Flavor Trailblazer: Jessica Bograd

Menu innovation at fast casual City Barbeque starts with a deep respect for craft. With smokers running in every location and proteins treated with the reverence of center-of-the-plate cuts, the brand’s culinary strategy is rooted in authenticity, even as it evolves to meet shifting consumer expectations.

For Jessica Bograd, senior director of culinary, that means balancing tradition with opportunity. While City Barbeque stays firmly grounded in regional American barbecue, it finds room to innovate through format, flavor and limited-time offerings that tap into emerging behaviors, from snackable builds to next-level heat. Bograd shares how the brand navigates rising protein costs, defines value beyond price and introduces new flavors without alienating its fiercely loyal customer base.

Katie Ayoub: Describe your role at City Barbeque.
Jessica Bograd: I’m the senior director of culinary, and I’ve been with the brand since 2022. When I came in, I brought more of a strategic development and innovation background, and today my role spans menu development, LTO strategy and making sure we’re executing consistently across all locations.

KA: When it comes to menu innovation, what is the biggest challenge right now?
JB: It comes down to cost, especially protein. We’re a meat-forward brand, and beef in particular is integral to what we do. So, we’re constantly watching pricing and working closely with the supply chain team to stay ahead of the curve.

At the same time, we’re really focused on maximizing what comes in the back door. Everything is cooked in-house—each location has three smokers—so there’s a lot of opportunity for variability. Training and consistency are huge for us to make sure we’re protecting yield and delivering the quality our guests expect.

KA: How do you define your barbecue point of view?
JB: We’re not tied to one specific region in the U.S. Instead, we celebrate the craft of barbecue across styles. Our brisket leans Texas, with that salt, pepper and garlic-forward profile. Pork pulls more from St. Louis. We’ve got Alabama white sauce, Carolina gold—there’s a range. When we think about flavor innovation, it’s less about stepping outside of barbecue and more about asking: Are there new flavors within the regions we already represent? Or are there ways to bring those flavors to new markets in a way that still feels nostalgic and familiar?

KA: How do you filter trends through the City Barbeque lens, and what drives your LTO strategy?
JB: LTOs are where we can stretch our innovation. We run five LTO windows a year, and that’s where we test new flavors, formats and ideas. We have a very engaged guest base—they’ll tell us quickly what works and what doesn’t—so it’s a great way to validate innovation. There are three pillars that drive those LTOs: protein, format and flavor. Protein is always first, either enhancing something we already have or introducing something new. Then format: Are we moving beyond sandwiches into things like loaded potatoes or mac-and-cheese builds? And then flavor—sauces, seasonings and cooking techniques. From there, we layer in seasonality, and not just weather, but also occasions. Barbecue is tied to moments like summer, Fourth of July and the holidays, so we build our calendar around that.

KA: Are there specific trends you’re leaning into right now?
JB: Sweet heat is a big one for us, especially in redefining what “spicy” means beyond traditional barbecue sauce. We’re exploring how to build heat that delivers impact but still respects the protein. That balance is key, whether the sweetness comes from honey, molasses or something else. We’re also starting to dip into adjacent flavors—things like chipotle or jalapeño—that feel familiar but let us stretch just a bit beyond traditional barbecue.

KA: What are your “sacred cow” menu items?
JB: Brisket is king—no question. That’s the foundation of the brand. We also have a sandwich called the Cowbell that’s been around forever. It’s big, messy and indulgent. And banana pudding! We’ve tested other desserts, but the second we pull banana pudding back, people notice immediately and we hear about it.

QUICKFIRE

Source of inspiration:
Instagram and TikTok, plus getting out into the market and doing dine-arounds.

Something in your fridge that would surprise people:
An entire setup for espresso drinks—syrups, homemade creamers. I went all in.

Best bite you’ve had recently:
A pork belly “brisket” at Dayne’s Craft Barbecue in Aledo, Texas. Simple—salt, pepper and garlic—but perfectly executed.

Cuisine you’re excited about:
Japanese is a go-to, but I’d love to explore more Indian cuisine—the flavors, the breads, the depth.

Go-to late-night snack:
Mini cupcakes—just one every night.