Brian Brindza has been named director of menu and culinary development for Toppers Pizza, the pizza delivery franchise based in Whitewater, Wisconsin.
The role, which has never been filled in-house before, was established “to solidify Toppers’ unique menu and continue to drive the brand forward in an out-of-the-box way,” the company said in a press release.
Chef Brindza will focus on culinary product development, creative food innovation, and food marketing for Toppers, which has nearly 80 locations. Brindza has been bringing new products to market with global food manufacturing companies, leaders in consumer packaged goods, and top national restaurant chains, both domestically and internationally, for some time.
“When Toppers reached out, I was very intrigued,” Brindza said. “I’ve really wanted to take full ownership of menu innovation for a larger operator, and that opportunity is available to me here. The brand is positioned for growth, and I love the culture and people, so it’s a really exciting place to be.”
Related: Same-store sales climbed by 7.2% for Toppers Pizza in 2022
In his new role, Brindza said he looks forward to creating a culture of “culinary-driven innovation and product development.” By creating new Stage Gate menu innovation processes, the concept plans to elevate its menu offerings and solidify its reputation in the QSR space.
“I plan to elevate the menu by putting even more emphasis on menu research and insights to give our customers just what they want,” Brindza said. “When we find the right unique ingredients that set us apart, we will be able to evolve beyond the standard slice of pizza.”
With plenty of professional experience internationally, Brindza has a passion for traveling through the lenses of food and culture, and he is relentlessly watching global food trends to discover the future of cuisine, according to the press release.
“We are called Toppers for a reason,” he said. “We want to be craveable and have on-trend, unique toppings. I’m also looking to build out our vegan and vegetarian offerings and expand our beverage portfolio.”
