Ellen Chen

Ellen Chen- Co-Founder and Board Member of Mendocino Farms,  Investor/Advisor

Since stepping down from the “day to day” of running Mendocino Farms, a premium fast casual gourmet sandwich and salad concept that she co-founded in 2005, Ellen has focused her time, energy and passion supporting female and minority founded businesses.  Ellen is using her twenty years of experience growing food brands to help early-stage founders understand their purpose, operationalize their values, get the resources they need and hopefully avoid some of the mistakes she made.
Ellen continues to offer the restaurant group a big business perspective with an entrepreneur's passion. In 2016 Nation’s Restaurant News included her on their annual Power List, and 2020 Nation’s Restaurant News named her the 50 most influential women in foodservice.    She sits on the Board of Directors of Mendocino Farms and Sugared + Bronzed as well as Advisor to Zitti, Curbit, Womaness and Vibrant Funds. She believes strongly in a need to give back to her community and is a Founding Board Member of Teach AAPI and AAPI LA an initiative launched by the Mayor’s office in Los Angeles.