, racial and ethnic minorities, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. She served as the faculty director for James Beard Foundation’s Women Entrepreneurial Leadership Program from 2021-2024.
As a consultant, she has worked with Fortune 100 companies to craft hospitality offerings, industry NGOs to research trends, and F&B entrepreneurs having helped usher food trucks, on-demand food delivery, consumer packaged goods start-ups, and retail food stores to market.
Prior to joining Cornell, she was the director of culinary operations for Newbury College in Brookline, MA, where she also served as a faculty member and academic advisor, teaching a range of classes across culinary and hospitality management. She has also taught at Le Cordon Bleu and Boston University.
Education
PhD Iowa State University, 2018 MLA Boston University, 2012 BS Boston University, 2004
Research
- Jan, Lilly. "Rebuilding Better: Fostering a Restaurant Industry in Service of Employees"Boston Hospitality Review. (2022)
- Jan, Lilly; Coleman, Shannon; Naig, Anirudh. "Pilot Development of a Critical Food Safety Message Visual Communication Tool for Farmers' Market Vendors"Journal of Human Sciences and Extension. 9.3 (2021): 142-153
- Jan, Lilly; Naig, Anirudh. "Food allergen labeling of commonly used ingredients in Chinese restaurants in the United States"Food Control. 130 (2021): 108381
- Jan, Lilly; Naig, Anirudh. "Food Allergy Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, and Training Experiences of Employees in Chinese Restaurants"Journal of Foodservice Management and Education. 14.1 (2020): 15-24
Awards
- Faculty Teaching Recognition Award - Undergraduate Elective Fall (2026) Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration
- Faculty Teaching Recognition Award - Undergraduate Elective Spring (2024) Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration
- Ted Teng '79 Dean's Teaching Excellence Award (2022) Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration
- Teaching Honor Roll (2017 - 2019) Cornell SC Johnson College of Business
- Professional Development Grant (2018) Graduate and Professional Student Senate, Iowa State University