Culinary Strategy & Innovation Leader

Canteen North America; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 145,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement Plan

Associate Shopping Program

Health and Wellness Programs

Discount Marketplace

Identity Theft Protection

Pet Insurance

Voluntary Benefits

Internal Employee Referral Bonus

Pay Range: $145,000–$155,000

Job summary

Canteen North America seeks a Director of Culinary Innovation & Strategy to lead culinary vision, innovation pipeline, and programs that boost customer experience and growth. You will collaborate across Operations, Sales, Marketing, Procurement, and Culinary teams to bridge corporate strategy with field execution in Charlotte, NC.

The role requires strong leadership, culinary expertise, and a track record in product development and program standardization, along with travel to support field

Qualifications

• Culinary degree preferred or equivalent combination of education and professional culinary experience.
• Five or more years of progressive culinary, foodservice, hospitality, or food innovation experience.
• Current ServSafe certification preferred.
• Strong knowledge of culinary operations, food safety, menu development, and food trends.
• Experience leading culinary strategy, product innovation, or food program development.
• Strong presentation, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and digital collaboration tools.
• Highly organized with strong project management and multitasking abilities.
• Ability to travel regularly to support field operations, client meetings, and business initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Culinary Strategy & Innovation: Partner with senior leadership to develop and execute a best-in-class culinary strategy.
• Program Development & Standardization: Establish and maintain culinary standards, recipes, product specifications, and operational guidelines.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Serve as the primary liaison between corporate leadership and field culinary teams.
• Training & Field Support: Develop culinary training programs, onboarding materials, and tools that support field execution.
• Technology & Business Growth: Identify and evaluate technology solutions that enhance culinary operations and customer experiences.

Skills

Culinary Strategy

Leadership

Culinary Innovation

Program Development

Cross-functional Leadership

Training & Development

Data Analysis

Presentation Skills

Education

Culinary degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Digital collaboration tools

Job description

Canteen North America seeks a Director of Culinary Innovation & Strategy to lead culinary vision, innovation pipeline, and programs that boost customer experience and growth. You will collaborate across Operations, Sales, Marketing, Procurement, and Culinary teams to bridge corporate strategy with field execution in Charlotte, NC.

The role requires strong leadership, culinary expertise, and a track record in product development and program standardization, along with travel to support field