Greg Rapp Obituary

Greg Rapp attended Oakwood High School in Dayton, OH. View the obituary, post a memory, or share a photo about Greg Rapp.

Graduation Year	Class of 1976
Date of Passing	(unknown)
About	Died late 2020

Classmate Memories

Message

Alastair Kendall '76 posted a photo:

Comment

Message

Alastair Kendall '76 said:

www.GreggRappScholarship.com

Learn more about Gregg

Gregg Rapp, Menu Engineer
1958 - 2020
The restaurant industry's Original Menu Engineer--Gregg Rapp, Menu Engineer-- is and will long be remembered as the world’s leading expert on Menu Engineering. Rapp, who for 38 years dedicated himself to revolutionizing menu design and technology worldwide, sadly passed away in late 2020, after a courageous battle with cancer for more than two years.

As a lauded maverick in his field of menu design and technology, Rapp was often featured nationally at conferences, symposiums, and seminars, speaking on menu psychology, sustainability practices in food service, hospitality, culinary arts, business innovation, and public health. He spoke regularly to graduate students at Cornell University, Duke University and Culinary Institute of America. The foremost expert in his industry, he appeared on ABC, CBS and NBC as well as in Time and INC. magazines, The New York Times, Business Insider, Los Angeles Times, and The Wall Street Journal.

The list of Rapp’s clients who called on him to revamp their menus included restaurants and hotels worldwide, from small bowling alleys and diners to premium destinations - Walt Disney resorts, Spago, Caesar’s Palace, Commander’s Palace in New Orleans, Peninsula, Four Seasons and Marriott Hotels, Princess Cruises and Holland America. His thousands of clients also included numerous well-known chains, such as Subway, Olive Garden, Arby’s, Chili’s, Taco Bell, California Pizza Kitchen, TGI Friday’s, and Dave and Buster’s. A committed volunteer, Rapp also worked with the Los Angeles school district, searching for ways to make healthy lunch choices appeal to students’ appetites.

Rapp has been honored with a scholarship established at his alma mater, Washington State University, which will help fund students at WSU who are studying menu engineering and design as a career. Donations may be made at GreggRappScholarship.com or through the Washington State University Foundation for the "Gregg Rapp Menu Engineering Scholarship." Donors may also contact WSU Foundation's Gift Accounting Office at 509-335-1686 or by email at gaog@wsu.edu

Alastair Kendall '76 replied:

Looking back on Gregg's passing nearly four years ago, a sense of melancholy washes over me. Our connection, cultivated during high school and later when he reached out after my time at Cornell, was deepened by his influential guest lectures and pioneering work in menu engineering. His impact at Cornell University as a guest lecturer undoubtedly left a lasting impression, fostering a legacy that continues to inspire budding culinary enthusiasts. Though time has tempered the initial shock, his absence is a poignant reminder of his lasting influence. My heartfelt condolences go out to his loved ones as they honour his memory and the profound mark he left on the art of menu engineering.

Last reply posted April 6th, 2024