The National Restaurant Association presented the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Leader to Dr. Al Baroudi, MS, Ph.D., CFS, vice president of food safety and quality assurance for The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated.

The NRA also presented the 2022 Outstanding Leader in Food Safety Award to Christina Serino, senior director for quality assurance and food safety at P.F. Chang’s.

Baroudi is founder and president of the Food Safety Institute International (FSI), has held multiple food safety leadership positions in the foodservice industry and has lectured around the globe. Baroudi regularly trains food safety auditors and inspectors for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and many state and local health agencies.

Serino has more than a decade of experience in food safety and quality assurance, including positions in private industry and in regulatory roles. At P.F. Chang’s, she oversees food safety, quality, regulatory compliance, and environmental, social and governance issues. She is essential to supporting the company’s restaurants in ensuring guests have a safe and memorable dining experience.

The Outstanding Food Safety Awards “recognize the individuals whose careers reflect consumer safety across the industry,” per the NRA. A panel of six food safety professionals evaluated the award nominations to select the honoree.