Chris Rivard

Chris came to the University of Vermont thinking that he’d study medicine, and then… well, his story took an unexpected turn. Instead of becoming a doctor, he wound up as a Flavor Guru at Ben & Jerry’s. How the heck did that happen? “I had a terrible bedside manner,” he told us. “But I loved studying the science of people and nutrition.” We (and his patients!) are happy that he turned toward food. He developed a serious passion for discovering new and fun flavors along the way, which he’s been indulging ever since coming to Ben & Jerry’s in 2011. “I love to eat food, make food, and play with food,” he says, which explains why he’s been such a good fit. While he’s proud of his achievements as a Guru in creating Rockin’ Blondies, Boom Chocolatta Cookie Core, Pint Slices, Save Our Swirled, and all the fun flavors in Japan, his favorite part of the job is finding inspiration in travel and unexpected flavor combinations. Remembering a trip to Tokyo, he told us that “jasmine ice cream with salted seaweed in the heart of Tokyo really gets the creativity flowing.” We can’t wait to see what flavors he comes up with next.