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Salted

Holding company for delivery-focused ghost kitchens

Vice President of Culinary

Full-Time
$180k - $220k/yr+ Stock Options
Expert
Los Angeles, CA, USA
In PersonMust be based in the Los Angeles area, with some travel to kitchens around the United States.
Food Service & HospitalityCulinary & Kitchen Production

About the job

Requirements
  • At least 10 years of experience working in a quick-service restaurant or fast-food industry culinary role.
  • Deep understanding of ensuring culinary consistency at national scale.
  • Ability to translate customer ratings, PMIX, and cost-of-goods data into actionable menu improvements.
  • A test-and-learn-oriented mindset.
  • Effective planning ability with attention to details and big-picture strategy.
  • Knowledge of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, standard operating procedures, and government and industry food safety and quality regulations, codes, and standards.
  • Proven ability to collaborate with other departments, proactively identify problems and opportunities, and take ownership of deadlines and deliverables.
  • Must be based in the Los Angeles area with some flexibility to travel to kitchens around the United States.
Responsibilities
  • Define and execute a cohesive culinary roadmap aligned with Salted’s brand positioning and long-term business goals.
  • Maximize the culinary offerings of core brand menus as the brands scale.
  • Lead the research and development pipeline for new and core brands, testing one to two new brands monthly from the Test Kitchen.
  • Develop and execute a limited-time-offer strategy balancing culinary innovation with the constraints and benefits of small, high-volume footprints.
  • Use data to optimize product mix for financial results and customer frequency.
  • Serve as the culinary voice to partners and the executive team by presenting data-backed menu strategies that drive growth.
  • Research supplier opportunities to reduce costs and improve ingredient quality.
  • Collaborate with Operations to establish and enforce standards for preparation, presentation, and food safety.
  • Partner with Marketing, Operations, and Technology teams to ensure launches are promoted effectively and executed in every kitchen.
  • Lead the culinary team.
  • Identify unmet customer needs and emerging trends to keep Salted competitive.

About the company

Salted builds and runs a portfolio of health-focused, delivery-centric restaurant brands designed for ghost kitchens and pickup, reducing the need for traditional dine-in locations. It operates centralized, tech-enabled kitchens and uses saltedOS, a full-stack platform that coordinates supply, quality control, and marketing, while monitoring operations with data analytics and in-kitchen cameras. The brands, such as Moonbowls, Califlower Pizza, Ginger Bowls, Lulubowls, Thrive Kitchen, and the $5 Salad Company, are designed to appeal to gluten-free and plant-forward trends and are sold through major delivery apps and direct online ordering. Salted differentiates itself by managing multiple brands under one tech-enabled platform and pursuing national expansion through ghost kitchens, with a goal to scale new restaurant concepts outside traditional brick-and-mortar locations.

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

Series B

Total Funding

$44M

Headquarters

Los Angeles, California

Founded

2014

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Salted's September 2026 footprint expands to nine U.S. cities.
  • The September 22, 2026 brands page adds XENiA, zuzubowls, and Thrive Protein Bowls.
  • Its $14 million Series B from Creadev and Proof Ventures funds expansion.

What critics are saying

  • DoorDash and Uber Eats set Salted's customer acquisition costs and take-rate pressure.
  • Ghost-kitchen competitors copy Moonbowls faster than Salted opens new markets.
  • Any delivery-platform policy change can strand Salted's entire 2027 revenue base.

What makes Salted unique

  • SaltedOS centralizes supply chain, quality control, and marketing across ghost kitchens.
  • Six brands, including Moonbowls and Califlower Pizza, target gluten-free and plant-forward diners.
  • September 2026 openings span Austin, Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus, Philadelphia, and New York.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • 401(k) Company Match
  • Meal Benefits
  • Paid Sick Leave
  • Employee Referral Bonus

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

-1%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

0%
LA Tech Watch
Oct 18th, 2023
The LA TechWatch Startup Daily Funding Report: 10/18/2023

Salted, a platform for developing quick service restaurant brands, has raised $14M in Series B funding from investors that include Creadev, Proof Ventures, and B. Riley Financial.

TechCrunch
Oct 17th, 2023
Salted spices up its QSR brands with $14M, new Mediterranean-style restaurant | TechCrunch

The Los Angeles-based company has created six brands since the company was founded in 2014, including moonbowls and lulubowls.

TechCrunch
Oct 29th, 2021
Creadev seasons Salted with new funding for its QSR brands | TechCrunch

Salted created six brands so far, including moonbowls, Califlower Pizza and lulubowls, and serves food from Chinese takeout to pizza to salads.