When Whataburger releases new items each quarter, corporate chef James Sanchez hops on video conference calls to explain concepts and execution. Although the task appears routine on the surface, Sanchez embraces it as an honor. The constant opportunity to manage the menu of a roughly 950-unit brand that's been in business for seven decades is not lost upon him. Sanchez—who grew up in San Antonio, the same city as Whataburger's headquarters—has a culinary career that spans more than 30 years, but no position has excited him more than the role he's held since 2018.