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How Rick Petralia is pushing the flavor envelope at Freddy’s

Though the chef switched from pasta to frozen custard and burgers, he sticks with the same R&D principles.

Patricia Cobe, Senior Editor

October 20, 2022

Rick Petralia led menu innovation at Fazoli’s for several years before moving over to Wichita, Kan.-based Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers earlier in 2022, applying his deep culinary experience to a new platform.

Burgers and frozen custard are very different from pasta, he admits, but menu development relies on the same principles. Petralia analyzes consumer research, focuses on seasonality and tries to push the envelope on flavor. He’s also a TikTok fan, saying there’s lots of inspiration out there on social media.

Rick Petralia
Rick Petralia

Listen as the new director of menu strategy and innovation for Freddy’s describes how he’s putting his operations expertise and culinary stamp on the rapidly growing fast-casual chain.

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About the Author

Patricia Cobe

Senior Editor

Pat plans and executes the menu sections of Restaurant Business and FoodService Director, covering food and beverage trends, Menu R&D, profiles of chefs and restaurateurs and Technomic research. She also contributes to the digital content of both RB and FSD and is editor of two weekly e-newsletters, Recipe Report and On the Menu. Pat’s weekly podcast, MenuFeed, covers a wide range of menu topics through interviews with chefs and operators.

Pat came to Winsight from Hearst, where she was an executive editor. She is the co-author of the Mompreneurs series of books as well as two cookbooks. She graduated from Cornell University and earned a Masters in Journalism from Boston University. She is active in several professional organizations, including Les Dames d’Escoffier and the International Foodservice Editorial Council (IFEC), and serves as a judge for the James Beard Media Awards.

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