Yesway Creates Culinary Innovation & Research Chef Role

DES MOINES, Iowa — Yesway has added Carlos Acevedo to its team as the convenience store chain's culinary innovation and research chef, a newly created role.

Acevedo will be responsible for identifying current and forward-looking food trends, driving new food initiatives for the company and creating food concepts unique to the Yesway brand, the company said.

"We are pleased to welcome Carlos to the Yesway team and know that his extensive and diverse culinary experience will be a tremendous asset to our growing chain," said Yesway Chairman and CEO Thomas Nicholas Trkla. "With his background and passion for creating exciting food offerings and distinctive recipes, we are confident he will entice our customers to say 'yes' to Yesway's food selections."

Acevedo spent years working as a chef and recipe developer, and was recently the test kitchen director for Grey Dog Media, overseeing recipe development for custom food magazines.

Additionally, Acevedo has served as the restaurant critic for The Des Moines Register; senior food editor at Better Homes & Gardens; food editor for Cuisine at Home Magazine; and as a chef at restaurants in New York City and Washington state. He was also a staff sergeant in the Air National Guard and served with the U.S. Coast Guard Search and Rescue.

He holds a bachelor's degree in culinary arts from The Culinary Institute of America and a bachelor's degree in journalism with honors from Eastern Washington University.

West Des Moines-based Yesway is the operating brand for BW Gas & Convenience. BW Gas is a division of Beverly, Mass.-based Brookwood Financial Partners. Yesway operates 32 c-stores in Iowa; 5 in Kansas; 2 in Oklahoma; and 31 in Texas as of Aug. 28.