Junior Development Chef

🌟 Join Our Culinary Innovation Team! 🌟

Are you a passionate and creative Junior Development Chef with a flair for culinary excellence? Do you have a taste for innovation and a desire to shape the future of food? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you!

About my client:

We are a leading food manufacturing company based in the heart of the UK, dedicated to crafting delicious and high-quality food products. My client is a family business with more than 30 years of award-winning experience and as they continue to grow, they are on the lookout for a talented and dynamic Development Chef to join their innovative team.

The Role:

• Work towards creative development of new recipes aligned to customer briefs; demonstrating understanding of customer policies/ brand standards.

• Understanding of operational capabilities with key customer outlets with a view to improve operational simplicity through concept offer

• Begin to identifying gaps and opportunities leading to pro-active ‘blue sky’ development creating solutions to stretch our categories and business growth

• Work with the team to sourcing of new ingredients from national and international suppliers & understanding supplier capability.

• Support the team in maintain the NPD kitchen ensuring excellent standards are maintained at all times including food safety and hygiene standards are maintained and all records are well documented and up to date.

• Responsible for kitchen stock control liaising with suppliers, managing sample request and supplier feedback.

• Working with the team to ensure a great standard of ingredient and food quality

• Building confidence at customer presentation tasting meeting and internal taste panels.

• Participate in brainstorm sessions and bring to life bank of ideas & focus development.

• Lead product tasting to provide the team with feedback & thought suggestions for improvements where needed.

• Responsible for the facilitation of repeat sampling when required.

• Sample making for customer presentations.

• Completing shelf life testing on products and heating trials

• Completion of accurate recipes within internal systems, working with the NPD teams to ensure product feasibility for manufacturing sites

• Establish & build relationships with key customer contacts.

• Attending and contributing to the daily stand-up meeting within the Agile frame work to discuss planned and completed work tasks, and assist team by removing blockers where possible

• Promoting a positive friendly ‘can do’ attitude within the department

• Attendance at selective food exhibitions/ shows/ seminars and summarisation of interesting ingredients/ trends/ products found that could be of use across the business. Then sharing inspiration & findings with key customers and internal teams.

• Attendance of corporate events and functions, as and when required.

What they Offer:

· Competitive basic salary

· 20 days holiday (pro rata)

· Your birthday off

· Health care scheme

· Enhanced maternity and paternity pay

· Other company benefits

· 9am-5pm Monday-Friday (with flexibility)

Desired Skills and Qualifications:

• Previous experience as an NPD chef or culinary degree

• Understanding of a food manufacturing environment

• Customer-facing presentation skills

• Passionate about food and ingredient quality

• Food photography experience

• Education from a food-related college e.g., NVQ Level 2 in Professional Cookery

• Food Hygiene and food safety qualifications up to Level 3

• A valid UK driving licence is essential.

• Permanent Right to Work in the UK

Personal attributes/Skills

• Inquisitive approach to food and manufacturing with an ability to identify new food trends.
• Excellent organisational skills.
• Computer literate.
• Highly numerate.
• Good food presentation skills.
• A self-starter.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Relishes working in a fast-paced environment in a hands-on capacity with a problem-solving mindset. Supports a culture of continuous improvement.
• Has a natural can-do attitude and attention to detail.
• Shows initiative, enthusiasm and positive.
• Creative/Innovative personality.
• Ability to cost a recipe.
• Can learn to use new software quickly e.g. recipe costing.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Willingness to travel to suppliers/clients or between offices.

Join us on this culinary journey as we redefine the future of food together!