Vice President, National Restaurant Chains

Cuisine Solutions

17d•Onsite

About The Position

The Vice President of National Restaurant Chains is a senior commercial leader responsible for driving strategic growth with leading fast casual and premium restaurant chains. This role owns executive relationships with modern, chef-driven, and mission-led brands, partnering closely to support menu innovation, operational excellence, and scalable growth. The ideal candidate brings deep experience working with upscale restaurant concepts, a strong understanding of ingredient integrity and brand storytelling, and the ability to align commercial strategy with each partner's values, guest experience, and long-term vision.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Hospitality Management, or a related field; MBA preferred.
10+ years of progressive experience in sales, commercial leadership, or strategic account management within the restaurant, foodservice, or premium CPG space.
Proven experience working with upscale, fast casual, or chef-driven restaurant brands.
Strong executive presence with exceptional communication, negotiation, and relationship building skills.
Demonstrated success leading national accounts with complex operational and brand considerations.
Experience building and developing high performing teams.
Strategic, analytical, and customer centric mindset with strong attention to brand quality and execution.
Willingness to travel as needed to support customer partnerships and team leadership.

Nice To Haves

MBA preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a national strategy for upscale and fast casual restaurant partners that align with company growth objectives and brand positioning.
Serve as a trusted strategic partner to customer leadership, supporting expansion plans, menu evolution, and operational needs.
Identify high potential emerging brands and whitespace opportunities within the premium restaurant segment.
Own senior level relationships with national and multiunit upscale restaurant brands (e.g., modern Mediterranean, plant forward, chef led fast casual concepts).
Lead joint business planning, long term partnership development, and contract negotiations.
Ensure consistent value delivery, brand alignment, and customer satisfaction.
Drive profitable revenue growth through menu integration, product innovation, and strategic assortment expansion.
Partner with customers on new concept launches, limited time offerings, and menu refreshes.
Balance commercial objectives with brand standards, quality expectations, and guest experience.
Work closely with Product, Culinary, Marketing, Supply Chain, Quality, and Operations teams to deliver seamless execution for upscale brands.
Act as the voice of the customer internally, advocating for innovation, speed, and brand right solutions.
Lead, coach, and develop a high performing team supporting national and regional upscale accounts.
Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and customer centric thinking.
Set clear performance metrics and growth paths for team members.
Oversee forecasting, pipeline management, and account performance tracking.
Leverage data and insights to identify growth opportunities, mitigate risk, and inform decision making.
Stay ahead of trends in fast casual dining, clean ingredients, sustainability, supply transparency, and consumer preferences.
Bring a strong network and understanding of the operational, financial, and cultural dynamics of upscale restaurant brands.