Culinary Development, Associate Manager

Inspire•Atlanta, GA

About The Position

Supports the Culinary Development Team’s workstreams by executing product preparation and kitchen testing. Responsible for delivery / planning of product development food showings, special events, Inspire and AFA Board meetings, CLT’s, Executive Team meetings, focus group taste panels, and agency showings. Owns day-to-day product preparation, product ordering / inventory within Jimmy John’s areas of Inspire Test Kitchen. Lead execution of assigned new product development menu items, equipment / smallwares, and processes to support Jimmy John’s Culinary Team objectives. Culinary plays a critical role in advancing the brand’s strategy and long term growth – we win through high-quality ingredients and flawless execution that guests can count on every time. Inspire is a multi-brand restaurant company whose portfolio includes more than 33,000 Arby’s, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin’, Jimmy John’s, and SONIC restaurants worldwide. We’re made up of some of the world’s most iconic restaurant brands, but we’re much more than just a restaurant company. We’re a team of hundreds of thousands who individually and collectively are changing the way people eat, drink, and gather around the table. We know that food is much more than a staple—it’s an experience. At Inspire, that’s our purpose: to ignite and nourish flavorful experiences. Inspire is a multi-brand restaurant company whose portfolio includes more than 33,000 Arby’s, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin’, Jimmy John’s, and SONIC restaurants across nearly 60 global markets. In an industry facing increasing disruption, our leaders saw an opportunity to build a restaurant company unlike any other – one that brings together differentiated yet complementary brands and aims to make them stronger than they would be on their own. Found inherently in the purposes of our family of brands, we identified a common thread between our restaurants – the capacity to inspire. From guest experience to career development to community well-being, Inspire plays a role in the lives of millions of people every day. Our brands are diverse, distinctive, and fan favorites. In a sense, you could say we seek those who provide something different than the norm.

Requirements

Passion for Food & Culinary Arts – deep interest in food and flavors
Collaboration – ability to work collaboratively across teams of varying backgrounds
Strategy & program development – ability to take idea to execution, while managing multiple priorities
Strong organization – balance multiple priorities, keep timelines & records, clear written & verbal communication
Thrives in ambiguity – ability to multi-task and move quickly on tight timelines while maintaining strong work product & quality standards.
Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)

Responsibilities

Provide project support for Culinary Development Team
Conduct organoleptic evaluations of test and production samples as assigned.
Assist in the execution of product presentations for key stakeholders.
Assist in the planning and execution of food preparation for product showings.
Plan, execute, and disseminate information from analytical studies of test products. This includes cook temperature studies, product size / weight studies, recipe portioning studies, and the measurement of other key product attributes as assigned.
Manage and maintain Jimmy John’s test kitchen storage areas for product availability, ease of access, organization, and shelf life.
Manage and facilitate all Product Development special events and product showings for internal stake holders to include but not limited to Inspire Board, executive team, agency reviews, merchandising / ops reviews, company special events, pre-production showings for photo shoots and TV commercials. Manage and organize labor needs for each event and manage team and the execution in the venue.
Manage the setup of Test Kitchen or special facilities for food showings.
Responsible for management of special food ordering requests for the test kitchen for product showings, taste panels, and photo shoots.
Train event staff and other Culinary Team members for special events/cuttings.
Manage and execute Product Development external special events and product showings for all external stakeholders to include but not limited to CLT’s, Focus Groups, Franchise Convention / Conference, photo shoots, TV commercials, and Agency Showings. Manage and organize labor needs for each event and manage team for the execution at each facility.
Review Marketing team and Culinary Team prep sheet order guides and ensure correct product is being ordered for all external events.
Manage and train event staff and other Culinary Team members for external events / cuttings.
Culinary innovation & product development, including core menu and LTO innovation.
Partner with cross-functional teams throughout the innovation process, including concept/ideation, product development, in-market testing & commercialization for system launch.
Inspires the team to push boundaries and strives to create the first in class, best in class and/or only products of target category offered in QSR.
Responsible for translating culinary briefs into product innovation that drives new guest acquisition and industry-leading guest satisfaction.
Work with Insights Team to conduct consumer/guest research to understand consumer needs & product optimization, including execution/preparation of product for testing.
Work with vendor partners to develop new products from concept to prototype, prototype to costed commercially viable sample, and through system commercialization process.
Research culinary trends and competitive innovation Includes 20% travel for Supplier visits, Industry Events, Research & Culinary Tours, Brand Events