Vice President of Culinary Innovation & Development

Noodles & Company•Broomfield, CO

24d•$160,000 - $200,000•Hybrid

About The Position

As the Vice President of Culinary Innovation & Development, you differentiate the Noodles & Company brand through innovative food and beverage strategies, recipes, and platforms that engage, excite, educate, nourish, and inspire both guests and team members. You support the broader business by setting a clear culinary vision and translating it into menu experiences that balance creativity, operational execution, and financial performance. This role plays a critical part in shaping how guests experience our brand through food. You bring a deep understanding of the restaurant and food industry, culinary science, kitchen operations, and emerging trends, paired with strong business and financial acumen. You identify opportunities, develop thoughtful strategies, and evolve the menu in relevant, differentiated ways that support both brand growth and restaurant execution. At Noodles & Company, we believe great food can spark meaningful connections. That’s why we’re on a mission to reintroduce the world to noodles—not just as a meal, but as an experience worth craving. As we evolve our brand to meet the modern guest, we’re focused on creating moments that surprise, delight, and shift perceptions of what fast-casual can be. Every bowl we serve is rooted in global flavors, fresh ingredients, and intentional hospitality that makes guests feel seen and valued. Our values—We Care, We Show Pride, We Are Passionate, and We Love Life—guide how we show up for our guests, our team members, and each other.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher in Food Science, a degree from an accredited Culinary Institute, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
Minimum 10 years of food industry and kitchen experience, with at least 5 years in a senior culinary leadership role.
Proven experience developing and implementing menu strategy within a fast casual and/or casual dining environment.
Highly developed culinary creativity with a strong grasp of noodle and pasta cuisines, cooking techniques, food trends, and related global flavors.
Understanding of the history, techniques, and cultural significance of noodle and pasta cuisines.
Strong foundation in culinary science and the practical application of culinary principles.
Ability to prototype products from concept through executable menu items and reverse engineer finished products back to source ingredients.
Well-developed sense of taste, aesthetics, and value drivers in food.
Strong financial acumen, including experience with food costing, margin management, and pro forma recipe development.
Process-focused approach with comfort operating in an insight-driven development environment informed by research, testing, and feedback.
Experience working within a multi-location national restaurant brand.
Established vendor-supplier and R&D relationships supporting innovation and commercialization.
Ability to manage multiple projects under tight timelines while maintaining organization and attention to detail.
Confidence communicating with credibility across audiences, including executive leadership, teams, media, and external partners; comfortable presenting to large groups and on camera.
Experience running an efficient, productive kitchen and working closely with restaurant operations.
Ability to lead, manage, and develop culinary talent.
Thorough understanding of the commercialization process from R&D through restaurant execution.

Responsibilities

Own the end-to-end food and beverage vision, including menu strategy, optimization, ideation, development, recipes, portions, and presentation.
Partner with Marketing, Operations, Research, and Supply Chain to understand consumer trends, preferences, and competitive opportunities.
Lead the development of a compelling, relevant, and differentiated menu vision aligned to business priorities such as differentiation, demand, quality, guest appeal, margin, and choice.
Collaborate with Marketing to develop and communicate concept statements that ensure culinary integrity, operational feasibility, financial viability, and alignment with menu strategy.
Guide continuous improvement of menu items by assessing performance, diagnosing opportunity areas, and refining validated recipes.
Lead the culinary innovation pipeline by partnering with culinary teams and concept leadership to move ideas from research through development and commercialization.
Foster an environment where product innovation is consistent, disciplined, and compelling.
Collaborate in selecting high-potential ideas based on research insights and strategic direction, including new platforms and improvements to existing menu items.
Work with Supply Chain to identify, evaluate, and maintain vendor and supplier R&D relationships for sourcing appropriate, high-quality ingredients.
Partner with Operations and Training to commercialize and ensure execution readiness and consistent restaurant rollout of new products.
Develop and approve standards for portions, recipes, presentations, and execution to ensure consistent quality across restaurants.
Conduct preparation and presentation audits to validate execution.
Serve as the culinary voice of the brand, partnering with Marketing on storytelling across paid, owned, and earned media channels.
Maintain an 18-month pipeline and calendar of consumer-focused food news.
Lead administrative planning including budgeting, measurement, reporting, and documentation to support effective deployment of culinary resources and strategy.
Maintain comprehensive documentation of menu, product, and development data.

Benefits

Pay range: $160,000-$200,000 annual salary
Eligible for annual performance bonus up to 25%
Flexible paid time off
Medical, dental, and vision insurance
401(k) and stock purchase discounts
Paid maternity and paternity leaves, adoption, and surrogacy benefits
Noodles Resource Groups – inclusive communities that foster belonging, build connections, and support your personal and professional growth
Scholarship opportunities through Noodles Foundation
Monthly technology stipend
Discounts through our gift card program