#36. Have you ever wondered who is behind all of the new and exciting flavors at Shake Shack? Meet John Karangis, Executive Chef and VP of Culinary Innovation, leading R&D, menu development, and chef collaborations for the brand.

John's culinary journey kicked off in the nineties at Union Square Cafe, winding through Paris and San Francisco, before settling back in New York City at Gramercy Tavern. A detour into the corporate kitchen of Goldman Sachs honed his skills in delivering top-notch restaurant-style food in unconventional settings. Prior to Shake Shack, John spent seven years at the helm of Danny Meyer's Union Square Events, fine-tuning his ability to execute high-quality food on a large scale.

In this episode, join CEO Josh Sharkey and John as they discuss the intricacies of R&D and innovation at Shake Shack. Discover the secrets behind producing restaurant-quality fare on a grand scale, and get a glimpse into John's passion for endurance training.

Where to find John Karangis:

Where to find host Josh Sharkey:

In this episode, we cover:

(02:11) John's culinary background
(06:48) Endurance training
(13:12) How endurance training relates to working as a chef
(17:41) R&D for Shake Shack
(25:07) R&D Customer feedback
(29:36) Shake Shake chef collaborations
(33:50) When dishes don't make it past testing
(42:36) Union Square Events and producing food at a large scale
(46:31) How to create high quality food at a large scale
(54:36) Working with Delta and seasoning food at high elevation
(57:18) Advice on how to start on a fitness journey

John Karangis - Executive Chef, VP of Culinary Innovation Shake Shack