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Beyond the Lab Coats: A Journey Through Flavor, Formulas, and Life
A food scientist’s journey through flavors, formulas, careers, and the messy, meaningful process of finding purpose.
Beyond the Lab Coats blends science, storytelling, and self-discovery as José and Yelena Barbosa pull back the curtain on the food, beverage, and supplement industries while sharing the personal, corporate, and cultural lessons earned along the way.
From humble beginnings marked by uncertainty to leading R&D teams for world-class brands, the authors explore the rigorous science of formulation, the politics of innovation, the missteps that become turning points, and the humor found everywhere in between.
Equal parts memoir and industry-insider tour, this book is
Readers who love behind-the-scenes stories
Professionals navigating corporate life and change
Students entering food science & product development
Entrepreneurs seeking clarity, courage, and direction
Anyone who enjoys a thoughtful, uplifting journey of growth
With warmth, grit, and a refreshing dose of honesty, Beyond the Lab Coats reminds us that purpose isn’t found in a moment—it’s formulated over time.
Beyond the Lab Coats blends science, storytelling, and self-discovery as José and Yelena Barbosa pull back the curtain on the food, beverage, and supplement industries while sharing the personal, corporate, and cultural lessons earned along the way.
From humble beginnings marked by uncertainty to leading R&D teams for world-class brands, the authors explore the rigorous science of formulation, the politics of innovation, the missteps that become turning points, and the humor found everywhere in between.
Equal parts memoir and industry-insider tour, this book is
Readers who love behind-the-scenes stories
Professionals navigating corporate life and change
Students entering food science & product development
Entrepreneurs seeking clarity, courage, and direction
Anyone who enjoys a thoughtful, uplifting journey of growth
With warmth, grit, and a refreshing dose of honesty, Beyond the Lab Coats reminds us that purpose isn’t found in a moment—it’s formulated over time.
233 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 12, 2026
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 17, 2026
I am grateful to these former colleagues for writing this book. As a career food safety and quality assurance professional, I spent over two decades supporting and working alongside food scientists and product developers, so I relate strongly to the experiences they recount so creatively.
The most memorable part of this book is the shared experience Jose recounts of starting his career. I had blurred the memory of walking into the same company's office, probably the same month as he did. The vivid recollection brought back incredible memories for me. Thank you, Jose.
I also am thankful for the section "Misconception: Family has no place at work". It is so true that the saying "we're family" is a way to blur boundaries and justify overwork. The reframing that a company can be a community that shows us up as a family resonated strongly with me, and I used it to advocate for myself in a recent job interview.
I was so engrossed in reading through the Barbosa Resiliency Quotient (BRQ) to get the full details on a career filled with rich experiences and experiments. I scored myself at a 10.5.
I love the way the authors continually name and call out the "elephant in the room". For example, I noted the use of key giveaway phrases that AI LLM use to write. Sure enough, they admit they often use AI in their work and that it helped them write this book. And when I sometimes got confused on whose voice I was reading, even though they took special effort to label which section was written by Yelena or Jose, they come out and call the work a "dual-voice memoir" in their signature self-effacing style.
Even if I was not lucky enough to know both during their time at PepsiCo, I would find this book engaging, informative, and well worth the read. I could have used an index, though; lots of valuable tidbits to savor.
The most memorable part of this book is the shared experience Jose recounts of starting his career. I had blurred the memory of walking into the same company's office, probably the same month as he did. The vivid recollection brought back incredible memories for me. Thank you, Jose.
I also am thankful for the section "Misconception: Family has no place at work". It is so true that the saying "we're family" is a way to blur boundaries and justify overwork. The reframing that a company can be a community that shows us up as a family resonated strongly with me, and I used it to advocate for myself in a recent job interview.
I was so engrossed in reading through the Barbosa Resiliency Quotient (BRQ) to get the full details on a career filled with rich experiences and experiments. I scored myself at a 10.5.
I love the way the authors continually name and call out the "elephant in the room". For example, I noted the use of key giveaway phrases that AI LLM use to write. Sure enough, they admit they often use AI in their work and that it helped them write this book. And when I sometimes got confused on whose voice I was reading, even though they took special effort to label which section was written by Yelena or Jose, they come out and call the work a "dual-voice memoir" in their signature self-effacing style.
Even if I was not lucky enough to know both during their time at PepsiCo, I would find this book engaging, informative, and well worth the read. I could have used an index, though; lots of valuable tidbits to savor.
Displaying 1 of 1 review