Building Your Alt Protein Career: Gastronomic science

Nabila Rodríguez Valerón, PhD

HEAD OF FLAVOR FERMENTATION, SUMM INGREDIENTS

Nabila Rodríguez Valerón is the Head of Flavor Fermentation at SUMM Ingredients, a Danish food-tech company developing multifunctional fermented protein ingredients that enhance taste, texture, and nutrition in plant-based foods. At SUMM, she works at the interface of microbial fermentation, flavor chemistry, and sensory science to create next-generation ingredients that simplify formulations and reduce the need for additives while improving the sensory experience of plant-centric foods.

Nabila earned her Ph.D. in Gastronomic Sciences from the Basque Culinary Center, where her research focused on the koku sensation and kokumi compounds and their role in improving palatability and reducing bitterness in sustainable and plant-based foods. Her work bridges molecular flavor science, fermentation, and gastronomy.

Her professional experience spans academic research, fine-dining innovation, and food-tech entrepreneurship, including roles at Harvard University’s Science & Cooking program, the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability (DTU Biosustain), and four years as a Gastronomic Scientist at the Michelin-starred Alchemist Restaurant in Copenhagen. Across these roles, she has explored microbial fermentation, novel ingredients, and the cultural dimensions of flavor.

Nabila is an active contributor to the scientific and gastronomic communities, with numerous peer-reviewed publications and international presentations on fermentation, flavor science, and sustainable food innovation. Through her work, she seeks to bridge science, gastronomy, and industry to develop the next generation of fermented ingredients for a more delicious and sustainable food system.