Flavor Trailblazer: Reed Armstrong

At Cava, menu innovation is grounded in a clear point of view—translating Mediterranean flavors in ways that feel both authentic and accessible. For senior director of culinary innovation Reed Armstrong, that means honoring the brand’s Greek roots while continuously evolving the menu through thoughtful, layered flavor.

Over his eight-year tenure—growing with the brand from just over 40 locations to a national powerhouse of more than 450 units—Armstrong has helped shape Cava’s modern menu strategy, balancing authenticity with approachability. The goal? Make the familiar fantastic, as the team puts it, bringing globally influenced flavors into a format that resonates with a wide audience. From cult-favorite menu items like Harissa Honey Chicken to newer frontiers like seafood and beverage innovation, Armstrong shares how Cava filters trends, builds craveability and keeps its culinary voice both grounded and forward-thinking.

Katie Ayoub: Describe your role at Cava.
Reed Armstrong: I’m the senior director of culinary innovation. When I started, I was a culinary team of one, and my role was rolled into supply chain. Since then, we’ve built out a full culinary team focused on innovation, commercialization and operational execution. Today, we’re thinking holistically about the menu—innovation, renovation, simplification—and how that all ladders up to the brand. We work closely with our founder and chief concept officer to shape what that pipeline looks like.

KA: When it comes to menu innovation, what is the biggest challenge right now?
RA: The question we’re always asking is: How do we stay true to our Mediterranean roots while continuing to evolve? We have a mantra: “Make the familiar fantastic.” Early on, people didn’t know what hummus was, let alone putting it on a salad. Now we ask ourselves, “What’s our next hummus moment?” It’s about finding flavors that are exciting—not just trendy—and translating them in a way that still feels authentically Cava.

KA: The Mediterranean is a huge playground. Where are you digging right now?
RA: We’re always grounded in central Greece—that’s our foundation. But we do pull influence from the Levant, especially on the spice side. Greek food is well-seasoned but not necessarily spicy. So we layer in more assertive flavors from neighboring regions and bring them back through the Cava lens. It’s not about stretching beyond our identity—it’s about expanding within it.

KA: How do you filter trends through the Cava lens?
RA: We look everywhere—focus groups, guest feedback, industry signals—but none of those voices dominate. Everything ultimately goes through one filter: Does this feel like Cava? We also check ourselves on pace. Are we innovating in a way that feels authentic, or are we chasing trends? At the same time, we protect space for creativity. Our team come from fine-dining backgrounds, so we want that exploratory mindset. Then we refine and validate from there.

KA: With solid Greek roots, how do you extend your culinary innovation playground while keeping it grounded in the Cava universe?
RA: It’s all about layering for us. How do we take an ingredient that wouldn’t traditionally be Greek and tie it to something that is? Gochujang, even though it’s popping, would most likely feel out of place on our menu. A good fit keeps us closer to home. Our Harissa Honey Chicken is a perfect expression of that—it’s rooted in our world but taps into a broader flavor movement. The success of that dish, introduced in 2019, reinforces that if you introduce a flavor within the right context, guests will go with you—even if it’s unfamiliar at first.

KA: What are your “sacred cow” menu items?
RA: Harissa Honey Chicken has definitely earned its place. But even before that, our Crazy Feta and Spicy Lamb Meatballs are foundational. Those recipes go all the way back to the original full-service concept. We’re still making those meatballs from scratch every day in restaurants—it’s core to who we are.

KA: What’s your cadence with LTOs?
RA: We don’t follow a rigid cadence—we think more in terms of moments and impact. Earlier this year, we had our largest menu launch ever. We brought back our white sweet potatoes, introduced a Tangerine Aleppo beverage, launched seasonal pita chips and added items like Power Greens and Sumac Slaw. We’re also seeing a lot of success in snackable innovation—our chips have really become their own category.

KA: What’s in the pipeline?
RA: One big rollout we’re excited about is our Pomegranate-Glazed Salmon—our first entry into seafood. Seafood is foundational to the Mediterranean diet, so it’s a natural evolution for us. It’s about bringing that into the Cava format in a way that feels true to the brand.

QUICKFIRE

Source of inspiration:
Dining out, traveling, reading menus, visiting suppliers, watching how guests interact with our food. Honestly, some of the most meaningful inspiration comes from Greece itself, especially the simplicity of the cuisine. Sitting down to a home-cooked meal in a village—that’s as grounding as it gets.

Something in your fridge that would surprise people:
The volume of hot sauce! Easily a third of a shelf is dedicated to different types of hot sauce—maybe more—depending on who you ask.

Best bite you’ve had recently:
In Greece, there was this souvlaki stand near the Corinth Canal—one item, done perfectly. It was almost a religious experience. More recently, a dry-aged trout crudo at Bavel in L.A.—bright, citrusy, layered with spice. Really memorable.

Go-to late night snack:
Chicken wings… or cold lo mein, ideally eaten straight from the fridge.