SSP America Appoints Vice President of Culinary to Elevate Airport Dining

SSP America has appointed Brian Kumrow as vice president of culinary, a move aimed at strengthening its food and beverage strategy across airport locations in North America.

In the role, Kumrow will oversee culinary direction for the company’s portfolio, focusing on menu innovation, brand alignment, food safety and operational execution across hundreds of airport dining concepts.

Company officials said the position is designed to enhance the passenger experience through more locally inspired, scalable food programs that reflect evolving traveler expectations.

Kumrow brings more than 15 years of experience in multi-unit culinary leadership, most recently overseeing food and beverage operations across more than 200 airport outlets for a major travel hospitality provider. His background includes developing high-volume kitchen operations, partnering with national and local brands, and implementing chef training programs.

For airport operators, the appointment reflects a continued shift toward more curated and experience-driven concessions programs, where food quality, local identity and operational consistency play a critical role in passenger satisfaction and non-aeronautical revenue.

SSP America said the expanded culinary leadership will support collaboration across operations, supply chain and marketing teams to deliver consistent, high-quality dining experiences while maintaining efficiency across a growing network.

The move underscores the increasing importance of culinary strategy as airports and concessionaires compete to differentiate offerings and meet rising expectations for food, authenticity and service within the terminal environment.