The USA Rice Federation has announced two new chef ambassadors – British-Chinese chef, YouTuber and TV presenter Jeremy Pang, and MasterChef: The Professionals semi-finalist and West African chef William Chilila. As ambassadors for USA Rice’s UK marketing campaign, Pang and Chilila will take part in a 4-week UK trade roadshow in September, support with recipe creation and appear on USA Rice’s Instagram and Facebook channels, championing the versatility, quality and sustainability credentials of U.S grown ric
Jeremy Pang is the founder of School of Wok cookery school in Covent Garden, with a strong track record of food education across TV and live cookery experiences. He also hosts a popular YouTube channel with over half a million followers, sharing modern Chinese cooking with teaching and interactive elements. Meanwhile, William Chilila is a MasterChef: The Professionals semi-finalist and rising voice in UK food content.
The ambassador programme forms part of USA Rice’s wider marketing campaign in the UK, which was launched earlier this year to strengthen awareness and preference for U.S. rice. The campaign includes trade marketing, consumer PR, industry exhibitions, wholesaler engagement, roadshows, influencer partnerships and social media activity.
The UK remains the largest export market for U.S. grown rice in Europe, with U.S. rice sales increasing year on year by around 14% in volume terms to approximately 20,800 metric tonnes, with an export value of around $15.4 million in 2025. Through the ambassador programme, USA Rice aims to further engage key audiences by highlighting the culinary versatility, consistency and quality of U.S. rice across a range of cuisines and dining occasions.
Speaking about the ambassador appointments, Eszter Somogyi, Director for Europe, Middle East and Africa at USA Rice, said: “We are delighted to welcome Jeremy Pang and William Chilila as ambassadors for USA Rice in the UK. Both are highly respected voices within the food industry and bring a wealth of culinary expertise and creativity to the campaign. Their passion for cooking and ability to connect with a wide range of audiences makes them ideal partners to help us showcase the many benefits of U.S. grown rice and I’m excited to see the campaign come to life with their support.”
Jeremy Pang, chef, author and founder of School of Wok, commented: “Rice is a fundamental ingredient in so many of the dishes I love to cook. Quality and consistency are incredibly important in the kitchen, and U.S. grown rice offers both. Through this partnership, I’m looking forward to sharing new recipe inspiration and demonstrating the versatility of U.S. grown rice to both industry professionals and home cooks alike.”
William Chilila, chef and food content creator and MasterChef: The Professionals semi-finalist, added: “As a chef, I’m always looking for ingredients that deliver great flavour, performance and versatility, and rice is one of the most important staples in any kitchen. I’m excited to be partnering with USA Rice and helping to showcase the quality and adaptability of U.S. grown rice, and encourage more people to explore the potential of rice in our kitchens.”
For more information about USA Rice, visit www.usarice.co.uk
