Culinary Innovation Leader, R&D & Menu Strategy

Church's Texas Chicken; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Church’s Texas Chicken is seeking a highly creative and commercially minded culinary leader to drive the next era of menu innovation. Reporting to the Vice President of Culinary & Calendar, the Senior Director of Culinary Innovation & R&D will lead the development of breakthrough menu concepts that generate guest excitement, increase frequency, and support profitable growth across the U.S.

business. This role is not about maintaining the menu—it is about creating the future of the menu.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of culinary innovation, product development, or restaurant R&D experience.
• Experience in QSR, chicken, fast casual, or highly franchised restaurant systems preferred.
• Deep understanding of flavor development, menu trends, and consumer behavior.
• Strong leadership, collaboration, and commercialization capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Build and lead a robust multi-year pipeline of LTO products and menu innovation.
• Develop breakthrough LTOs, flavor platforms, sides, desserts, beverages, and core menu enhancements.
• Translate consumer insights and food trends into commercially viable products.
• Lead concept development through testing, validation, and commercialization.
• Organize and track culinary projects, ensuring clear milestones, timelines, and accountability.
• Partner with Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Insights to ensure successful launches.
• Showcase culinary innovations with persuasive storytelling to inspire executive leadership, franchisees, investors and board members.
• Balance innovation with operational simplicity and restaurant profitability.
• Stay current with culinary trends via industry research, conferences and supplier networks.
• Collaborate with the International Culinary Team on innovation ideas, food tastings and test-kitchen management.
• Manage culinary budget including product testing and test kitchen equipment, inventory, cleaning and maintenance
• Lead and develop a team of two culinary professionals.

Skills

Culinary innovation

Leadership

Collaboration

Commercialization

Job description

Church’s Texas Chicken is seeking a highly creative and commercially minded culinary leader to drive the next era of menu innovation. Reporting to the Vice President of Culinary & Calendar, the Senior Director of Culinary Innovation & R&D will lead the development of breakthrough menu concepts that generate guest excitement, increase frequency, and support profitable growth across the U.S.

business. This role is not about maintaining the menu—it is about creating the future of the menu.