How do you take an underperforming menu from blah to BAM? For Chef Lynn Hay, Head of Culinary and leader of Entegra’s Culinary Consulting team, it’s all about keeping it simple. According to Chef Lynn, your menu should inspire guests while being practical, executable and aligned with the real-world goals of your business. 

Chef Lynn took a break from overseeing the construction of the new Entegra Performance Kitchen to share her thoughts on culinary strategy, vision for Entegra Culinary Consulting (ECC) and advice for operators looking to transform their business. 

What inspired you to become a chef? 

Chef Lynn Hay: I started my career selling business center services. While it was lucrative, I used to drive to work every day thinking, “There has to be more to life than selling copiers.” 

In my spare time, I would bake and cook to relieve stress. One night, I was watching a cooking show, looking at a cookbook and planning a dinner party, and I had an “aha” moment. Was a career in food what I was looking for? 

At 29, I left my job and went to culinary school. I built a successful catering company, ran it for 13 years, then sold the business before stepping into my position at Entegra. 

What’s your culinary philosophy and how will it impact your role as Head of Culinary? 

Chef Lynn: My culinary philosophy is rooted in purposeful creativity. I believe food should be inspiring, but it also needs to be practical, executable and aligned with real business goals. As Head of Culinary at Entegra, that means focusing not just on innovation, but on solutions that truly support our clients’ success. 

How do you balance creativity and innovation with the financial and operational realities that operators face right now? 

Chef Lynn: That balance starts with understanding that innovation has to serve a purpose. For me, creativity is about menu differentiation and helping our clients stand apart from their competition, but it has to work within their labor model and budget constraints. 

We absolutely have had to scale ideas back, but that is where real creativity shows up. With rising commodity costs and labor challenges, Entegra Culinary Consulting focuses on smart menu swaps, plus-one or plus-two recipe adjustments, cross-utilization, and leveraging technology to improve efficiency. Small tweaks can make a meaningful impact when they are intentional and aligned with cost and execution. 

A grounded leadership style supports that balance. I believe in being hands-on, testing, sampling and working through trial and error with the team. A vision only matters if it can be executed consistently in the real world. Our goal, always, is to deliver ideas that are exciting, but also achievable, profitable, and sustainable for our clients.

When clients engage with the ECC, how does it influence operational efficiency and cost outcomes? 

Chef Lynn: The ECC experience for clients goes far beyond the product cutting itself. In the kitchen, we showcase their contracted products within their own recipes and equip them with clear, actionable insights. They leave with the information they need to adjust order guides, drive cost savings, and create greater consistency across their operations. 

What happens after they leave the kitchen is just as important. 

Setting products correctly on the order guide, communicating changes with operators, partnering with their distributor to ensure a seamless transition, and working closely with Entegra National Account Executives all play a critical role. Because our approach is cross-functional on both the Entegra side and the client side, we help turn smart culinary decisions into measurable operational efficiency and sustainable cost outcomes. 

Read more: Forum Purchasing boosts savings 28% with Entegra 

How do you envision aligning culinary consulting strategy with supply chain insights, cost outlooks and category management priorities? 

Chef Lynn: As a team, we stay closely connected to our supplier partners to understand what is new in the market, where there are supply chain challenges, and which products are readily available. That insight directly shapes our recipe development and LTO strategy. 

For example, if we see volatility in a center-of-plate category, we can proactively develop recipes that utilize stable, high-quality alternative cuts or value-added items that protect margins without sacrificing guest experience. If a manufacturer is long on a particular SKU, we can build creative applications around it that help operators take advantage of availability and cost opportunities. 

We also intentionally design recipes that align with Entegra’s category management priorities, ensuring we are driving contracted compliance while still delivering innovation. By aligning development with cost outlooks, supply visibility, and category focus, we help clients make decisions that are not only creative but also financially and operationally sound. 

Read more: What factors drive changes in commodity prices?

What’s your long-term vision for Entegra Culinary Consulting?

Chef Lynn: My long-term vision for the ECC is to be a trusted, forward-thinking partner for both our clients and suppliers. We have the privilege of working with such a diverse community, and I see the ECC continuing to lead in innovative recipe and menu development — helping our clients bring creativity to their menus while exceeding their business goals. 

I also envision us elevating our offerings year after year, strengthening supplier partnerships, and inspiring the broader industry through meaningful, impactful work. 

What do you like to make for dinner after a long day? 

Chef Lynn: After a long day in the kitchen — with mingled cooking smells, tasting all day and making lots of decisions and adjustments — I like to keep it simple and quick. If I don’t have any protein prepped, I’ll grill a chicken breast or a piece of salmon. I go for simple seasonings. Usually, I’ll put it over arugula or whatever greens I have on hand and dress simply with lemon juice, olive oil and salt. 

Ready to get creative in the kitchen? 

Learn how Entegra Culinary Consulting can transform your business with practical and creative strategies aligned with your real-world goals.