Source: QSR
If you had told 8-year-old Kaitlyn Venable she would one day lead the culinary team at a fast-growing legacy brand, she would have been shocked. Dining out was a rare treat in her childhood, but after her first taste of risotto at a fine-dining restaurant, she knew she wanted to be a chef.
At 16, she began working for Brennan Family Restaurants while finishing high school, eager to get her foot in the door. After earning a formal education at The Culinary Institute of America and the University of Houston, Venable was ready to dedicate her life to food.
“This is all I’ve ever wanted to do, ever since I had that lightbulb go off in my head as a child,” Venable says. “Even if I didn’t know exactly where my career would lead, I never changed my mind. I’m always thinking about food.”
For the first eight years of her career, Venable worked at Luby’s, a 77-year-old Texas staple. She then moved to SPB Hospitality, where she managed culinary strategy and worked her way up to director.
In March 2023, Venable learned that another Texas culinary icon, the 88-year-old Shipley Do-Nuts, was looking for a chef. As a Houston native, she grew up eating their iconic handcrafted doughnuts and kolaches.
The chance to join the brand at such a pivotal time was irresistible. Shipley Do-Nuts has experienced 15 consecutive quarters of positive same-store sales, a 50 percent increase in AUVs, and now operates more than 350 company-owned and franchised locations across 12 states.
As executive chef, Venable also had the opportunity to oversee product development and innovation. At just 35 years old, she became the first executive chef in the brand’s 88-year history.
“No day looks the same for me, and that’s exciting,” Venable says. “My heart and soul are in product innovation, so my favorite days are the ones spent in the kitchen brainstorming.”
She draws inspiration from experimenting with ingredients, current trends, and seasonality while staying true to Shipley Do-Nuts’ heritage. Sometimes, Venable focuses on product categories, like finding modern ways to reinvent their classic kolaches and doughnuts to connect with both the past and present.
“It’s a challenge to balance innovation with history, but it’s one of the things I love most,” Venable says. “I ask myself how I can create new items to draw people in while still resonating with the brand’s legacy. Innovation is new to this brand, so I keep that in mind as we roll out products to franchisees and customers in a streamlined way.”
Under Venable’s leadership, five new menu items were introduced in 2024, with an October launch on the horizon. These products represent the brand’s first LTOs. Buzzy new items include the Poptastic Donut with freeze-dried Skittles, the Oreo Cookies & Cream Donut, and the Egg & Cheese Kolache, which is expected to be the largest LTO in the company’s history.
“These menu offerings are completely new for our stores and customers,” Venable says. “It’s generated a lot of excitement and buzz, leading to new partnerships, new conversations, and a fresh sense of excitement we haven’t seen before.”
Venable says beverages are the next big focus for Shipley Do-Nuts. She believes strengthening this platform will be key as the brand looks to capture both breakfast and lunch dayparts.
“I’ve been digging into our beverages, figuring out how we can become top of mind for our customers at any time of day,” Venable says. “We want products that appeal to our afternoon customers, like kids and their moms on their way home from school. I can’t wait to figure out that piece, whether it’s through drinks or introducing more savory flavors with our kolaches.”
As a one-woman team, Venable has the unique ability to work cross-functionally with finance, supply chain, and marketing—an opportunity she hasn’t had in previous roles.
“Because we’re such a lean team, I’m directly involved in more aspects of the business, which is a unique learning experience for me,” Venable says. “It can be challenging to maintain the legacy of the brand and make sure all the departments are getting what they need from me as a one-person show, but it’s also empowering and motivating.”
Zippia estimates that only 12.5 percent of executive chefs are women—a statistic Venable is keenly aware of. She aims to change that through mentorship and visibility, often gravitating toward young female leaders and trainers because she understands the challenges they face.
“I always tell them to be a sponge—absorb all the insights and learn from tough situations,” Venable says. “It’s also important to stay open—I got my dream job from an opportunity I wasn’t initially excited about, but it led me here. Specifically for women, we need to be confident in our skills, know our worth, and recognize the value we bring to the table.”
Reflecting on her journey so far, Venable is proud of the new menu offerings, partnerships, and initiatives to strengthen Shipley Do-Nuts’ lunch and beverage categories. But for her, the title on her name badge holds the most meaning.
“Not many women have reached this level in the industry, so seeing ‘executive chef’ under my name for the first time made me emotional,” Venable says. “I didn’t realize what those two words would mean to me until I saw them in print. I’ve worked so hard to get where I am at my age … It’s an honor to see my recipe developments come to life and be part of the first production runs for new projects that are breaking their own sales records. I can’t wait to see what’s next for our brand.”
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