Director of Culinary Innovation & Menu Systems

The Director of Culinary Innovation & Menu Systems leads the enterprise-wide menu strategy, culinary R&D pipeline, and system-level enablement for ingredient governance, recipe development, nutrition integration, and operational execution across all Phoenix3 brands (Restaura, Culinour, Infuse).

This role functions as the strategic architect of our menu ecosystem—responsible for developing scalable culinary innovation, overseeing enterprise recipe databases and costing systems, integrating therapeutic nutrition and regulatory requirements, and partnering cross-functionally with supply chain, procurement, dietetics, food safety, sustainability, and operations.

The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in culinary research & development, multi-unit menu lifecycle management, and nutrition-forward menu design. This leader influences without authority, drives adoption of standardized systems at scale, and ensures that menu innovation is technically sound, commercially viable, operationally executable, and aligned with brand strategy.

This is an On-site position , at our location in Waltham, MA .

Job Responsibilities

Enterprise Menu Systems Strategy

1. Lead the development, governance, and continuous optimization of enterprise-wide menu systems, standards, and frameworks.
2. Oversee recipe lifecycle management including creation, auditing, version control, costing models, SKU rationalization, and menu engineering.
3. Ensure menu platforms align across brands while supporting unique brand identities and operational constraints.

Culinary Research & Development (R&D)

1. Direct all phases of culinary R&D including ideation, prototyping, sensory evaluation, iterative refinement, and commercialization readiness.
2. Lead structured innovation sessions that explore emerging culinary trends, nutrition-forward concepts, and operational feasibility.
3. Develop product specifications and collaborate with sourcing, suppliers, and manufacturing partners to commercialize new items.

Nutrition & Dietetics Integration

1. Partner with Registered Dietitians, clinical teams, and regulatory stakeholders to ensure menus meet therapeutic, nutritional, and regulatory requirements (CMS, DOH, long-term care standards).
2. Integrate nutrition analysis tools and dietary guidelines into menu planning and recipe development processes.
3. Support therapeutic menu creation, modified diets, and diet compliance across enterprise operations.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Enablement

1. Act as the primary culinary systems leader across procurement, operations, food safety, sustainability, and brand teams.
2. Drive adoption of culinary standards, menu systems, and innovation outputs across distributed operations without direct authority.
3. Mentor culinary and menu management teams to elevate enterprise capability, consistency, and culinary excellence.

Operational & Commercial Performance

1. Ensure that new menu items and systems are operationally executable, cost-effective, scalable, and aligned with supply chain capabilities.
2. Partner with procurement and supply chain to optimize ingredient lists, reduce complexity, and improve cost structure.
3. Monitor menu performance, operational feedback, and brand adoption to inform future innovation cycles.

Collaboration & Stakeholder Integration

1. Serve as the strategic culinary partner for executive leadership and cross-brand stakeholders.
2. Communicate innovation roadmaps, menu strategies, R&D progress, and system updates to executive and field teams.
3. Provide culinary systems expertise during vendor evaluations, platform migrations, and enterprise transitions.

Job Requirements

1. Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts, Food Science, Nutrition, Dietetics, Hospitality Management, or related field required.
2. 10+ years of progressive experience in culinary R&D, enterprise menu management, menu engineering, or culinary innovation.
3. Registered Dietitian (RD) credential strongly preferred .
4. RCA certification (CCS, CRC, or CFS) preferred .
5. Demonstrated expertise in multi-unit operations, healthcare dining, senior living, hospitality groups, or contract foodservice.
6. Proven success leading menu systems across multiple brands or large-scale environments.
7. Expertise in recipe database platforms, costing systems, SKU optimization, and menu lifecycle workflows.
8. Strong knowledge of regulatory frameworks including CMS, DOH, long-term care dining, therapeutic diets, and nutrition compliance.
9. Comfortable working in culinary labs, testing environments, and commercialization partnerships.
10. Deep familiarity with ingredient sourcing, specification development, allergens, production methods, and food safety integration.
11. Demonstrated ability to lead without authority and influence cross-functional teams at enterprise scale.
12. Experience mentoring culinary teams and driving adoption of systems and innovation platforms.
13. Strong communication, facilitation, and change-management skills across diverse operational environments.
14. Must reside in the Greater Boston area or be willing to relocate within 60 days.
15. Weekly on-site collaboration with Phoenix3 leadership and cross-functional partners required.

Phoenix3 is a collection of boutique culinary and hospitality companies that leverage expertise, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to excellence to deliver consistent, brand-driven dining experiences in the sectors we serve. More information about Phoenix3 can be found at

Don’t meet ALL the requirements but think you have the ability and determination to have an impact in this role? Let us know! Data shows that diverse candidates may be less likely to apply when they do not think they meet all the job requirements, but very few successful candidates possess all the requested skills and experiences. We are a culture of learners, and we want culture accelerators who are willing to learn and grow. If you think that is you and this role fits with your career aspirations, give it a shot!