MSU Executive Chef Brittani Ratcliff wins IFPA award
Morehead State University’s Aramark Executive Chef Brittani Ratcliff has earned one of the highest honors in the food service industry for her contributions.
The International Fresh Produce Association awarded Ratcliff a 2025 Produce Excellence in Foodservice Awards. The IFPA will hand out nine awards to the country’s leading chefs and food service professionals during The Food Service Conference from July 31 to Aug. 1 in Monterey, California.
Produce Excellence in Foodservice Awards are given to chefs and food service operations that combine innovation, creativity and excellence in utilizing fresh produce. The IFPA honored Ratcliff in its Colleges & Universities category.
Ratcliff has been MSU/Aramark's executive chef for the last five years and previously served as executive sous chef and catering chef. She has appeared as a contestant on Chef Gordon Ramsay's popular cooking competition "Hell's Kitchen" on FOX in 2021 and as a competitor on the Food Network show “Chopped” in 2023.
"Chef Brittani brings an electric energy to any kitchen she is in and has worked tremendously to highlight the culinary skills and delicacies that can be found in the Appalachian/Eastern Kentucky region," said Melody Trumbo (Class of 2022), marketing manager for Aramark Collegiate Hospitality at Morehead State.
"Chef Brittani continues to advocate for students with dietary needs and restrictions, working with them individually to provide the best, well-rounded campus dining experience. We look forward to continuing to propel our dining program into the future with the help of Chef Brittani, culinary excellence and good foods that bring good moods."
Ratcliff said she works with Piazza Produce (who nominated her for the award) to acquire locally sourced produce and meat. She said almost all of the produce MSU students enjoy comes from the state of Kentucky, and she is a huge proponent of using Kentucky Proud products in the dishes she creates for students.
"I grew up on a farm, so I like to give back when I can," she said. "I'm all about building the state that I live in."
Ratcliff said she enjoys the support she gets on campus and out in the community, where she occasionally holds cooking classes at local businesses. She said that while she gets consistent backing from Aramark to obtain quality products for her dishes with freedom in crafting student dishes, she also sees a shift in the culture surrounding food on campus based on her conversations with students.
"I do have more and more students asking me, 'What are you using local?'" Ratcliff said. "It's been on the uprise lately, which is amazing."
Ratcliff said that while she is honored to receive the award from IFPA, it is a greater honor to pass down her love of food, whether it’s staff or student workers learning new cooking techniques or Eagles enjoying a fresh plate of food prepared with passion behind it.
"I think it's the creativity. I get to bring creativity to campus and then spread that creativity to our staff," Ratcliff said. "That's a pretty cool aspect of this job."
For more information on MSU Dining Services, visit morehead.campusdish.com.
