Meet our Accelerator Team
We’re builders, operators, and strategists — here to help you scale.
We’ve spent the last decade growing Union Kitchen into the best Food Business Accelerator that helps founders scale to $1M+ in sales — faster, smarter, and with stronger margins.
👋 Meet the team that makes it happen.
Cullen Gilchrist
Founder & CEO
Cullen Gilchrist is the Founder and CEO of Union Kitchen and General Partner of Union Kitchen Fund 1 (UKF1), an investment fund backing early stage food brands. He's advised hundreds of food companies using Union Kitchen's manufacturing-first, phased approach to scaling food businesses including Compass Coffee, WTRMLN WTR, and Snacklins.
Cullen is also a Partner at District Distribution and an Entrepreneur in Residence at Cornell University.
His work has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, the Washington Post, and PBS tasteMAKERS. He's also appeared on leading industry podcasts like Taste Radio, Foodboro, the DMV Business Show, Compass Natural's, Startup Handler, and The Big Food Talk.
Cullen is a regular speaker at Natural Products Expo West, the Good Food Awards, Shared Kitchen Summit, and DC Startup Week.
Connect with Cullen on Linkedin
Elena Gonzalez
Senior Vice President
Elena Gonzalez is the Senior Vice President at Union Kitchen and Fund Manager for UKF1. Her work defines the company's roadmap, sets the vision, and leads execution across the Union Kitchen ecosystem — Stores, Distribution, and Manufacturing — ensuring every brand scales with focus and purpose.
Her insights have been featured in Packaging Digest, Interact Brands, GoSolo, and leading podcasts like Food & Beverage Talk, Winning at Work, and Mindset Startup Academy.
Elena is a frequent speaker and judge at Natural Products Expo West, Good Food Awards, and GW New Venture Competition. She also serves on the Advisory Committee for the University of Richmond’s School of Professional & Continuing Studies.
Connect with Elena on Linkedin
Barney Rubin
Accelerator Director
Barney Rubin is our in-house expert on food safety, manufacturing, and technical operations. He holds HACCP, GMP, and PCQI certifications and has guided hundreds of food businesses through the complex process of scaling production — safely, compliantly, and efficiently.
From building shelf life plans and selecting packaging to designing manufacturing workflows and navigating regulatory approvals, Barney ensures founders launch with the right systems in place. He helps companies build operations that are not only functional but scalable and profitable.
Connect with Barney on Linkedin
Pablo Bravo Olle
Memberships Director
Pablo helps food founders drive sales — from day one and at every stage of growth. He specializes in building go-to-market strategies, securing retail placements, engaging with the broader community, and generating momentum across key accounts.
He's led tasting opportunities and trade shows with accounts like Whole Foods Market, GoPuff, and Giant Foods. Pablo brings a data-driven approach to every growth challenge — helping founders focus on what’s working and double down.
Connect with Pablo on Linkedin