An interview with Chris Martone
Executive Chef - Subway Restaurants
By Katie Ayoub
When Subway ran a promotion that featured Asiago cheese, its corporate executive chef, Chris Martone, needed to source a whopping 1 million pounds of the Italian cheese. When he switched from using white onions in sandwiches to red, the red-onion growers requested a 10-month lead-time to grow enough. Ah, the power of Subway.
This sandwich-shop chain, based in Milford, Conn., has more than 26,000 stores in 85 countries; it overtook McDonald's in its domestic unit count in 2001. Subway's system-wide sales add up to more than $9.05 billion.
Much of the concept's success is attributed to Martone. Hired in 1999, he ushered in a new era at Subway. He upgraded its product mix, introducing the Selects menu that features gourmet breads and sauces. He helped develop the “8 under 6” menu, which positioned Subway as a healthy alternative to fast food.
Subway recently rolled out a successful toasted sub menu. Martone not only masterminded the sandwiches, but also commissioned speedy toaster ovens that deliver them in 30 seconds or less.
Subway's sandwich board still offers its tried-and-true classics, but it now reads more like a gourmet sandwich shop, with trend-conscious, fresh flavor combinations. Martone's hit parade includes the Sweet Onion/Chicken Teriyaki sandwich, the Red-Wine-Vinaigrette Club and the Dijon Horseradish Melt. Customers can now choose from more than white or wheat; gourmet breads include Hearty Italian, Parmesan Oregano and Harvest Wheat.
What's most striking about this chef is his faith in the North American public. Sure, Subway has a rigorous testing panel before launching new products, but Martone doesn't underestimate his customers. He firmly believes that if Subway builds a good sandwich, the customers will come.
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KRAFT:
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What's your idea of a perfect sandwich?
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MARTONE:
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It all starts from the bread. Good flavor and texture is the base for everything. And of course you need that great visual appeal with good, vibrant colors.
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KRAFT:
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What flavor combinations resonate with the American palate?
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MARTONE:
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The American palate is growing so quickly, it makes my job really fun. Look at how Asian cuisine is more widely accepted now. Accepting different, sort of exotic flavors all started with Tex-Mex, and now more Latin flavors are here. Slowly, Americans are trying and identifying new flavors. Places like Taco Bell do a great job introducing words and foods, like carne asada. Taco Bell doesn't Americanize the terms, and I think that has helped tremendously with the comfort level of foreign foods and flavors. We tested chipotle and Asiago, and although some of our testers couldn't pronounce the words and weren't familiar with them, they responded really positively to the flavors. It's exciting that they're willing to try new things.
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KRAFT:
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Can you describe one sandwich or ingredient that you thought was a homerun, but never made it onto the Subway menu?
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MARTONE:
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I worked on a blended-berries vinaigrette. It was fat-free. No one liked it. I think I made it too sweet. One thing we did pull thinking it wasn't performing well was the red-wine vinaigrette, one of our core sauces. We got such a huge outcry! It was a sleeper hit. It went back on the menu.
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KRAFT:
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How has Subway's customer profile changed since you rolled out the new menu offerings?
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MARTONE:
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I think they've kind of come along with us through the changes. The nutritional focus has changed. Low fat isn't on everyone's minds all the time, but they make that leap that our sandwiches are good for them. Our customer base has grown. People want fresh food that's fast. They want alternatives to fast food, so they come here. We're still heavy on teens, but are now reaching into older demographics, too.
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KRAFT:
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What is the biggest challenge in your job description?
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MARTONE:
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Inventory. Our president's very involved in keeping track of inventory. So, my challenge is: How can I create a new flavor while being mindful of what ingredients I bring in? Ingredient builds have to work on more than one sandwich; they need to serve multi-functions—that can be very challenging.
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KRAFT:
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Tell me about the launch of the Hot and Toasted sandwiches? Was it a response to the success of Quizno's and other such places?
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MARTONE:
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We finished the launch a year ago. They're offered throughout North America. We were looking to get some different flavors into our sandwiches. When you toast them, because of the high heat, you get a different reaction and it makes things taste really good. Maybe Quizno's opened the door to it. It's the same concept, but it's a market segment that's growing. We introduced toasted subs because introducing good, new things keeps business moving.
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KRAFT:
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What makes your speed ovens for the toasted sandwiches work so well?
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MARTONE:
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The toaster unit was developed for us. It was designed to take our sandwiches. We wanted a machine that heated the proteins and melted the cheese and toasted the bread. It's not as easy as it seems. The trick is to get the protein hot enough without making the bread chewy. Each of our sandwiches has different pre-set programs on the toaster ovens, ranging from 20 to 30 seconds. They do a great job.
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KRAFT:
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If you were sent to a desert island, what three ingredients would you take with you?
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MARTONE:
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Tomatoes, olive oil and bread.
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KRAFT:
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What is your favorite kitchen tool?
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MARTONE:
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My chef's knife. It's just so versatile.
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KRAFT:
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Where was the last place you dined?
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MARTONE:
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I went to Nectar in Toronto. I was up there for our big convention.
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KRAFT:
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What is your favorite Kraft product?
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MARTONE:
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Grey Poupon Country Dijon Mustard. It's great on corned beef and pastrami. It also works really well as an ingredient in a dish.
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