It’s been a year since fast casual franchise Chick N Max welcomed Robert Kabakoff as Culinary Director to help elevate menu offerings and accelerate their franchise expansion goals.

“Acquiring the best talent is paramount to the growth of any franchise, and we cannot be more pleased with Chef Robert’s contributions so far,” said Max Sheets, founder of Chick N Max, in a statement. company press. “His in-depth knowledge and experience, combined with his enthusiasm for creating fresh, new and innovative dishes, keeps us at the forefront of technology and will no doubt continue to play an important role as we enter a new era. growth rate for Chick N Max. “

Kabakoff, a graduate and board member of the Culinary Institute of America, served as Executive Chef and Director of Culinary Education for Hillstone Restaurant Group, a private collection of upscale restaurants with over 45 locations in major cities across the country. . In 2003, he opened RHK Consulting Group with restaurants in Bend, Oregon; Chicago, Illinois; Spanish Fort, Alabama; Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Washington, DC

He is also the recipient of various awards, including Phoenix Chef and Chef of the Year, as well as the National Hot Food Champion.

Since joining Chick N Max, the chef has revamped the brand’s line of smoked chicken sandwiches and completely updated the classic smoked chicken sandwich, moving the sandwich almost to number one in the range of selling mixes. , Sheets said. He also created four sandwiches, built a library of limited-time sandwiches, added two sides, and refreshed several menu items and recipes. Finally, he contributed to the layout of the new unit kitchen for improved sales capacities per hour as well as improved service speed. He also improved several of Chick N Max’s negotiated supply contracts.

“It’s a great opportunity,” Kabakoff said. “Chick N Max is moving in the right direction – we are opening new corporate stores, increasing comparable store sales and looking ahead with great optimism regarding franchise expansion. I look forward to it. to continue to play an important role in this area. growth. “

The excitement surrounding Chick N Max comes months after the Wichita, Kansas-based franchise officially launched its franchise opportunity and plans to expand into the central and southeastern United States.

With three company-owned restaurants already serving a host of customers across Wichita, Chick N Max intends to double its footprint by the end of next year and open up to five new restaurants each. year thereafter. Growth will be primarily achieved through the multi-unit franchise and will initially target select markets across Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas and the Southeastern United States.