Lifespice Welcomes Ivan Raya Cortes as
Mix Technician
CHICAGO, IL, SEPTEMBER 18, 2025
We’re excited to welcome Ivan Raya Cortes to the LifeSpice team as our newest Mix Technician! We’re thrilled to have his fresh perspective and curious nature on our team.
Ivan is a Chicago native whose passion for food began during his time as a food runner at Trivoli Tavern. There, Ivan was exposed to diverse flavor profiles and artistic presentations, sparking his curiosity and encouraging him to view food as an art form. In addition to food running, Ivan also worked as a forklift operator, where he was responsible for managing inventory and ensuring order accuracy.
As a Mix Technician, Ivan collaborates closely with our R&D and Quality teams to ensure that seasonings are blended precisely whilst maintaining clear communication and a clean, organized lab environment. So far, Ivan appreciates how supportive the team has been, helping him feel confident and making the lab a stress-free space to learn.
Although Ivan is new to seasoning development, he’s eagerly embraced the opportunity to dive deeper into the culinary world. Since taking on this role, Ivan has enjoyed gaining hands-on experience and hopes to create dishes and seasoning blends of his own one day. Fun fact: Ivan’s latest endeavor has been to master his filet mignon recipe.
Outside of work, Ivan is an aspiring tattoo artist, passionate about sketching and all things creative. He’s noticed surprising similarities between his role as a Mix Technician and as a tattoo artist because both require serious attention to detail; even the tiniest detail can make all the difference.
In his free time, Ivan enjoys going to the gym, spending time with loved ones, and playing pool. If you’re looking for a new pool bar to try out in Chicago, Ivan’s favorite spot is City Pool Hall & Sports Bar.
Welcome to the team, Ivan! We’re so glad to have you on board!
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LifeSpice Ingredients is an innovator, developer, and manufacturer of proprietary seasoning blends for the food industry. Founded in 2009, LifeSpice balances culinary arts and food when developing new products. This balanced team approach allows LifeSpice to deliver functional products with rich, innovative flavor profiles from their facilities in the US, Brazil, and New Zealand. LifeSpice’s global vision caters to the ever-changing market and evolving consumer taste trends.
Contact:
Casey Claflin
Marketing Manager
LifeSpice Ingredients
D: 312-741-5271