Verbally Effective

Ali Manning is a food scientist, author, and the CEO/Founder of Umami Food Consulting, LLC. She is the creator of Food Science 4 Kids, a program that teaches grade-school children food science education and allows them to perform hands-on activities that enrich their daily lives. Ali is also the Program Consultant with Project Green Fork (a local restaurant sustainability program) within the Clean Memphis organization, which provides resources and support to help “food-prenuers” reduce waste in all areas of their operations. Ali recently premiered as a competitor on Netflix's latest show, Snack vs. Chef, and is a 2023 Comcast Rise grant recipient. She published her first children's book, "Can I Play with My Food?" in February 2022, inspired by her sister Alexis who has Down’s Syndrome. Ali is a graduate of Alabama A&M University and a Huntsville, AL native, but after being a transplant for nearly 14 years, she considers Memphis her home. She is married to her husband, Brian Manning, and they live with their