About the Role: The VP, Culinary leads Subway's U.S. culinary strategy and serves as the brand's senior voice on food, owning the menu vision and multi-year roadmap. Partners with the innovation team, which owns the innovation pipeline, to bring new products from ideation through national rollout. Builds and leads the culinary team and test kitchen, and partners with Marketing, Supply Chain, Operations, Finance, and Franchise Leadership to deliver craveable, differentiated food that is practical to execute in U.S. restaurants at scale.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to: - Culinary Vision & Menu Strategy: Define Subway's U.S. culinary point of view and own the multi-year U.S. menu roadmap, core menu stewardship, and menu architecture, balancing craveability, differentiation, operational feasibility, and margin.
- Innovation Partnership & Product Development: Partner with the innovation team, which owns the innovation pipeline, to develop new products, LTOs, and core menu evolutions for the U.S. market, leading culinary development from recipe development and costing through national rollout.
- Test Kitchen, Recipe Development & Consumer Testing: Lead the test kitchen and R&D function, setting the standard for culinary craft and speed to prototype, and use sensory, consumer, and in-market testing in the U.S. to make disciplined go / no-go decisions.
- Marketing Partnership & Culinary Storytelling: Partner with Marketing on U.S. platforms, campaigns, and food content so product claims and imagery reflect what guests receive; act as Subway's credible culinary voice and lead culinary partnerships and collaborations.
- Supply Chain, Cost & Operational Execution: Work with Supply Chain on U.S. sourcing, availability, and cost, and with Operations and Franchisee Leadership on feasibility, training, and launch readiness; apply menu engineering and track post-launch performance.
- National Licensee Culinary Support: Provide culinary guidance and localization support to U.S. markets and licensees, protecting core brand standards while allowing regional relevance across the U.S..
- Leadership, Team & Budget Management: Build and develop the culinary organization, own the culinary budget (R&D, test kitchen, consumer testing, staffing), and advise the CMO and executive team on U.S. menu strategy, innovation, and readiness.
Qualifications: - Bachelor's Degree in Culinary Arts, Food Science, or a related field (preferred).
- Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in culinary and menu development, ideally within a multi-unit restaurant, QSR, or CPG food environment
- 5+ years leading culinary, R&D, or product development teams including building and developing chefs, product developers, and program leads.
- Track record of leading national product launches from concept through restaurant execution
- Hands-on culinary credibility with a strong portfolio of successful, differentiated menu innovations
- Recipe costing and menu engineering skills that balance flavor with operational and margin realities
- Strong executive presence and communication skills; able to represent culinary priorities with the CMO, executive team, and franchisee leadership
- Proven ability to lead through influence across Marketing, Supply Chain, Operations, and Finance
- Commercial acumen, linking culinary decisions to business results
- Experience operating within a franchise system, balancing brand standards with franchisee economics and operational reality strongly preferred
- Culinary credential (e.g., CEC, CCE) or advanced degree
- Baking science expertise with an emphasis on bread; pizza, donut, or other dough-based product backgrounds are equally relevant
- Experience building and leading high-performing, geographically distributed teams
- Experience with regional menu localization and licensee or partner markets
- Compelling storyteller and spokesperson for Subway food in internal and external settings
What do we Offer? - Insurance Plans (Medical/Dental/Vision/Life)
Actual pay is determined based on a number of job-related factors including skills, education, training, credentials, qualifications, scope and complexity of role responsibilities, geographic location, performance, and working conditions.
Job Details - Employment Indicator: Regular
